LIGHTSAIL CLASSICS

Classics provide invaluable first-person historical context, teach new vocabulary, and develop critical thinking skills. And, perhaps most importantly, they comprise the bedrock of Western thought and discovery in subjects from philosophy, science, history, law, government, art, and more. Classics can spark imagination, deliver insightful moral messages, and prepare students for higher education.

LightSail has brought 3,500+ of the most widely acclaimed fiction and non-fiction works in history together in LightSail Classics. This curated collection of books represents the most relevant literature to Western culture, from Ancient Greece, to Medieval England, to Revolutionary Russia, to Progressive America. This collection encompasses the most thought-provoking and delightful works for readers, preschool through adult, all enhanced with LightSail’s seven layers of educational features, like full dictionary integration and action clips.

Click on a classic to experience . . .
. . . how children on LightSail answer one of the thousands of thought-provoking questions written by highly experienced educators and designed to spark critical thinking and a deeper analysis of the text than just reading alone.

Sample Book Questions

Hamlet

Author: William Shakespeare

Included in the book:

8 Multiple Choice Questions

RL.3, Location 28%
RL.5, Location 44%
RL.2, Location 66%
RL.2, Location 85%
RL.1, Location 100%

3 Short Response Questions

SNE, Location 18%
MIT, Location 35%
SNE, Location 100%

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Question:

How does the final act emphasize the theme of death? Use examples from the text to support your thinking.

Above Grade - Example Answer

Death has been a pervasive theme throughout the entire play. Hamlet has constantly pondered the mysteries of mortality and the afterlife. In the final act, this theme is reinforced when, while watching the gravedigger, Hamlet happens upon the skull of Yorick, the king's jester, and as Hamlet states, "a fellow of infinite jest." Hamlet marvels that all of Yorick's verve and humor are now reduced to a skull buried in the ground. Hamlet then remarks to Horatio on the common fate of all humanity to return to the dust. These musings seem to foreshadow the avalanche of death that will occupy the rest of the play. In terms of sheer body count, the final act of the play is saturated with death. This serves as a cementing of all the philosophizing about mortality that has happened throughout the play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task and uses specific and correct textual evidence to support an argument. Using sophisticated vocabulary, this answer demonstrates full comprehension and picks up on nuances of the text.
On Grade - Example Answer

The final act of the play is preoccupied with death. Virtually every major character is dead by the conclusion of the action. Deaths occur onstage in poisonings and bloody battles, and they also occur offstage for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, the prelude to all this carnage seems to be Hamlet's quiet musings on the skull of the former court jester. While looking at this skull, Hamlet marvels that such an infinite variety of humanity all proceed to a common fate. It is this reflection about the inevitability of mortality that suffuses the entire play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task, citing correct textual evidence to help support an argument.
Approaching Grade - Example Answer

The theme of death is reinforced through the sheer number of deaths that happen in the final act. All of the major characters are dead by the end. Also, Hamlet continues to philosophize about the inevitability of death.

Rationale: This answer provides partial textual evidence, but it does not fully answer the question. There is not enough evidence to demonstrate complete understanding of the given task.
Below Grade - Example Answer

Death is a major theme in the final act because everyone dies.

Rationale: This answer does not provide textual evidence and does not answer the question. There is not enough evidence to prove comprehension of the given task.

sympathy.
contempt.
jealousy.
love.

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Question:

How does the final act emphasize the theme of death? Use examples from the text to support your thinking.

Above Grade - Example Answer

Death has been a pervasive theme throughout the entire play. Hamlet has constantly pondered the mysteries of mortality and the afterlife. In the final act, this theme is reinforced when, while watching the gravedigger, Hamlet happens upon the skull of Yorick, the king's jester, and as Hamlet states, "a fellow of infinite jest." Hamlet marvels that all of Yorick's verve and humor are now reduced to a skull buried in the ground. Hamlet then remarks to Horatio on the common fate of all humanity to return to the dust. These musings seem to foreshadow the avalanche of death that will occupy the rest of the play. In terms of sheer body count, the final act of the play is saturated with death. This serves as a cementing of all the philosophizing about mortality that has happened throughout the play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task and uses specific and correct textual evidence to support an argument. Using sophisticated vocabulary, this answer demonstrates full comprehension and picks up on nuances of the text.
On Grade - Example Answer

The final act of the play is preoccupied with death. Virtually every major character is dead by the conclusion of the action. Deaths occur onstage in poisonings and bloody battles, and they also occur offstage for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, the prelude to all this carnage seems to be Hamlet's quiet musings on the skull of the former court jester. While looking at this skull, Hamlet marvels that such an infinite variety of humanity all proceed to a common fate. It is this reflection about the inevitability of mortality that suffuses the entire play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task, citing correct textual evidence to help support an argument.
Approaching Grade - Example Answer

The theme of death is reinforced through the sheer number of deaths that happen in the final act. All of the major characters are dead by the end. Also, Hamlet continues to philosophize about the inevitability of death.

Rationale: This answer provides partial textual evidence, but it does not fully answer the question. There is not enough evidence to demonstrate complete understanding of the given task.
Below Grade - Example Answer

Death is a major theme in the final act because everyone dies.

Rationale: This answer does not provide textual evidence and does not answer the question. There is not enough evidence to prove comprehension of the given task.

sympathy.
contempt.
jealousy.
love.

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Question:

How does the final act emphasize the theme of death? Use examples from the text to support your thinking.

Above Grade - Example Answer

Death has been a pervasive theme throughout the entire play. Hamlet has constantly pondered the mysteries of mortality and the afterlife. In the final act, this theme is reinforced when, while watching the gravedigger, Hamlet happens upon the skull of Yorick, the king's jester, and as Hamlet states, "a fellow of infinite jest." Hamlet marvels that all of Yorick's verve and humor are now reduced to a skull buried in the ground. Hamlet then remarks to Horatio on the common fate of all humanity to return to the dust. These musings seem to foreshadow the avalanche of death that will occupy the rest of the play. In terms of sheer body count, the final act of the play is saturated with death. This serves as a cementing of all the philosophizing about mortality that has happened throughout the play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task and uses specific and correct textual evidence to support an argument. Using sophisticated vocabulary, this answer demonstrates full comprehension and picks up on nuances of the text.
On Grade - Example Answer

The final act of the play is preoccupied with death. Virtually every major character is dead by the conclusion of the action. Deaths occur onstage in poisonings and bloody battles, and they also occur offstage for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, the prelude to all this carnage seems to be Hamlet's quiet musings on the skull of the former court jester. While looking at this skull, Hamlet marvels that such an infinite variety of humanity all proceed to a common fate. It is this reflection about the inevitability of mortality that suffuses the entire play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task, citing correct textual evidence to help support an argument.
Approaching Grade - Example Answer

The theme of death is reinforced through the sheer number of deaths that happen in the final act. All of the major characters are dead by the end. Also, Hamlet continues to philosophize about the inevitability of death.

Rationale: This answer provides partial textual evidence, but it does not fully answer the question. There is not enough evidence to demonstrate complete understanding of the given task.
Below Grade - Example Answer

Death is a major theme in the final act because everyone dies.

Rationale: This answer does not provide textual evidence and does not answer the question. There is not enough evidence to prove comprehension of the given task.

sympathy.
contempt.
jealousy.
love.

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Question:

How does the final act emphasize the theme of death? Use examples from the text to support your thinking.

Above Grade - Example Answer

Death has been a pervasive theme throughout the entire play. Hamlet has constantly pondered the mysteries of mortality and the afterlife. In the final act, this theme is reinforced when, while watching the gravedigger, Hamlet happens upon the skull of Yorick, the king's jester, and as Hamlet states, "a fellow of infinite jest." Hamlet marvels that all of Yorick's verve and humor are now reduced to a skull buried in the ground. Hamlet then remarks to Horatio on the common fate of all humanity to return to the dust. These musings seem to foreshadow the avalanche of death that will occupy the rest of the play. In terms of sheer body count, the final act of the play is saturated with death. This serves as a cementing of all the philosophizing about mortality that has happened throughout the play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task and uses specific and correct textual evidence to support an argument. Using sophisticated vocabulary, this answer demonstrates full comprehension and picks up on nuances of the text.
On Grade - Example Answer

The final act of the play is preoccupied with death. Virtually every major character is dead by the conclusion of the action. Deaths occur onstage in poisonings and bloody battles, and they also occur offstage for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, the prelude to all this carnage seems to be Hamlet's quiet musings on the skull of the former court jester. While looking at this skull, Hamlet marvels that such an infinite variety of humanity all proceed to a common fate. It is this reflection about the inevitability of mortality that suffuses the entire play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task, citing correct textual evidence to help support an argument.
Approaching Grade - Example Answer

The theme of death is reinforced through the sheer number of deaths that happen in the final act. All of the major characters are dead by the end. Also, Hamlet continues to philosophize about the inevitability of death.

Rationale: This answer provides partial textual evidence, but it does not fully answer the question. There is not enough evidence to demonstrate complete understanding of the given task.
Below Grade - Example Answer

Death is a major theme in the final act because everyone dies.

Rationale: This answer does not provide textual evidence and does not answer the question. There is not enough evidence to prove comprehension of the given task.

sympathy.
contempt.
jealousy.
love.

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Question:

How does the final act emphasize the theme of death? Use examples from the text to support your thinking.

Above Grade - Example Answer

Death has been a pervasive theme throughout the entire play. Hamlet has constantly pondered the mysteries of mortality and the afterlife. In the final act, this theme is reinforced when, while watching the gravedigger, Hamlet happens upon the skull of Yorick, the king's jester, and as Hamlet states, "a fellow of infinite jest." Hamlet marvels that all of Yorick's verve and humor are now reduced to a skull buried in the ground. Hamlet then remarks to Horatio on the common fate of all humanity to return to the dust. These musings seem to foreshadow the avalanche of death that will occupy the rest of the play. In terms of sheer body count, the final act of the play is saturated with death. This serves as a cementing of all the philosophizing about mortality that has happened throughout the play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task and uses specific and correct textual evidence to support an argument. Using sophisticated vocabulary, this answer demonstrates full comprehension and picks up on nuances of the text.
On Grade - Example Answer

The final act of the play is preoccupied with death. Virtually every major character is dead by the conclusion of the action. Deaths occur onstage in poisonings and bloody battles, and they also occur offstage for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, the prelude to all this carnage seems to be Hamlet's quiet musings on the skull of the former court jester. While looking at this skull, Hamlet marvels that such an infinite variety of humanity all proceed to a common fate. It is this reflection about the inevitability of mortality that suffuses the entire play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task, citing correct textual evidence to help support an argument.
Approaching Grade - Example Answer

The theme of death is reinforced through the sheer number of deaths that happen in the final act. All of the major characters are dead by the end. Also, Hamlet continues to philosophize about the inevitability of death.

Rationale: This answer provides partial textual evidence, but it does not fully answer the question. There is not enough evidence to demonstrate complete understanding of the given task.
Below Grade - Example Answer

Death is a major theme in the final act because everyone dies.

Rationale: This answer does not provide textual evidence and does not answer the question. There is not enough evidence to prove comprehension of the given task.

sympathy.
contempt.
jealousy.
love.

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Question:

How does the final act emphasize the theme of death? Use examples from the text to support your thinking.

Above Grade - Example Answer

Death has been a pervasive theme throughout the entire play. Hamlet has constantly pondered the mysteries of mortality and the afterlife. In the final act, this theme is reinforced when, while watching the gravedigger, Hamlet happens upon the skull of Yorick, the king's jester, and as Hamlet states, "a fellow of infinite jest." Hamlet marvels that all of Yorick's verve and humor are now reduced to a skull buried in the ground. Hamlet then remarks to Horatio on the common fate of all humanity to return to the dust. These musings seem to foreshadow the avalanche of death that will occupy the rest of the play. In terms of sheer body count, the final act of the play is saturated with death. This serves as a cementing of all the philosophizing about mortality that has happened throughout the play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task and uses specific and correct textual evidence to support an argument. Using sophisticated vocabulary, this answer demonstrates full comprehension and picks up on nuances of the text.
On Grade - Example Answer

The final act of the play is preoccupied with death. Virtually every major character is dead by the conclusion of the action. Deaths occur onstage in poisonings and bloody battles, and they also occur offstage for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, the prelude to all this carnage seems to be Hamlet's quiet musings on the skull of the former court jester. While looking at this skull, Hamlet marvels that such an infinite variety of humanity all proceed to a common fate. It is this reflection about the inevitability of mortality that suffuses the entire play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task, citing correct textual evidence to help support an argument.
Approaching Grade - Example Answer

The theme of death is reinforced through the sheer number of deaths that happen in the final act. All of the major characters are dead by the end. Also, Hamlet continues to philosophize about the inevitability of death.

Rationale: This answer provides partial textual evidence, but it does not fully answer the question. There is not enough evidence to demonstrate complete understanding of the given task.
Below Grade - Example Answer

Death is a major theme in the final act because everyone dies.

Rationale: This answer does not provide textual evidence and does not answer the question. There is not enough evidence to prove comprehension of the given task.

sympathy.
contempt.
jealousy.
love.

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Question:

How does the final act emphasize the theme of death? Use examples from the text to support your thinking.

Above Grade - Example Answer

Death has been a pervasive theme throughout the entire play. Hamlet has constantly pondered the mysteries of mortality and the afterlife. In the final act, this theme is reinforced when, while watching the gravedigger, Hamlet happens upon the skull of Yorick, the king's jester, and as Hamlet states, "a fellow of infinite jest." Hamlet marvels that all of Yorick's verve and humor are now reduced to a skull buried in the ground. Hamlet then remarks to Horatio on the common fate of all humanity to return to the dust. These musings seem to foreshadow the avalanche of death that will occupy the rest of the play. In terms of sheer body count, the final act of the play is saturated with death. This serves as a cementing of all the philosophizing about mortality that has happened throughout the play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task and uses specific and correct textual evidence to support an argument. Using sophisticated vocabulary, this answer demonstrates full comprehension and picks up on nuances of the text.
On Grade - Example Answer

The final act of the play is preoccupied with death. Virtually every major character is dead by the conclusion of the action. Deaths occur onstage in poisonings and bloody battles, and they also occur offstage for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, the prelude to all this carnage seems to be Hamlet's quiet musings on the skull of the former court jester. While looking at this skull, Hamlet marvels that such an infinite variety of humanity all proceed to a common fate. It is this reflection about the inevitability of mortality that suffuses the entire play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task, citing correct textual evidence to help support an argument.
Approaching Grade - Example Answer

The theme of death is reinforced through the sheer number of deaths that happen in the final act. All of the major characters are dead by the end. Also, Hamlet continues to philosophize about the inevitability of death.

Rationale: This answer provides partial textual evidence, but it does not fully answer the question. There is not enough evidence to demonstrate complete understanding of the given task.
Below Grade - Example Answer

Death is a major theme in the final act because everyone dies.

Rationale: This answer does not provide textual evidence and does not answer the question. There is not enough evidence to prove comprehension of the given task.

sympathy.
contempt.
jealousy.
love.

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Question:

How does the final act emphasize the theme of death? Use examples from the text to support your thinking.

Above Grade - Example Answer

Death has been a pervasive theme throughout the entire play. Hamlet has constantly pondered the mysteries of mortality and the afterlife. In the final act, this theme is reinforced when, while watching the gravedigger, Hamlet happens upon the skull of Yorick, the king's jester, and as Hamlet states, "a fellow of infinite jest." Hamlet marvels that all of Yorick's verve and humor are now reduced to a skull buried in the ground. Hamlet then remarks to Horatio on the common fate of all humanity to return to the dust. These musings seem to foreshadow the avalanche of death that will occupy the rest of the play. In terms of sheer body count, the final act of the play is saturated with death. This serves as a cementing of all the philosophizing about mortality that has happened throughout the play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task and uses specific and correct textual evidence to support an argument. Using sophisticated vocabulary, this answer demonstrates full comprehension and picks up on nuances of the text.
On Grade - Example Answer

The final act of the play is preoccupied with death. Virtually every major character is dead by the conclusion of the action. Deaths occur onstage in poisonings and bloody battles, and they also occur offstage for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, the prelude to all this carnage seems to be Hamlet's quiet musings on the skull of the former court jester. While looking at this skull, Hamlet marvels that such an infinite variety of humanity all proceed to a common fate. It is this reflection about the inevitability of mortality that suffuses the entire play.

Rationale: This answer meets the demands of the task, citing correct textual evidence to help support an argument.
Approaching Grade - Example Answer

The theme of death is reinforced through the sheer number of deaths that happen in the final act. All of the major characters are dead by the end. Also, Hamlet continues to philosophize about the inevitability of death.

