Charlotte's Web Plot Diagram

In Grades 2-4, students are beginning to transition from retelling a book orally, to summarizing lengthier texts both orally, and in writing. This skill can be challenging with chapter books because students have to synthesize many details, and think critically about importance of events. A storyboard provides students with a way to organize their thinking and improve their summarizing skills.

( Parts of a Story Lesson Plan • Buy Poster • Buy PDF )

Consider having students plan their story board using a blank template prior to creating the full storyboard online. Students should begin with the narrative in each box, before adding character dialogue. This will allow them to focus on summarizing and determining importance, before getting distracted by the details of the storyboard. Students can also be given a set number of frames to use for the storyboard, to help them be concise. After planning on a template, students can compare the important events they chose with a partner, and the class could discuss why different events in the story were included in the storyboard over others.

Student Instructions

Make a storyboard summary of Charlotte's Web.

1. Click the "Use This Template" button to open the storyboard.
2. Make pictures that show two main events from the beginning of the story.
3. Make pictures that show two main events from the middle of the story.
4. Make pictures that show two main events from the end of the story.
5. Write a sentence under each picture.