Higher Education English Language Arts Worksheets

Mythical Beast Assignment Bundle: A 10-Part Series!

Spark your students’ curiosity with this bundle of 10 engaging reading assignments, each exploring a different mythical beast. Perfect for developing critical thinking and reading comprehension, this series is accessible and exciting for all learners.

Each assignment includes:

1. 4 Focused Paragraphs – Covering the origins, description, sightings, and scientific explanations of a mythical creature.
2. 4 Comprehensive Questions – Thoughtfully designed to reinforce understanding and encourage discussion.
3. Answer Key – Simplifies grading and provides clear explanations for each question.

This bundle of 10 assignments allows students to explore a variety of creatures, uncover cultural myths, and examine scientific theories behind legendary stories. Ideal for history, science, or language arts classes, these activities make learning fun and engaging.

This 170-page EDITABLE curriculum has everything you'll need for profoundly stimulating lessons on Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye! Invite your class to engage in student-driven discussions without compromising on intellectual rigor. The pre-reading handouts, discussion questions, daily quizzes, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of the text and generate profound interpretive insights!

Hold your students accountable for completing the nightly homework by beginning every class with a quick vocabulary and reading quiz. Facilitate dynamic discussions that motivate students to become attached to the thrill generating shared knowledge. Challenge students to explicate textual details using a wide range of interpretive lenses: historicist, psychoanalytic, feminist, etc. Inspire students to arrive at a whole new depth of insight!

Here are some highlights from the 170-page editable curriculum:

• Discussion Question Handouts (x9): Thirty-five pages of higher-order questions guaranteed to inspire profoundly thoughtful class discussions! This unit features double-sided handouts with 8-10 questions for each of the novel's 9 sections. The discussion questions are the beating heart of these lesson plans. They challenge students to build interpretive arguments that require the support of carefully selected textual evidence — leading to keen interpretive insights! Guaranteed to foster deep thinking and dynamic discussions! (35 pages)

• Discussion Question Answer Keys (x9): The answer keys are informed by scholarly articles and books written by professors who specialize in African-American literature and the novels of Toni Morrison: Alice Walker, Susan Willis, Michael Awkward, Madhu Dubey, and others. Every answer is grounded in concrete textual evidence that gets submitted to careful analysis. While every section in this unit comes with an answer key, the keys for the discussion questions are distinguished by an extremely high level of detail. (35 pages)

• Vocabulary Lists: Lists of 12 vocabulary words for every reading assignment, complete with definitions and sample sentences with the words as used in The Bluest Eye. A total of over 100 words. (9 pages)

• Vocabulary & Reading Quizzes: Daily quizzes with 10 questions on the nightly reading homework plus another 8 questions on the vocabulary words. If you choose not to have your students study vocabulary, you can still use the portion of the quiz devoted to reading comprehension. Grading these quizzes is simple and quick. They’re an easy way to log 12 grades into your gradebook. Answer keys included. (36 pages)

• Literary Devices Quiz: This quiz challenges students to identify the literary devices used in fifteen quotations from The Bluest Eye. The literary devices include metaphor, simile, personification, symbolism, foreshadowing, allusion, onomatopoeia, and more. This bundle also features a glossary with definitions of the literary devices as well as examples of how each device is used in Morrison's novel — so you can review the devices with students before they tackle the worksheet. The worksheet can be used either as a quiz or as a fun refresher. Answer key included. (3 pages)

• Quotation Race: Students work in pairs to identify the speakers of 30 key quotations from The Bluest Eye. Introduce this fun activity when you need to mix things up, or to refresh students' memories in preparation for the AP exam. Answer key included. (4 pages)

• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on Toni Morrison's wonderfully complex novel. Let students choose from one of four thought-provoking sample topics — or invite them to develop a similar topic of their own. Rubric included. (4 pages)

• Poetry Pairing: Deepen your engagement with the themes in The Bluest Eye by reading and discussing several poems that touch upon similar themes. Included are a cluster of complex poems by African-American poets Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks. Discussion questions and answer keys are included. (30 pages)

This entire 170-page unit will come to you in two separate formats: Word doc *and* PDF. Because the Word doc is fully editable, you'll be able to CUSTOMIZE the materials to suit your teaching style and/or the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access the entire unit as a PDF — which is easy to navigate and quick to print!