Rationale: This answer provides partial textual evidence, but it does not fully answer the question. There is not enough evidence to demonstrate complete understanding of the given task.
Below Grade - Example Answer

Death is a major theme in the final act because everyone dies.

Rationale: This answer does not provide textual evidence and does not answer the question. There is not enough evidence to prove comprehension of the given task.

sympathy.
contempt.
jealousy.
love.

Classics

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How many parent accounts are included with a child's license?

Every family account includes two Parent Accounts.

I am part of a homeschool group and we share teaching responsibilities. How can I access those accounts?

LightSail has created a Teacher/Coach role that can connect with multiple accounts. This is available as an add-on purchase. This account acts as additional parent with full teacher control to all connected accounts.

Is your platform only Faith-Based?

LightSail is available for both Faith-Based and Secular families. A parent can choose to allow or hide faith-based content including Unit Studies. LightSail has created hundreds of faith-based Unit Studies, Bookmarks, Quotations, and Memory Modules.

If I want to purchase a book with your Premium Books Shop, do I have to buy a copy for each license I purchased?

No, when you purchase a book using our Premium Books Shop, you only need to purchase one copy for your entire family. Your purchase includes unlimited checkouts.

How does LightSail’s ChildSafe protection work?

At LightSail, a parent’s ability to oversee their child’s online experience and align it with their faith and values is of the utmost importance. To this end, LightSail contains an entire suite of parental control features and never-before-seen ChildSafe Content Controls giving parents ultimate peace of mind.

These content controls contain dozens of nuanced subcategories for potentially objectionable material based on both maturity and religious factors. Then, it shows parents if a book contains a reference to any of those subcategories and allows them to block or allow single titles or entire subcategories for each child individually. Our ChildSafe Content Controls offer unprecedented insight into and control over the content your children consume without the need to read every book in advance.

Block or allow individual pieces of content.
Block or allow entire subcategories of content.
Require a child to request parental approval before opening entire subcategories of content.
Block, allow, or require requesting parental approval for all Classics library content.
Block or require requesting parental approval for all unrated content.

Click here to learn more about all of our parental controls.

Parental Controls

Complete oversight and control over all of your children’s content and activity.

About Us

We are LightSail for Homeschoolers—a complete language arts platform built on the shoulders of LightSail Education, advancing the literacy skills of K-12 students in public, private, and charter schools since 2012.

Gamification

Fun built into every aspect of LightSail’s platform encourages kids on every step of their learning journey. Badges, Social Sharing, and Gift Rewards are all within the Parental Controls!

LIGHTSAIL CLASSICS

Sample Book Questions

Hamlet

Author: William Shakespeare

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Question:

Above Grade - Example Answer

On Grade - Example Answer

Approaching Grade - Example Answer

Below Grade - Example Answer

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Question:

Above Grade - Example Answer

On Grade - Example Answer

Approaching Grade - Example Answer

Below Grade - Example Answer

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Question:

Above Grade - Example Answer

On Grade - Example Answer

Approaching Grade - Example Answer

Below Grade - Example Answer

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Question:

Above Grade - Example Answer

On Grade - Example Answer

Approaching Grade - Example Answer

Below Grade - Example Answer

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Question:

Above Grade - Example Answer

On Grade - Example Answer

Approaching Grade - Example Answer

Below Grade - Example Answer

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Question:

Above Grade - Example Answer

On Grade - Example Answer

Approaching Grade - Example Answer

Below Grade - Example Answer

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Question:

Above Grade - Example Answer

On Grade - Example Answer

Approaching Grade - Example Answer

Below Grade - Example Answer

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Question:

Above Grade - Example Answer

On Grade - Example Answer

Approaching Grade - Example Answer

Below Grade - Example Answer

Classics

Our 90 day money back guarantee

We're here to help!

Parental Controls

About Us

Gamification

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Question:

Above Grade - Example Answer

On Grade - Example Answer

Approaching Grade - Example Answer

Below Grade - Example Answer

Short Response Question - RL.1, Location 100%

RL. 1 Key Ideas And Details

Question:

Above Grade - Example Answer

On Grade - Example Answer

Approaching Grade - Example Answer

Below Grade - Example Answer