Short Stories by Ray Bradbury Quiz and Close Reading Bundle
Use this bundle of plot-based quizzes, close reading worksheets, craft analysis activities, and answer keys to help high school students engage meaningfully with several short stories by Ray Bradbury: "There Will Come Soft Rains," "All Summer in a Day," "Dark They Were and Golden Eyed," "The Fog Horn," and "The Emissary." Collectively, the narratives represent the science fiction, supernatural fiction, and horror genres. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google Drive option is available.) By engaging with these materials, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consider the effects of the author's language and narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Determine the function of given excerpts
Verify interpretations of language, using reference materials as needed
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on foreshadowing, personification, onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, callback, paradox, and more
Explore themes in context
Draw parallels between modern technology and the technology featured in "There Will Come Soft Rains"
Conduct brief research on Halloween's history to answer a question pertaining to the season's relevance to the plot of "The Emissary"
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
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.
Resources are available for a variety of science fiction novels and short stories:
