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 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 Act 5, scene 2, of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the function of the scene
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including oxymoron and situational irony
Conduct brief research on Shakespeare’s life
Support claims or inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: assail, athwart, beseech, boisterous, counsel, fair, heavy, idle, languish, lusty, moved, obscure, parlous, pernicious, portentous, princox, quarrel, sirrah, soft, sup, tetchy, vain, vexed, and woo.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with Shakespearean drama. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Snout’s role in the play
Bottom’s concerns about the play
Bottom’s suggested resolution
Quince’s concerns about the play
Puck’s trick on Bottom
How Bottom tries to prove he is fearless
The collective role of Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed
Titania’s reaction to Bottom
The brewing conflict between Lysander and Demetrius
Hermia’s criticism of Helena
Oberon’s criticism of Puck
How Puck plans to resolve the feud between Lysander and Demetrius
What Puck’s song suggests about his mindset
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 4 of William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with Shakespearean drama. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Titania’s acquiescence to Oberon
Oberon’s intentions
Theseus and Hippolyta’s reason for being in the woods
The significance of the day
How Theseus changes his mind
Why Bottom starts feeling more hopeful about the play
How Bottom’s pals feel about his absence
How news of the weddings affect Bottom’s pals
Bottom’s comments upon returning
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with Shakespearean drama. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Puck’s reputation
The reason for Oberon and Titania’s fight
The effects of Oberon and Titania’s fight
Puck’s assigned task
Oberon’s motivations
The interaction between Demetrius and Helena
Oberon’s reaction to Helena
The interaction between Lysander and Hermia
How Puck is able to identify Lysander
The identity of the first person Lysander sees upon waking
Lysander’s motivations
The nature of Hermia’s dream
Help students achieve more purposeful reading experiences and sharpen their note-taking skills with this reading guide covering Act 1 of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. In addition, this resource aims to facilitate review and future recall of plot. Students will identify what the text states explicitly, track character and plot development, articulate the context and significance of given quotations, and more. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. The following details are addressed:
Feuding in the streets
The prince’s declaration of punishment
Romeo’s despair at lost love
Rosaline’s decision
Juliet’s refusal to accept marriage
Lord Capulet’s beliefs toward the prospect of marriage
Romeo’s invite to Lord Capulet’s party
Paris
Mercutio’s harsh, sarcastic tone toward Romeo’s heartbreak
Queen Mab
Romeo’s foreshadowing prediction
Tybalt’s reaction to Romeo’s presence (in contrast to Capulet’s)
Romeo’s discovery of Juliet’s identity
And more
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a reading guide, a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, six close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Discern the significance of a given detail
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Draw logical inferences about the author’s stylistic choices
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, allusion, metaphor, simile, situational irony, and onomatopoeia
Analyze the author’s paradoxical language to discern a theme related to love
Isolate examples of punning language
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Identify the best textual evidence in support of a claim
Help students achieve more purposeful reading experiences and sharpen their note-taking skills with this reading guide covering the entirety of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. In addition, this resource aims to facilitate review and future recall of plot. Students will identify what the text states explicitly, track character and plot development, articulate the context and significance of given quotations, and more. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. The following plot details are addressed:
Feuding in the streets
The prince’s declaration of punishment
Romeo’s despair at lost love
Rosaline’s decision
Juliet’s refusal to accept marriage
Lord Capulet’s beliefs toward the prospect of marriage
Romeo’s invite to Lord Capulet’s party
Paris
Mercutio’s harsh, sarcastic tone toward Romeo’s heartbreak
Queen Mab
Romeo’s foreshadowing prediction
Tybalt’s reaction to Romeo’s presence (in contrast to Capulet’s)
Romeo’s discovery of Juliet’s identity
Dramatic irony
The rejection of names
Romeo’s fear of rejection
Juliet’s concern over acting hastily
Juliet’s desire for Romeo to send her a message
Friar Laurence’s beliefs on good and evil
Friar Laurence’s concerns for Romeo
Romeo’s request of Friar Laurence
Friar Laurence’s optimistic view of the union of Romeo and Juliet
The Nurse’s private conversation with Romeo
The plan to marry Juliet
The Nurse’s comic relief
Tybalt’s verbal attack on Romeo
Dramatic irony
Mercutio’s decision to fight Tybalt
Romeo’s abrupt character change
Defying the prince’s orders
Lady Capulet’s demand
Romeo’s punishment
The Nurse’s news and ensuing confusion
Juliet’s immediate reaction to learning the truth
Juliet’s defense of her husband
The Nurse’s motivation to seek out Romeo
Romeo���s feelings toward his punishment
Friar Laurence’s strong words for Romeo
Romeo’s potential suicide attempt
Friar Laurence’s optimistic plan
Lord Capulet’s arrangement with Paris
Whether Romeo believes he will see his wife once more
Foreshadowing
Lady Capulet’s plan for Romeo after exile
The Nurse’s advice to Juliet
Juliet’s desire to seek Friar Laurence’s help
Lord Capulet’s rush to marry off Juliet
Lord Capulet’s threat to Juliet
Juliet’s morbid confession to Friar Laurence
The purpose of the vial
Juliet’s request for forgiveness from her father
Lord Capulet’s praise for Friar Laurence
Juliet’s paranoia in regard to Friar Laurence’s motives
The burial vault
The Nurse’s terrible discovery
Cancellation of the wedding
Failure of Friar Laurence’s plan
Romeo’s visit to the apothecary
The apothecary’s concern
Friar Laurence and the quarantine
Friar John’s task
Paris in the churchyard
Balthasar’s news
Romeo’s interaction with Paris
Romeo’s suicide
Juliet’s awakening
Friar Laurence’s upsetting news
Juliet’s method of suicide
Lady Montague’s death
The resolution
And more
Help students achieve more purposeful reading experiences and sharpen their note-taking skills with this reading guide covering Act 5 of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. In addition, this resource aims to facilitate review and future recall of plot. Students will identify what the text states explicitly, track character and plot development, articulate the context and significance of given quotations, and more. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. The following details are addressed:
Failure of Friar Laurence’s plan
Romeo’s visit to the apothecary
The apothecary’s concern
Friar Laurence and the quarantine
Friar John’s task
Paris in the churchyard