If you have any questions while teaching The Bluest Eye, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I love hearing from teachers who share a passion for great literature. Wishing you an amazing experience with Morrison's powerful novel!

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Don't forget to click “follow” for email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for resources on American literature. Every unit was created by a Ph.D. in English with a research specialization in American literature. Feel free to check out these complete units on canonical texts by diverse American authors:

Complete Unit on Tommy Orange's There There

Complete Unit on Arthur Miller's The Crucible

Complete Unit on Frederick Douglass's Narrative

Complete Unit on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

Complete Unit on Nella Larsen's Passing

Complete Unit on Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

Complete Unit on Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun

Complete Unit on Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese

This introductory Powerpoint BUNDLE provides digital pre-reading information for the author, genre, and setting. These lessons also include vocabulary study, practice, and assessment.

CLASSIC BUNDLE:

THE LOTTERY by Shirley Jackson, THE RAVEN by Edgar Allan Poe, THANK YOU MA'AM by Langston Hughes, THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF by O. Henry

GOAL: to prepare each student to read rigorous literature by front-loading story elements critical to comprehension and aligned to standards

AUDIENCE: whole group, small group, or independent work for regular ed, learning support, ESL or virtual classrooms

PDF FILE: Each comes with a PDF folder containing 8 printable worksheets to be used with the Google Slide lesson! These printables include Connotation and Grammar sort, Word Study, and Vocabulary Quiz with optional word bank and answer key.

• Opening slide
-genre, author photo and short bio.
-PDF of short story

• Setting slides:
-Location photos with map
-Time period photos with live link to period music clip!

*Vibrant Vocabulary Google Slides: see each item description for word lists
-bold photos appear without definition for inference making
-part of speech
-concise definition

• Differentiated Worksheet: used as a pretest, posttest, or practice
• Quizlet practice link
• Part of speech sort
* Word connotation sort
*Vocabulary Organizer
*Prereading Discussion Questions

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM:

· Introduce classic short stories
· Provide backstory to literary text
· Stimulate group discussion
· Create predictions about text
· Use as distance learning resource
· Post on webpage for review
· Add to electronic notebooks
· Provide test review
· Prompt Writing or Research assignments
· Grammar study / parts of speech
· Discuss Word Connotation
PRINTABLE USES: word walls and interactive notebooks

****Please be sure to view the preview and watch the video for detailed images and descriptions of the lesson.

Total Pages
31 slides 8 printables
Answer Key
Included
Teaching Duration
55 minutes

Use this How to Write a Formal Email Professional Writing Etiquette Template Online Safety resource to help your students MASTER the art of the email! This comprehensive, easy-to-follow email skills unit will build your students' life and job skills. Through guided lessons, visual aids, email templates, and practice activities, you will easily and effectively teach your students:

1. How to write and reply to a formal and professional email in formal settings such as school or work

2. Parts of an email

3. Proper email etiquette and social rules

4. Online safety - what is okay/not okay to share & red flags to look out for in digital content

5. Improved executive functioning skills via self-monitoring, digital time management and email organization practice activities

This email unit progresses gradually through the different parts of the email (subject, greeting, body, closing) - each email component is broken down and practiced before moving onto the next. All sections include mini-lessons/info pages and practice activities to ensure understanding. Answer keys are provided as well. 

* This resource is printable and has been designed to easily be used digitally on any interactive whiteboard or tablet with any digital annotation tool or app.

This email skills unit includes:

Email Rules & Tips:

• Formal vs. Informal Emails Mini Lesson/Info Page

• Instead of…,Say… - Ideas for more Professional/Formal Phrases 

Email Templates (Instructional, Guided, & Blank Versions) 

How to Write an Email / Parts of an Email:

• Mini-Lessons/Info Pages for each part of an email (Subject, Greeting, Body, Closing)

• Do’s & Dont’s / Email Etiquette

• Practice Activities for: Subject, Greeting, Body of the Email, and Closing (Activities Include Answer Keys)

• Identify Email Errors Practice 

Compose Formal Emails & Reply to Emails (20 email scenarios)

• Write Emails given Scenarios (15 Scenarios - 4 guided templates & 11 blank templates)

• Reply to Emails (5 Scenarios)

Increase Executive Functioning & Online Internet Safety Skills:

• Email Checklist to Increase Independence - Students will learn to self-check emails before pressing send
• Time Management Skills - Practice prioritizing emails in order of importance 
• Learn to discern safe emails from spam/viruses
• Public vs. Private - Okay to Share or Private/Do Not Share? - Practice identifying what is safe and appropriate to share vs. what should be kept private

Suggested uses: 

Excellent for high school, college readiness, career readiness, job skills, life skills, formal communication, professional writing lessons and activities -  prepare your students and equip them with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to communicate professionally, effectively, efficiently, and safely via email. 

Thank you for your interest! Enjoy!

You may also be interested in:

• Social Emotional Learning and Executive Functioning Practice Activities BUNDLE - A Bundle of resources covering Self-Advocacy Skills, Perspective Taking, and Nonverbal Social Cues - lessons, visual supports, games, activities, and scenario task cards
• Self-Advocacy VISUAL AID - Self-Advocacy Sentence Starter Prompts For All Ages
• Self-Advocacy BUNDLE - Lesson, Visual Supports, and Scenario Cards for Older Students - Scenarios covering a variety of situations that could arise at home, in school, in the community, at work, and during different seasons and holidays.  

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• My Speech Therapy Go-Tos

These student workbooks feature everything you'll need to deliver profoundly engaging lessons on William Shakespeare's Macbeth. With their colorful design and rigorous content, the workbooks are guaranteed to amplify student engagement and ensure that every class session is highly productive. Moreover, every page in these workbooks is fully editable! You'll be able to customize the materials to match the skill levels of your students — year after year. Recover weeks of prep time while amplifying student engagement with these rigorous and colorful literature workbooks!

Best of all, every page of this workbook comes with a detailed answer key! The answer keys are brimming with interpretive insights from Shakespeare scholars who teach at universities like Harvard and Cambridge. You'll have every student reading like a professor!

Here's what you'll find in this editable 100+ page teaching resource:

• Pacing Guide: The pacing guide features brief summaries of every scene in the play. It also provides suggestions about which scenes to assign for homework so that students' nightly workload will be manageable while every class session will be maximally productive. The pacing guide also includes a sample homework posting which teachers can copy and paste into their school's learning management system. (2 pages)

• STUDENT WORKBOOKS on Macbeth: The 50-page workbook features highly engaging worksheets on every scene in Shakespeare's Macbeth. Each worksheet is divided into sections which invite students to engage with the text in a variety of different ways:

• The Passage Analysis section invite students to analyze one or two key passages from each scene.
• The Evidence Hunt challenges students to answer an interpretive question by finding the best textual evidence to support their answer.
• The Comparing Quotations section invites students to make connections between quotations from different scenes in the play.
• The Discussion Question section features three higher-order questions designed to foster lively discussions and interpretive debates among students.
• The Quick Writes challenge students to compose short arguments that require the support of carefully selected textual evidence — leading to keen interpretive insights!

The workbook is guaranteed to foster skills in close reading, thoughtful analysis, and lively discussion. It will have your students feeling genuinely excited to study Shakespeare every day! (50 pages)

• WORKBOOK ANSWER KEY: The 50-page answer key to the workbook provides detailed answers to the passage analysis, evidence hunt, and comparing quotations sections. The answer key is informed by the best books and articles written by leading Shakespeare scholars: Marjorie Garber (Harvard), Stephen Greenblatt (Harvard), Emma Smith (Oxford), Coppélia Kahn (Brown), Catherine Belsey (Cambridge), Susan Snyder (Swarthmore), David Bevington (UChicago), Dympna Callaghan (Syracuse), and many others. (50 pages)

These workbooks and answer keys will come to you in two separate formats: Word Docs *and* PDFs. Because the Word docs are fully editable, you'll be able to customize them to match the skill levels of your students — year after year. If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access PDF versions — which are easy to navigate and quick to print.

Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for top-quality resources on William Shakespeare. Wishing you an amazing experience with teaching the "Scottish play." If you have any questions along the way, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I love hearing from fellow teachers who share a passion for great literature! 

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Remember to “follow” my store to receive email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Feel free to check out these complete units on Shakespeare's masterpieces:

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Romeo and Juliet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Julius Caesar

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Macbeth

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Othello

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Hamlet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Much Ado About Nothing

INTRO TO SHAKESPEARE: Biography, Globe Theater, Language, & Meter

Empower your students to celebrate, analyze, and understand the rich tapestry of Black History with this captivating bundle of 18 ready-to-use reading comprehension worksheets! Dive deep into pivotal moments, inspiring figures, and ongoing struggles, igniting critical thinking and fostering social awareness.
Uncover a wealth of diverse topics:

• Ancient African Civilizations: Explore the grandeur of Mali, Songhai, and Kush, discovering advanced societies and cultural achievements.

• The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Confront the atrocities of the slave trade, analyzing its impact and the unwavering spirit of resistance.

• Maroons and Underground Railroad: Celebrate the courageous journeys of freedom seekers and the legacy of resilience.

• Civil Rights and Social Justice:

  • The Abolitionist Movement: Meet Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and other heroes who fought for freedom.
  • Reconstruction and Jim Crow: Analyze the complex landscape of post-Civil War America and the persistent fight for equality.
  • The Civil Rights Movement: Witness the courage and leadership of Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and countless others who pushed for change.
  • The Black Panther Party: Understand the movement's call for self-defense and social justice.
  • The Black Lives Matter Movement: Engage with current struggles for racial justice and police reform.

• Politics and Leadership:

  • Black Political Figures: Honor the achievements of Barack Obama, Shirley Chisholm, John Lewis, and many more.
  • Black Women in Politics: Recognize the crucial role of Black women in shaping political agendas.
  • Black Representation in Government: Discuss the importance of diversifying government at all levels.

• Arts and Culture:

  • Harlem Renaissance: Immerse yourself in the vibrant literary, artistic, and musical explosion of the 1920s and 30s.
  • Jazz and Gospel Music: Appreciate the unique contributions of Black musicians to American music.
  • Black Literature: Delve into the powerful works of Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, and others.
  • Visual Arts and Photography: Explore the expressions of Black artists and photographers throughout history.

• Science and Technology:

  • Black Scientists and Inventors: Celebrate the groundbreaking achievements of Katherine Johnson, George Washington Carver, and many more.
  • The Tuskegee Syphilis Study: Examine the unethical medical experiment and its lasting impact.
  • Representation in STEM Fields: Discuss the ongoing challenges faced by Black individuals in science and technology.

Each engaging worksheet features:

• Vivid Narratives: Captivating texts bring history to life, making complex topics accessible and relatable.
• Primary Sources: Analyze firsthand accounts, documents, and images to develop critical thinking skills and historical understanding.
• Interactive Activities: Multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, and short answer questions reinforce key concepts and promote active learning.
• Thought-Provoking Discussions: Guide students to connect historical events to present-day issues and engage in meaningful dialogue.
• Clear Answer Keys: Save valuable time with comprehensive answer keys for easy assessment and feedback.

