A collection of short stories (fables, flash fiction, etc.) by Carlos Salinas. Heartwarming, feel-good stories for all ages about love and hope. Some are good for philosophical and personal reflection. Also great messages for discussion. Please check back for another excerpt from the book or the whole book! Any feedback would be great! Thanks!

This 15-question multiple-choice reading test/quiz has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students literal and interpretive understanding of the story, summarization, making inferences, vocabulary, and literary devices. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests). Linked to free PDF of story and answer key included. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! This lesson is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

This 25-question multiple-choice reading analysis/comprehension test on the short story “A Day’s Wait” by Ernest Hemingway has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection, plot development, characterization, author’s purpose, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary, literary devices, and figurative language. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Includes link to free file of the text so each student can get their own copy to annotate. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! Objectives/US Standards (SUGGESTED) (From Corestandards.com): Students are expected to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! This lesson is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

This 26-question multiple-choice reading comprehension and analysis test on the autobiographical nonfiction piece “The Rights to the Streets of Memphis” by Richard Wright (from the textbook HOLT McDOUGAL LITERATURE, GRADE 9 ISBN-10: 0547115784) has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection including: plot development, characterization, author’s purpose, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary (including words from SAT/ACT exams), literary devices, figurative language, fact & opinion, analogies, summarization, and other elements of literature. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Teachers are encouraged to remove/add questions as they see fit for their students. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! *PLEASE NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, this product does not contain the reading selection(s).

This 28-question multiple-choice reading test/quiz on "Zlateh the Goat" by Isaac Bashevis Singer has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised) along with one optional essay question with lined paper to familiarize students with the format of standardized testing. It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the story, characterization, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary, and figurative language. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests). Includes link to free file of the text. Answer key included. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! Editable MS Word Doc. This lesson is student-centered, meaning: --it allows you to become a facilitator! --happier teachers! --happier students! --happier administrators!

This 28-question multiple-choice reading analysis/comprehension test/quiz on The Boss Baby Movie has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It also includes two essay open-ended questions about the film and characters. Show the movie and feel confident that students will see it through a language arts and English class lens. It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection, plot development, point of view, making inferences, literary devices, and figurative language. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. Answer key and writing rubric included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! Objectives/US Standards (SUGGESTED) (From Corestandards.com): Students are expected to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text/film/media says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text/film/media. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! This lesson is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

This 15-question multiple-choice reading analysis/comprehension test/quiz on “The Ant and the Dove” Fable by Leo Tolstoy has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection, plot development, characterization, author’s purpose, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary, and figurative language. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! This lesson is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

This 40-question multiple-choice reading comprehension and analysis test on “Dear Fellow Writer” introductory essay from My Own True Name by Pat Mora (from the textbook PRENTICE HALL LITERATURE, 8e GRADE 8 ISBN-10: 0131317164) has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection including: plot development, characterization, author’s purpose, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary, literary devices, figurative language, fact & opinion, analogies, main idea, summarization, and other elements of literature. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Teachers are encouraged to remove/add questions as they see fit for their students. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! *PLEASE NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, this product does not contain the reading selection(s). Objectives/US Standards (SUGGESTED): Students are expected to: CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. CCRA.R.2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. CCRA.R.3 Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. CCRA.R.4 Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. CCRA.R.5 Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole. CCRA.R.6 Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. CCRA.R.10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently. This product is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

This 14-question multiple-choice reading comprehension and analysis test on the poem “Caged Bird” Poem by Maya Angelou (from the textbook HOLT McDOUGAL LITERATURE, GRADE 9 ISBN-10: 0547115784) has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection including: author’s purpose, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary (including words from SAT/ACT exams), literary devices, figurative language, summarization, analogies, and other elements of literature. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Teachers are encouraged to remove/add questions as they see fit for their students. Includes link to free file of the text so each student can get their own copy to annotate. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! *Teacher’s note: It is recommended that the reading selection’s lines be numbered before copies are given to students. This helps students locate answers to questions with references to specific lines of the text. This particular reading selection has 53 lines total. **PLEASE NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, this product does not contain the reading selection(s).

This 23-question multiple-choice reading comprehension and analysis test on “The Open Window” by Saki has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised) and will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection including: plot development, characterization, author’s purpose, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary (including words from SAT/ACT exams), literary devices, figurative language, fact & opinion, analogies, main idea, summarization, and other elements of literature. The reading selection comes from the textbook HOLT McDOUGAL LITERATURE, GRADE 9 ISBN-10: 0547115784. These questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Teachers are encouraged to remove/add questions as they see fit for their students. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! **PLEASE NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, this product does not contain the reading selection(s). **PLEASE NOTE: It is recommended that paragraphs be numbered as some questions refer to specific paragraphs in the selection. This product is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

This 17-question multiple-choice reading comprehension and analysis test on the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” Poem by Theodore Roethke (from the textbook HOLT McDOUGAL LITERATURE, GRADE 9 ISBN-10: 0547115784) has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection including: author’s purpose, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary (including words from SAT/ACT exams), literary devices, figurative language, summarization, analogies, and other elements of literature. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Teachers are encouraged to remove/add questions as they see fit for their students. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! **PLEASE NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, this product does not contain the reading selection(s). Objectives/US Standards (SUGGESTED): Students are expected to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

This 16-question multiple-choice reading comprehension and analysis test on the poem “Bodybuilders’ Contest” by Wislawa Szymborska (from the textbook HOLT McDOUGAL LITERATURE, GRADE 9 ISBN-10: 0547115784) has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test: • students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection • plot development • characterization • author’s purpose • point of view • making inferences • vocabulary • literary devices • figurative language Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! **PLEASE NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, this product does not contain the reading selection(s). This product is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators! Join our email list to get teaching tips & resources, teacher humor, inspirational quotes, and more right in your inbox! MS ELAR teachers join here! HS English teachers join here!

This 38-question multiple-choice reading comprehension and analysis test on the poems “January” by John Updike (19 Questions) & “New World” by N. Scott Momaday (19 Questions) has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection including: author’s purpose, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary, literary devices, figurative language, fact and opinion, summarization, analogies, and other elements of literature. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Teachers are encouraged to remove/add questions as they see fit for their students. Includes link to free file of the text so each student can get their own copy to annotate. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! *PLEASE NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, this product does not contain the reading selection(s). Objectives/US Standards (SUGGESTED) (From Corestandards.com): Students are expected to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. This product is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

This 49-question multiple-choice reading comprehension and analysis test on the short story “The Story-Teller” by Saki (H. H. Munro) has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection including: plot development, characterization, author’s purpose, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary, literary devices, figurative language, fact & opinion, analogies, and other elements of literature. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Teachers are encouraged to remove/add questions as they see fit for their students. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! Objectives/US Standards (SUGGESTED) (From Corestandards.com): Students are expected to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. This product is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

This 43-question multiple-choice reading comprehension and analysis test on the poems “Southbound on the Freeway” by May Swenson (16 QUESTIONS), “The Country” by Billy Collins (12 QUESTIONS), & “The Choice” by Dorothy Parker (15 QUESTIONS) has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection including: author’s purpose, point of view, making inferences, vocabulary, literary devices, figurative language, fact and opinion, summarization, analogies, and other elements of literature. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Teachers are encouraged to remove/add questions as they see fit for their students. Includes link to free file of the text so each student can get their own copy to annotate. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! *PLEASE NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, this product does not contain the reading selection(s). Objectives/US Standards (SUGGESTED) (From Corestandards.com): Students are expected to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. This product is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

This 50-question multiple-choice reading analysis/comprehension test/quiz on Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief movie has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It also includes one essay open-ended question about the film and characters. Show the movie and feel confident that students will see it through a language arts and English class lens! It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection, plot development, elements of literature, and characterization.Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. Answer key and writing rubric included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! Objectives/US Standards (SUGGESTED) (From Corestandards.com): Students are expected to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text/film/media says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text/film/media. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! This lesson is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

This 26-question multiple-choice reading comprehension and analysis test on an excerpt from In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens Nonfiction by Alice Walker has questions from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised). It will test students’ literal and interpretive understanding of the selection including: point of view, making inferences, vocabulary, cause and effect, figurative language, literary devices, author’s purpose, and other elements of literature. Questions are modeled after standardized tests (SAT, ACT, and state tests) to familiarize students with the structure and vocabulary of standardized test questions. Questions are spaced 1.5 lines apart for comfortable reading. The questions also encourage students to go back and re-read key parts of the selection, a crucial skill for comprehension and improving reading stamina. Teachers are encouraged to remove/add questions as they see fit for their students. Answer key included. Editable MS Word Doc. You can use this product for years and years! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! Objectives/US Standards (SUGGESTED) (From Corestandards.com): Students are expected to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. This lesson is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

A teacher-made thesaurus for common, overused words (like “good”, “bad”, “sad”, etc.) to keep in their notes and to use when writing to extend their vocabulary. Perfect for language arts teachers! Includes sections for words belonging to each of the five senses (with a picture of each sense) to help students create sensory writing. 2 pages total. Editable Word document. This lesson is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

A 1-page reading writing assessment with lined area for students’ response to literature while including details about the plot, setting, and characterization of the story. This lesson is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!

A collection of 5 proverbs that are to be cut out (each set has 5 proverbs separates by double spaced spaces). I print them, make copies, cut each proverb in half and then place them in a plastic bag for students to work in partners to put them together. I then display the correct order on a transparency, ELMO projector, or write them on the board. This lesson is student-centered, meaning: –it allows you to become a facilitator! –happier teachers! –happier students! –happier administrators!