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.
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.
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!
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.
A handsome young man lassos thedog and saves Elzie. He also helps her look for her missing lucky stone.
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.
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.
(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".
Encourage students to retell each plot point from a main character’s perspective. This builds empathy and helps them connect emotionally to the story’s events.
Have pairs discuss which events best represent each plot stage before drawing. This promotes critical thinking and ensures that students focus on the most important moments in the story.
Show examples of simple illustrations that capture story action. This makes expectations clear and supports students who may struggle with visualizing story scenes.
Ask students to write a brief caption or description under each image. This reinforces comprehension and helps them articulate the significance of each plot event.
Organize a gallery walk or partner exchange so students can share their diagrams and learn from each other’s interpretations. This encourages discussion and deeper understanding.
A plot diagram for "The Luckiest Time of All" visually maps out the story's structure, including the exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Each section highlights major events, helping students understand how the narrative unfolds and teaching key elements of literary structure.
Students can create a storyboard by dividing the story into six parts: exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. For each part, they illustrate a key scene and write a brief description, using tools like Storyboard That to organize and visualize the narrative arc.
The main events include Elzie Pickens recalling her youth, her adventure at the traveling show, accidentally hitting a dancing dog with her lucky stone, being chased, getting rescued by a young man, and realizing that this moment led to meeting her future husband—making it her luckiest time.
Teaching plot structure helps middle school students understand how stories are built, recognize major turning points, and improve reading comprehension. It also supports their ability to analyze and create compelling narratives themselves.
Teachers can use digital tools like Storyboard That to help students visualize story plots. These platforms allow students to create illustrated plot diagrams, making it easier to grasp narrative structure and remember key events.