Intended to be used in conjunction with reading a novel or play, KeyLit is a fully interactive, subscription-based learning program designed to help students examine and appreciate great works of literature. Title-specific KeyLit units, called Literature Companions, include rigorous, standards-aligned lessons and assessments that guide students through a close reading of the text and help build critical thinking skills.

A Literature Companion is an individual KeyLit unit based on a book. Literature Companions are available for The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, Frankenstein, and other popular titles.

No more reading quizzes! KeyLit provides an easy way to assess students’ reading skills and understanding of famous stories through quick mini lessons. It also supports students in building close-text analysis skills through multiple choice questions that you can easily review and expand upon in your own lessons. KeyLit’s built-in discussion boards also prompt students to write about their analysis, giving you a great starting point for a larger in-class discussion.

KeyLit is meant to be a formative way for students to explore the novel you are working on in class. You can use this program immediately after a reading assignment or at the end of a lesson to reinforce close-text analysis skills. It is meant to complement and build on your lessons. For instance, use KeyLit after a lesson about a specific literary device to offer insight about its effect in the novel. You can also place a KeyLit lesson before a class discussion to boost student understanding and confidence.

The interactive lessons are meant to be 20-30 minutes of independent work for your students, but of course they can work in groups to discuss answers together. KeyLit automatically grades student work as they work through each lesson. Upon completion, you can check their grades to see where they struggled with the material and where they succeeded.

KeyLit lessons typically divide the books into 20-30 page sections, but this can vary depending on the size of the novel or play.

There are four main lesson types within a KeyLit Literature Companion:

• Post-Reading Lesson – the main lessons that hold close-text analysis questions based on literary devices, characterization, and themes
• Assessment – A multiple-choice test. 10 comprehension questions, 5 questions about theme, 5 questions about characterization, and 5 questions that typically deal with another meaningful concept in the book, such as symbolism, figurative language, or irony.
• Unlocking Meaning – A deeper exploration of real-world, historical, or symbolic connections to the book through multiple choice and opinion questions.
• Discussion Board – Students will have access to a discussion board where they can answer prompts based on the reading. They will have the opportunity to write out their answers, back their opinions with evidence, and respond to classmates’ ideas.

Each KeyLit lesson is split into six core parts:

• Keys to the Lesson, a standards-aligned list of skills that students will work on during the lesson
• Warm-up, a question to activate student knowledge
• Comprehension Questions to scaffold and assess student knowledge of the reading materials
• Close Reading Questions to get students thinking deeply about characterization, theme, and other literary elements
• Feedback that encourages students to not only understand the content, but also turn it into knowledge they can use in the future
• Key Takeaways to wrap up the lesson and lock in learning

KeyLit Literature Companions are currently available for the following titles:

• A Raisin in the Sun
• Of Mice and Men
• Lord of the Flies
• The Great Gatsby
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Frankenstein
• Fahrenheit 451
• Night
• The Crucible
• Animal Farm
• Romeo and Juliet
• Macbeth
• The Scarlet Letter

Several new KeyLit Literature Companions are in development! Here are some of our upcoming titles:

• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• Their Eyes Were Watching God
• The Catcher in the Rye
• Antigone

If you have a suggestion for a title, we’d love to hear it! Send us an email at info@prestwickhouse.com to share your thoughts.

Your KeyLit subscription unlocks all the program’s key features, including:

• Complete interactive lessons for each book
• Discussion boards for students to practice writing skills
• Online gradebooks to track student progress
• A personalized dashboard for your class or school

Once subscribed, we will assist you with class setup and student onboarding.

As an active subscriber, you’ll also be given access to all new KeyLit Literature Companions as they’re released!

Any desktop computer, laptop, Chromebook, tablet, and/or smartphone capable of running modern web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.) will be able to access the KeyLit platform. Because the program is completely browser-based, there’s no special software download required to run KeyLit. All students need is a reliable internet connection.