Elizabeth Nolan

This worksheet focuses on an exchange between Juliet and her mother just as Romeo leaves Juliet's room. Before I use this worksheet, I review the definition of verbal irony with my students. Then, depending on the level of my class, I either work through the questions with them on my Promethean Board or I have them work in pairs. The questions force the students to read and analyze, and many are amazed by the double speak Juliet uses with her mother!

I have my students read a summary of Act 4 of Romeo and Juliet, but I never let them get away without reading Friar Laurence's plan in Shakespearean English. This graphic organizer allows them to break down the plan into ten steps AND write a brief argument about it. This works well with the summary. Students will know the basic story, but this excerpt still allows them to closely read. This can also be used with students who have read the full Act 4 text.

This worksheet can be used in conjunction with any short text. It is designed to mimic the Task 3 question on the New York State Common Core English Regents Exam. You can check the NYS website for past Task 3 passages, but I also like to use this with small snippets of novels from class or speeches. The New York State Common Core English Regents examination includes three tasks. This organizer is to help students with the third task, a close reading and analysis of a provided text. This organiz

This worksheet includes a non-fiction article and accompanying multiple choice and short answer questions. The short answer question is related back to Ethan Frome. This article is a great way to get Common Core non-fiction close reading into a literature unit.

Fifteen question quiz on plot events, imagery, allusion, and translation. This works well after use of my imagery and allusion graphic organizer.

In Act 1, scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet, Lady Capulet describes Paris as a book that lacks a cover, meaning that he will only be whole once he is married. Students can use this worksheet to look deeply into Lady Capulet words and determine how and why she compares Paris to a book. The ultimate goal is for students to understand that reading a book requires the sense of sight. One must look at the text, and sight (physical appearance) is basically all Lady Capulet and the Nurse refer to when speaki

Use this worksheet to help students structure an argumentative essay with two body paragraphs. The first body paragraph proves the claim and the second disproves the counterclaim. Use this with any of my essay assignments. These body paragraph organziers are designed to work with my funnel format introduction and conclusion worksheets. After we have gone over each paragraph, I will photocopy all of this into a packet for kids to fill in or use a resource when writing. For ENL or special educati

Spend the week with Will Shakespeare and Kurt Vonnegut! This week long (at least) unit is designed to teach allusion and satire to upper level students. Definitions of all covered literary terms are included, as is a page of teacher directions and a fill in page to use for student notes. Texts and text based questions are included. An excerpt from Shakespeare's Hamlet and the full text of Kurt Vonnegut's 2BR02B are included. In addition to close reading questions on each of the texts, the last q

Use this throughout the play to encourage students to closely read various portions of the text. Excellent practice in class or for homework / group work.

Have students work independently or in pairs to identify textual evidence of symbols and to interpret said evidence. Great Common Core activity!

Use this chart to have students track one or multiple themes throughout a work. There is a column for the theme, a column for a quote demonstrating the theme, and a column for explaining HOW the quote demonstrates the theme. Students are required to use text based details. In short, this worksheet is VERY Common Core!

I used this to demonstrate the idea that introductions are like funnels. They help "funnel" information from general to specific. Conclusions do the opposite. This diagram works in conjunction with my funnel method introduction and conclusion fill in worksheets.

This chart requires students to pull quotes from the text of "The Most Dangerous Game" that demonstrate the literary technique of suspense. This chart can be used alone, or it can be used in conjunction with / in preparation for the "Dangerous Game" essay.

This worksheet provides students with an example of a funnel format introduction, asks them to identify the various parts, and then provides them an opportunity to write their own introduction in the same style. I have students write introductions about our high school, but the document is fully editable. Feel free to change the topics and / or the name of the school. This works best after the method has first been introduced with the diagram, but prior to students writing their own introduction

My entire unit of resources on structuring argumentative essays using the funnel format. Use this with any argumentative essay prompt you like. Make your own or choose one from my shop!

Essay asking the student to track suspense in "The Most Dangerous Game". Use it in conjunction with the "Dangerous Game" suspense chart for optimum results!

Guide students through writing an introduction, body paragraph supporting a claim, body paragraph refuting a counterclaim, and a conclusion. Use this piece by piece or provide it to students to help them write a complete essay.

This bundle includes my diagram for the funnel method, comprehension constructors for both introductions and conclusions, an introduction guided practice worksheet, and a close reading exercise on funnel cakes that works well as a bellringer or do now.

Have students identify and differentiate between characters using this easy to use chart.

Use this in combination with my essay question / rubric on "The Lady or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton. This resourse helps students to organize evidence and choose a side before starting an argumentative essay. This is a good activity to have students do in pairs. It promotes cooperative learning and close reading!