A common use for Storyboard That is to help students create a plot diagram of the events from a book. 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.
Number the Stars begins with Annemarie and Ellen, her Jewish friend, having a run-in with some Nazi soldiers. They are very scared of the soldiers.
The Nazis want to round up the Danish Jewish population, despite an agreement that they wouldn't be aggressive.
Annemarie’s family decide to help sneak Ellen, her family, and other Jewish Danes who Annemarie doesn’t know, to the safety of Sweden by smuggling them on Uncle Henrik’s fishing boat.
Annemarie is tasked with taking a very important basket filled with lunch goodies to Uncle Henrik. She doesn’t realize it, but the handkerchief that is packed under the lunch is covered with a special drug that the resistance scientists have formulated. It attracts the Nazis guard dogs, but when the dogs sniff the substance, it makes them lose their sense of smell, rendering them useless at finding stowaway Jews. Annemarie gets stopped by some Nazi soldiers and almost has her whole basket taken. Without that handkerchief, the Rosens and all the other stowaways on Henrik’s boat would have been discovered.
The Rosens and the other Jews are packed into the boat and the dogs don’t detect them because they’ve smelled the handkerchief.
All of the Jews that Uncle Henrik sailed to Sweden are safe and sound in the neutral country. Annemarie can safely sit back and fondly think about her friend, Ellen.
(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 Number the Stars.
Enhancing understanding of characters’ motivations helps students connect deeply with the story. Number the Stars is rich with characters whose decisions drive the plot. A motivation mapping activity enables students to analyze why characters act as they do, fostering empathy and critical thinking.
Pick 3–4 main characters such as Annemarie, Ellen, and Uncle Henrik. Focusing on central figures makes the activity manageable and meaningful for students in grades 2–8.
Identify moments where characters make choices that influence the story’s direction. This helps students see cause and effect while reinforcing plot structure.
Guide students to brainstorm reasons behind characters’ decisions—like courage, fear, or loyalty. Encouraging discussion deepens comprehension and invites diverse perspectives.
Have students draw or digitally create a chart linking characters to their actions and motivations. Visuals make abstract thinking concrete and aid retention.
Let students present their maps and explain their reasoning. Reflection builds confidence and helps students learn from each other’s insights.
A plot diagram activity for Number the Stars helps students visually organize and understand the novel's key events. It breaks down the story into sections like Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution, making it easier for students to analyze literary structure.
To teach plot structure, guide students in creating a visual plot diagram for Number the Stars. Have them identify and illustrate major events for each plot part, then write a brief description. This approach reinforces comprehension and literary analysis skills.
Include the Exposition (Annemarie and Ellen's encounter with Nazi soldiers), Conflict (Nazis targeting Danish Jews), Rising Action (smuggling plans), Climax (Annemarie's delivery of the handkerchief), Falling Action (escape to Sweden), and Resolution (Jews' safety and Annemarie's reflection).
The best way is to use a storyboard tool or graphic organizer. Divide the plot into key sections, create an image for each, and write a concise summary. Tools like Storyboard That make this process interactive and engaging for students.
Plot diagram activities help students grasp story structure, remember major events, and improve analytical skills. For novels like Number the Stars, they make complex historical themes more accessible and support deeper comprehension.