With a decade of teaching experience, I specialize in developing student-centered ELA activities and unit plans that foster creativity and critical thinking. My resources have been tried and tested in more than 74,000 classrooms worldwide since 2013.
With a decade of teaching experience, I specialize in developing student-centered ELA activities and unit plans that foster creativity and critical thinking. My resources have been tried and tested in more than 74,000 classrooms worldwide since 2013.
Help middle and high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering the short story “Ambush” by Tim O’Brien, which addresses a soldier’s experience during the Vietnam War. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Isolate details that contribute to a surreal atmosphere
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the functions of given details and characters
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on onomatopoeia
Articulate how the narrative fits the classification of ‘cautionary story’
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning
Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile and situational irony
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Eliminate assessment planning responsibilities and evaluate high school students’ knowledge of plot and literary craft with this summative test covering Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. An answer key is included, as well as a test prep guide and a standards-based rubric for scoring essay responses. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. The test is divided into four sections, outlined as follows:
Part 1 - Characters and Plot. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following characters and aspects of plot:Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following characters and aspects of plot:
♦ Perry’s background
♦ Perry’s medical condition
♦ Perry’s family
♦ Perry’s external conflicts
♦ Perry’s superiors
♦ Perry’s cohorts
♦ A nurse Perry meets
♦ Miscellaneous characters Perry meets along the way
Part 2 - Literary Craft. Students will apply knowledge of the following literary devices to quotes from the novel:
♦ Anaphora
♦ Aphorism
♦ External conflict
♦ Hyperbole
♦ Internal conflict
♦ Irony
♦ Metaphor
♦ Oxymoron
Part 3 - Meaningful Quotations in Context. Students will read the given quotes in order to discern the speaker and significance of each:
♦ “The army was the place I was going to get away from all the questions.” (Chapter 2)
♦ “Anything anybody got in the army, I got. You got a gun, I got a gun. You got boots, I got boots.” (Chapter 2)
♦ “Movies are the only real thing in life.” (Chapter 6)
♦ “He was a thing, a trophy. I wondered if I could become a trophy.” (Chapter 7)
♦ “A man in Nam fighting by my side is a man fighting by my side.” (Chapter 18)
♦ “Mama would expect me to be the same person, but it could never happen.” (Chapter 20)
Part 4 - Essay Writing. Students will develop a five paragraph essay in response to one of two given prompts:
♦ The first prompt requires students to explore Perry’s changing perspective on the war
♦ The second prompt requires students to evaluate any meaningful character’s methods of coping with the terrible realities of war
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 16, 17, and 18 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the novel. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Ma’s reaction to Rose of Sharon’s news
An engine issue with the Wilsons’ vehicle
Ma’s disagreement with Tom and Casy’s decision
Spending the night at a roadside camp
Conditions for migrant farmers in California
The creation of larger migrant family communities
A degrading term for migrant families
Noah’s life-changing decision
A gravely ill character
Agricultural inspectors stopping the family
Sad news shared with the family
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 10 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Explore the symbolism associated with killing mockingbirds
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 11 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Draw personal connections to Jem
Argue whether Jem feels guilty for his treatment of Scout
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 4 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Determine the greater significance of a given detail
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, personification, allusion, and situational irony
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 1 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the greater significance of a given detail
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Apply knowledge of figurative language
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 15 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore an abrupt shift in tone
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including paradox and dramatic irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of two plot-based quizzes covering chapters 19 and 20 of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. The assessments may double as guided reading worksheets or review handouts. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
Tom’s previous run-in with the law
Why Tom had to serve 30 days
Mayella’s plan to ensure her siblings were not present
Scout’s epiphany regarding Mayella’s loneliness
Link Deas’s support of Tom
Bob Ewell’s comments according to Tom’s testimony
Why Tom frequently helped Mayella
Mr. Gilmer’s treatment of Tom
The major revelation regarding Dolphus Raymond’s condition
Atticus’s summation
Atticus’s peculiar behavior that surprises the kids
This bundle of 20 assessments promotes analytical thinking, measures and extends reading comprehension, and offers flexibility of choice to differentiate and satisfy the academic needs of students of varying proficiency levels in classroom and distance learning settings. Included are close reading activities, answer keys, and copies of public domain texts. Short story selections include the following:
“Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin *
“Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell *
“The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe *
“The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving *
“The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield *
“The New Dress” by Virginia Woolf *
“The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane *
“The Open Window” by Saki *
“The Oval Portrait” by Edgar Allan Poe *
“A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett *
“After Twenty Years” by O. Henry *
“The Businessman” by Edgar Allan Poe *
“The Legend of the Christmas Rose” by Selma Lagerlof *
“The Old Tombstone” by Hans Christian Andersen *
“The Wind Blows” by Katherine Mansfield *
“The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen *
“The Stolen Farthings” by the Brothers Grimm *
“Slave on the Block” by Langston Hughes
“The Wives of the Dead” by Nathaniel Hawthorne *
“The Sparrow and His Four Children” by the Brothers Grimm *
(* denotes a public domain text)
By completing these analysis exercises, students will demonstrate the following high-order skills:
An ability to apply knowledge of more complex literary devices to the texts including foreshadowing, situational irony, dramatic irony, hyperbole, personification, metaphor, symbolism, theme, and more
An ability to analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about character motivations and other elements of plot
An ability to discern and articulate details that illustrate contrasts between characters
An ability to define complex words by taking into consideration denotative definitions, connotative definitions, and context clues
An ability to find and articulate relevant textual details in support of claims
An ability to discern mood and tone in context
An ability to discern author’s intent
An ability to conduct brief research and articulate historical and autobiographical parallels
An ability to analyze text structures
An ability to analyze text to determine the function of an excerpt
An ability to analyze a text for how it conforms to the conventions of a particular genre
An ability to establish formal tone, paying attention to conventions of written English
An ability to take leadership in class discussions, addressing nuances in the author’s craft to help peers understand literature from different perspectives
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 19, 20, and 21 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the novel. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
California’s history
American squatters’ sense of entitlement to land
The perceived threat of the Okies
Granma’s body
Hoovervilles
The characterization of Floyd Knowles
The reason for an employment “blacklist”
A mistake Connie thinks he and Rose of Sharon made
The arrest of Floyd Knowles
Tom tripping the police officer
Casy’s willingness to take the fall
Uncle John’s dejection
Tom’s belief the family needs to move on before more trouble erupts
An armed, angry mob
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 25, 26, and 27 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the novel. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Destruction of excess crops/food
Duration of time spent at Weedpatch camp
Ma’s decision to move the family onward
Complications in preparations to leave
An offer to pick peaches
Ma’s interaction with the Hooper Ranch clerk
The re-appearance of Jim Casy
A strike against the Hooper Ranch
The death of Jim Casy
Tom’s reaction to the death of Jim Casy
A decision to leave the peach farm
This end-of-unit test covers the entirety of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. An answer key is included. With this assessment, which is delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, high school English Language Arts teachers will be able to evaluate students’ abilities to do the following:
Accurately recall details associated with characters, setting, and plot
Demonstrate awareness of historically relevant events
Apply knowledge of various literary devices such as symbolism, oxymoron, personification, hyperbole, simile, metaphor, allusion, dynamic character, and more
Analyze the greater significance of given quotes or details
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and eliminate take-home assessment planning with this bundle of instructional resources covering The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Included are formative quizzes, a summative test, and answer keys. All materials are delivered as both Word Documents and PDFs.
Help high schoolers go beyond basic comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering an obscure short story by H.P. Lovecraft titled “Old Bugs.” This piece is a surprising departure from the grotesque and fantastical characteristics typically associated with Lovecraftian fiction. It also aligns nicely to American History courses since the narrative addresses the topic of Prohibition. An answer key and copy of the narrative are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Consider tone in context
Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion and dynamic character
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Facilitate vocabulary development, evaluate general reading comprehension, and support critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching three short stories by Roald Dahl: “Lamb to the Slaughter,” “Beware of the Dog,” and “The Landlady.” A quiz, close reading worksheet, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, and word search game are provided for each narrative. Answer keys for everything are also included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
By engaging with these materials, students will do the following:
Identify what the texts state explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meanings of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Determine the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how “Beware of the Dog” conforms to the conventions of surrealism
Conduct research as needed to answer questions involving historical context and autobiographical parallels in “Beware of the Dog”
Describe the tone of a given passage
Determine the functions of given passages
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including euphemism, foreshadowing, onomatopoeia, paradox, personification, simile, situational irony, symbolism, and more
Consider themes in context
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of activities for teaching the short story “Beware of the Dog” by Roald Dahl. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Determine the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how the story conforms to the conventions of surrealism
Conduct research as needed to answer questions involving historical context and autobiographical parallels
Describe the tone of a given passage
Determine the functions of given passages
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including onomatopoeia, paradox, personification, simile, situational irony, symbolism, and more
Consider themes in context
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering the short story “Beware of the Dog” by Roald Dahl. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how the story conforms to the conventions of surrealism
Conduct research as needed to answer questions involving historical context and autobiographical parallels
Describe the tone of a given passage
Determine the functions of given passages
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including onomatopoeia, paradox, personification, simile, situational irony, symbolism, and more
Consider themes in context
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and align English Language Arts curriculum to world history with this plot-based quiz covering Tim O’Brien’s short story “Ambush,” which addresses a soldier’s experience during the Vietnam War. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate engagement with historical fiction. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
A daughter’s question
The nature of the father’s response
Setting
Secondary characters
A deadly object
The description of an “enemy”
The driving force behind the narrator’s deadly actions
The narrator’s post-killing assessment of the situation