Balthasar’s news
Romeo’s interaction with Paris
Romeo’s suicide
Juliet’s awakening
Friar Laurence’s upsetting news
Juliet’s method of suicide
Lady Montague’s death
The resolution
And more
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 5 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a reading guide, a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, three close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Annotate text to show active engagement
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the function of a scene
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Argue whether Romeo’s behavior is consistent with his characterization throughout the play
Apply knowledge of literary devices including oxymoron and situational irony
Conduct brief research on Shakespeare’s life
Support claims or inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Help students achieve more purposeful reading experiences and sharpen their note-taking skills with this reading guide covering Act 4 of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. In addition, this resource aims to facilitate review and future recall of plot. Students will identify what the text states explicitly, track character and plot development, articulate the context and significance of given quotations, and more. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. The following details are addressed:
Lord Capulet’s rush to marry off Juliet
Lord Capulet’s threat to Juliet
Juliet’s morbid confession to Friar Laurence
The purpose of the vial
Juliet’s request for forgiveness from her father
Lord Capulet’s praise for Friar Laurence
Juliet’s paranoia in regard to Friar Laurence’s motives
The burial vault
The Nurse’s terrible discovery
Cancellation of the wedding
And more
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 4 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a reading guide, a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, five close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google Drive bundle option is available.)
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Discern the overall purpose of a given soliloquy
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Argue whether Friar Laurence’s decision to assist Juliet is consistent or inconsistent with his moral and religious duty
Reflect on a previous scene to articulate how an aspect of Friar Laurence’s plan was foreshadowed
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony, metaphor, situational irony, and more
Support claims or inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Help students achieve more purposeful reading experiences and sharpen their note-taking skills with this reading guide covering Act 3 of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. In addition, this resource aims to facilitate review and future recall of plot. Students will identify what the text states explicitly, track character and plot development, articulate the context and significance of given quotations, and more. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. The following details are addressed:
Tybalt’s verbal attack on Romeo
Dramatic irony
Mercutio’s decision to fight Tybalt
Romeo’s abrupt character change
Defying the prince’s orders
Lady Capulet’s demand
Romeo’s punishment
The Nurse’s news and ensuing confusion
Juliet’s immediate reaction to learning the truth
Juliet’s defense of her husband
The Nurse’s motivation to seek out Romeo
Romeo’s feelings toward his punishment
Friar Laurence’s strong words for Romeo
Romeo’s potential suicide attempt
Friar Laurence’s optimistic plan
Lord Capulet’s arrangement with Paris
Whether Romeo believes he will see his wife once more
Foreshadowing
Lady Capulet’s plan for Romeo after exile
The Nurse’s advice to Juliet
Juliet’s desire to seek Friar Laurence’s help
And more
Create more purposeful reading experiences, measure general comprehension, promote the development of close reading analysis skills, and facilitate review of the plot of Romeo and Juliet with emphasis on Act 3 using this bundle of instructional resources. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, these materials save English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Answer keys are provided. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze complex character development and interactions
Apply knowledge of a range of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing and metaphor
Define complex Shakespearean words and phrases in context
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Make logical inferences about characters, plot development, and author’s intent
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a reading guide, a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, six close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the function of a given excerpt
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including hyperbole, imagery, personification, and more
Choose an applicable theme in the context of a scene
Support claims or inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 5 of William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with Shakespearean drama. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Hippolyta’s reaction to the stories from Demetrius, Lysander, Helena, and Hermia
Theseus’ assessment of lovers
Entertainment options declined by Theseus
Why Theseus is confident he will enjoy the play
Hippolyta’s reaction to the play
Snout’s role in the play
Bottom’s behavior in lieu of delivering an epilogue
The nature of Oberon’s song
The identity of the character who delivers the epilogue
How the audience is encouraged to perceive the play
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with Shakespearean drama. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Theseus’ recent achievement
Theseus’ engagement
Philostrate’s role
The cause of Egeus’ anger
Hermia’s love interest
Why Egeus disapproves of Hermia’s love interest
Egeus’ request of Theseus
Lysander’s criticism of Demetrius
Helena’s love interest
Helena’s feelings toward Hermia
The secret Hermia shares with Helena
Whether Helena intends to keep Hermia’s secret safe
The identity of an amateur playwright
The title of a play to be presented
The character cast to be the play’s lead
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning duties with this bundle of plot-based quizzes covering the entirety of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Each assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to promote active engagement with the text. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
By engaging with these activities, students will determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words, consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings, and discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed:
altar
avouch
beguiled
beseech
betwixt
condole
dote
dowager
entreat
feign
filched
fruitless
haste
mewed
mirth
nuptial
pert
pomp
stepdame
tailor
unheedy
visage
waggish
woo
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
By engaging with these activities, students will determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words, consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings, and discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed:
abate
abide
aby
adder
auditor
bequeath
bully
burr
chide
consecrate
contrive
derision
extort
gambol
gleek
juggler
lament
odious
parlous
spurn
recreant
welkin
wot