Ideal for:

• Middle and high school social studies, language arts, or humanities classes.
• Teachers seeking resources for Black History Month, thematic units, or promoting critical thinking and social justice education.
• Anyone passionate about Black history and its enduring impact on American society.

Unlock the power of Black history in your classroom with this comprehensive and engaging resource! Order your bundle today and ignite a passion for learning, understanding, and social change!

Review: This comprehensive bundle covers a wide range of topics in Black history, offering a well-rounded and inclusive perspective. The inclusion of primary sources, diverse figures, and contemporary movements keeps the content relevant and engaging for students. Each worksheet uses a variety of assessment formats to cater to different learning styles and ensure thorough understanding.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will analyze key events, figures, and movements in Black history across different periods and contexts.
• Students will develop critical thinking skills through analyzing primary sources, identifying bias, and formulating questions for further inquiry.
• Students will connect historical events to present-day issues and understand the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality.
• Students will engage in discussions and reflection activities that promote empathy, understanding, and a commitment to social change.
• Students will improve their reading comprehension skills and vocabulary development through exposure to diverse historical texts.

Common Core State Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7: Analyze various accounts of a single historical event or issue, recognizing and clarifying differences in points of view.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.8: Distinguish between primary and secondary sources, and determine the difference between fact and opinion.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.9: Analyze and evaluate the usefulness of different resources for researching a topic.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.10: Integrate information from diverse sources, including primary and secondary sources, print and digital sources, and visual sources, in order to write about a topic.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6-8.4: Present claims and findings clearly and concisely using relevant evidence.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6-8.1: Engage effectively in a variety of collaborative discussions, building on the contributions of others and expressing ideas clearly and concisely.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6-8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6-8.7: Conduct short research projects that answer a question, drawing on information from several credible sources and integrating information into a well-organized presentation.

The goal of this AUTHOR STUDY FOR LANGSTON HUGHES is to provide clear, factual information about the author, explore two published work samples, and supply a digital scaffolded research organizer so students may successfully complete a cohesive research project.

1. *The 2 PREREADING PowerPoint lessons provide digital pre-reading resources, historical background info, vocabulary word study, practice, and assessment for two of Hughes’ short stories; Thank You Ma’m and One Friday Morning. PDF LINKS to texts, AUTHOR INTERVIEW LINK, LINKS FOR BIOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH included.

2. *These lessons have been paired with the DIGITAL BIOGRAPHY RESEARCH TEMPLATE to create a full AUTHOR STUDY bundle .

EACH SHORT STORY PREREADING LESSON
• Opening slide
-genre, author photo and short bio.

-INTERVIEW LINK IS INCLUDED

- PDF LINK IS INCLUDED
• 2 setting slides
-Location photos with map
-Time period photos with live link to period music clip!
• Vibrant Vocab slides
-bold photos appear without word for inference making
-vocab word 'slides in' so photo can be first WITHOUT the word
-part of speech
-concise definition
• Context clue worksheets used as a pretest, posttest, or practice
• Quizlet vocab practice link
• Part of speech sort
*Class prediction and word connotation discussion slide

EDITABLE BIOGRAPHY RESEARCH TEMPLATE

This PowerPoint template has been designed to assist students in creating a well organized nonfiction biography project. The editable slides are highly organized with slide titles needed for a thorough project. Questions and prompts are included so students will always include all critical information.

Teachers can adapt the template to their needs and the needs of their students. The template is perfect to support Special Education students, ESL students, struggling students, or guide the entire class!

Nonfiction design includes elements such as topic, main idea, factual details, paraphrasing, and citations. The slides are logically organized and allow for adding photos or drawings . Slides can be deleted and others added where needed. The end product may be used as a Reading assessment.

This Digital Editable PowerPoint template will allow all students to complete their NONFICTION Biography Project and present an end product they are proud of!