This collection of grammar packets is a helpful resource for teaching composition at the high school level. Concepts covered include applying comma and semicolon rules, navigating verb tenses, writing in the active voice, and more. Answer keys for each resource are provided. Grammar Packet: Using Commas, Conjunctions, and Semicolons. This grammar packet covers 12 essential rules for using commas, semicolons, and conjunctions correctly. Students apply their understanding of these rules by making revisions to several sentences. This resource is recommended for high school students enrolled in composition classes emphasizing foundational writing skills. An answer key is included. Grammar Packet: Applying Verb Tenses (Emphasis on Irregular Verbs). This grammar packet includes explanations and examples of verbs in their principal parts with an emphasis on irregular verbs. Practices involve filling in blanks to correctly apply verb tenses. This resource is recommended for middle school students preparing for high school composition classes, as well as for high school students enrolled in composition courses emphasizing foundational writing skills. An answer key is included. Grammar Packet: Writing Numerals and Using Active Voice. This grammar packet covers 16 rules for writing numerals according to standard conventions. It also helps students practice using active voice (and word economy) by revising sentences written in passive voice. This resource is recommended for high school students enrolled in composition classes emphasizing foundational writing skills. An answer key is included. Grammar Packet: Resolving Common Word Usage Errors. This grammar-based resource covers 30 common word usage errors in high school writing and speaking. It is designed to help students recognize and apply standard usage principles in formal communications. This resource is recommended for high school students enrolled in composition classes emphasizing foundational writing skills. An answer key is included. Usage principles covered include the following: ♦ accept vs. except ♦ advice vs. advise ♦ affect vs. effect ♦ all ready vs. already ♦ all right vs. alright ♦ all together vs. altogether ♦ allusion vs. illusion ♦ among vs. between ♦ amount vs. number ♦ anyway vs. anyways ♦ being as/that vs. since ♦ beside vs. besides ♦ could/would/should have vs. could/would/should of ♦ couldn’t care less vs. could care less ♦ each other vs. one another ♦ enthusiastic vs. enthused ♦ farther vs. fewer ♦ fewer vs. less ♦ good vs. well ♦ imply vs. infer ♦ in vs. into ♦ its vs. it’s ♦ lay vs. lie ♦ lose vs. loose ♦ principal vs. principle ♦ regardless vs. irregardless ♦ supposedly vs. supposably ♦ than vs. then ♦ who vs. whom ♦ whose vs. who’s

This bundle of four constructed response quizzes measures comprehension, encourages thoughtful discussion, and holds students accountable for reading A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. Each individual resource is editable and includes an answer key. The breakdown of each assessment follows. Chapters 1-9. This is a 10-question constructed response quiz. Questions pertain to the following: ♦ An imminent threat ♦ Rap music’s role in helping Ishmael learn English ♦ The reason for an early dismissal from school ♦ Devastating sights to behold in the village of Kabati ♦ Siaka Steven’s return to power ♦ Ishmael’s nightmares ♦ Evidence of the rebels’ desire to be welcomed ♦ An attack in Kamator ♦ A painful punishment exacted upon the boys ♦ The significance of cassette tapes falling out of the boys’ pockets Chapters 10-14. This is a 9-question constructed response quiz. Questions pertain to the following: ♦ The psychological impact of witnessing violent, violating acts ♦ An unlikely source of food ♦ The cause of Saidu’s “fainting” spell ♦ A discovery about the boys’ families ♦ Expository information on Ngor Gasemu ♦ The cause of Ishmael’s anger toward Ngor Gasemu ♦ Techniques used by authority figures to convince boys to join the army ♦ How Ishmael rationalizes killing a man during his first experience on the front lines ♦ The influence of drugs and movies on boy soldiers Chapters 15-16. This is a 12-question constructed response quiz. Questions pertain to the following: ♦ A contest involving the slaughter of POWs ♦ A life-changing opportunity brought on by UNICEF ♦ A fundamental misunderstanding of how army boys and rebels would interact with in a different environment ♦ Benin Home, a rehabilitation center ♦ The cause of the boys’ violent behaviors ♦ A visit with a nurse ♦ Ishmael’s second hospitalization in a single day ♦ The boys’ actions involving books ♦ The boys’ motivation to attend school regularly ♦ A nightmarish recollection of forcing prisoners to dig their own graves before being buried alive ♦ Ishmael’s reaction to injury Chapters 17-21. This is a 13-question constructed response quiz. Questions pertain to the following: ♦ Nurse Esther’s nurturing demeanor and its effect on Ishmael ♦ Ishmael’s recollection of having life-threatening injuries and his reaction ♦ The dream Ishmael tells Esther about ♦ Uncle Tommy’s effect on Ishmael ♦ Mambu’s tragic circumstances ♦ The United Nations Conference in New York City ♦ Ishmael’s difficulty in acquiring a passport and Visa ♦ Laura Simms’ background ♦ The radio announcement ♦ The death of Uncle Tommy ♦ Ishmael’s escape ♦ The novel’s resolution The summative unit assessment measures reading comprehension of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. It also assesses the ability to write claims in an analysis of the text and its characters using valid reasoning and sufficient evidence. An answer key is included, as well as a holistic rubric for evaluating the essay portion of the test. For a breakdown of each individual section of the test, continue reading. Part 1 - Character Identification & Plot. Twenty-seven multiple choice questions. Questions pertain to the following: ♦ Ishmael Beah ♦ Junior ♦ Laura Simms ♦ Leslie ♦ Esther ♦ Mohamed ♦ Saidu ♦ Uncle Tommy ♦ Lieutenant Jabati ♦ Alhaji ♦ Mambu ♦ Siaka Stevens ♦ Ngor Gasemu ♦ Poppay ♦ UNICEF ♦ RUF ♦ CAW Part 2 - True/False. Nine true/false questions. Questions pertain to the following: ♦ Siaka Stevens’ return to power ♦ Ishmael’s education ♦ Ishmael’s fighting background ♦ Ishmael’s history with and interest in music ♦ Ishmael’s treatment of Esther ♦ UNICEF’s mistake pairing army boys and rebel boys Part 3 - Short Answer. Seven constructed response questions. Questions pertain to the following: ♦ The boys’ separation from their families ♦ What led to the boys becoming barefoot ♦ Ishmael’s anger toward Gasemu ♦ The cause of Saidu’s apparent depression ♦ What helped Ishmael learn English ♦ How movies motivated the boys ♦ What motivated Ishmael Beah to write the novel Part 4 - Essay. One question. A holistic rubric modeled after the 6 Traits + 1 Writing Model is included. Question pertains to the following: ♦ Determining which character demonstrates the trait of perseverance ♦ Identifying representative situations (textual evidence) that support claims ♦ Analyzing the character’s motivation to overcome his/her challenges ♦ Evaluating whether the character is better or worse for enduring their obstacles.

This bundle of 15 close reading exercises, which features more than 125 higher order thinking questions, encourages purposeful reading and deeper comprehension of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. These resources align well to Adolescent Literacy Project teaching principles. I recommend using these worksheets as the basis for small-group discussions, letting students discuss, debate, and support their reasoning for answer choices. In the role of facilitator, I observe my students becoming more consistently engaged with the novel and taking greater ownership of their learning. In addition to helping students gain deeper understanding of the material and greater confidence in their ability to comprehend challenging texts, close reading resources may help students prepare for ACT-style questioning.