"Graves and Goblins" by Nathaniel Hawthorne Quiz, Close Reading, and Vocabulary Games

Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and support the development of critical thinking skills with this bundle of formative assessments covering Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "Graves and Goblins," a piece of special appeal to high school students interested in Halloween, supernatural fiction, and the relationship between the living and the dead. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. (Alternatively, a self-grading Google Drive bundle option is available.) By engaging with these materials, students will perform the following tasks:

• Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly

• Define words and phrases as they are used in the text

• Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings

• Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences

• Infer the intended effects of the author's word choices and narrative techniques

• Discern tone in context

• Classify the narrative as an example of a particular genre

• Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop

• Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on metaphor, euphemism, personification, and more

This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.

Materials are available for teaching during the Halloween season:

• Creative Writing Unit Plan for Gothic Fiction - Google and printable

• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Google and printable

• The Works of Edgar Allan Poe (Volume 1) - Google and printable

• The Works of Edgar Allan Poe (Volume 2) - Google and printable

• The Works of H.P. Lovecraft (Volume 1) - Google and printable

• The Works of H.P. Lovecraft (Volume 2) - Google and printable