Activity Overview
A common use for Storyboard That is to help students create a plot diagram of the events from a story. Not only is this a great way to teach the parts of the plot, but it reinforces major events and help students develop greater understanding of literary structures. Sometimes students will really have to think carefully about which events are major turning points in the plot.
Students can create a storyboard capturing the narrative arc in a work with a six-cell storyboard containing the major parts of the plot diagram. For each cell, have students create a scene that follows the short story in sequence using: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Example "The Luckiest Time of All" Plot Diagram
Exposition
Elzie Pickens, an elderly woman, sits in a rocking chair. Her great-granddaughter, Tee gives her some dogwood blossoms that remind Elzie about a story from her youth.
Conflict
Elzie and her friend, Ovella, ran away to a traveling show. They found a dog in a tutu dancing to music for pennies. Elzie accidentally throws her lucky stone at the dancing dog. The rock hit him on the nose!
Rising Action
The angry dog chases after her all over the grounds. Elzie runs as fast as she can to avoid being bitten. The crowd cheers for this new show.
Climax
A handsome young man lassos thedog and saves Elzie. He also helps her look for her missing lucky stone.
Falling Action
After all the excitement, Elzie and Ovella decide not to join the traveling show and walk home. The young man who saved Elzie accompanies them back to make sure they reach home safely.
Resolution
Elzie reflects with Tee that hitting the dog with the stone seemed unlucky, but really led to Elzie meeting Amos Pickens, her future husband. It was truly the luckiest time of all.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a visual plot diagram of "The Luckiest Time of All".
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Separate the story into the Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
- Create an image that represents an important moment or set of events for each of the story components.
- Write a description of each of the steps in the plot diagram.
Lesson Plan Reference
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/6/2] Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/6/3] Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 33 Points | Emerging 25 Points | Beginning 17 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plot Images | Cells include images that convey events in the corresponding stage of the plot. The images represent an important moment and exemplify the descriptions below them. | Cells include one or two images that convey events from an incorrect stage of the plot. Most images represent an important moment and exemplify the descriptions below them. | Cells include three or more images that convey events from an incorrect stage of the plot. Images depict minor and inimportant moments or do not reflect the descriptions below them. |
| Plot Text | The storyboard correctly identifies all six stages of the plot. The text for each of the six cells correctly breaks down the plot events into appropriate stages. The text gives a logical overview of the plot and includes the most significant events of the book. | The storyboard misidentifies one or two stages of the plot. The text for each of the six cells breaks down most of the plot events into appropriate stages. The text gives a logical overview of the plot, but may omit some significant events of the book. | The storyboard misidentifies three or more stages of the plot. The text for each of the six cells does not correspond to the events of that stage. Overall plot description is not logical. |
| Spelling and Grammar | Spelling and grammar is exemplary. Text contains few or no mistakes. | Text contains some significant errors in spelling or grammar. | Text contains many errors in spelling or grammar. |
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