A common use for Storyboard That is to help students create a plot diagram of the events from a novel. 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, like five act structure.
Students can create a storyboard capturing the narrative arc in a novel with a six-cell storyboard containing the major parts of the plot diagram. For each cell, have students create a scene that follows the novel in sequence using: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Off the Salinas River, in California, two migrant workers, George and Lennie, travel to a ranch for work.
Lennie and George are friends. However, Lennie is developmentally disabled, and because of his childlike mentality, the two friends often find themselves in trouble.
After leaving a previous job because Lennie mistakenly grabbed a woman by her dress, the two are forced to find a new ranch. Trouble seems to follow them; Curley, the boss’s son, immediately takes a dislike to Lennie and picks on him. The reader meets Curley’s wife, who creates problems by constantly seeking the men's attention. Despite these problems, the boys make friends with the ranch hands, especially Candy, who offers up a large sum of money towards getting their own farm. They feel closer than ever to achieving their dream of "living off the fatta the land".
Lennie was given a puppy by Slim and is in the barn tending it. Curley’s wife enters and they begin to talk. Without realizing it, Lennie grabs her hair, because he likes soft things. When she gets nervous and tells him to stop, he panics and breaks her neck.
Lennie was given specific instructions by George that if anything bad happened he should hide near the river. George meets him there.
George shoots Lennie before Curley can find him. The men cover it up. The reader feels the sorrow of George having to kill his best friend.
(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 Of Mice and Men.
Ask the students to analyze the present ending of the narrative and if it fits the narrative. Teachers can pose various open-ended questions to start the discussion such as “Would changing the ending change the overall theme of the story”, or “What message did the author want to convey through this ending?” Once the students are more clear on the meaning of the current ending they would be able to make more sense of the story.
Examine the novel's main themes, which include loneliness, friendship, the American Dream, and the harsh reality of living during the Great Depression. Imagine a different ending and how these subjects could be handled.
Organize a brainstorming session where students come up with concepts for many ways the story could go. Remind them that their conclusion doesn't have to take the same route as the original and encourage innovation.
While creating an alternate ending, it is important for students to understand why the author wrote a specific ending. This will help students understand the entire essence of the story and give them a direction to connect their ending with the rest of the plot. The current ending by John Steinbeck seems to be more philosophical. Students can decide if they want to choose the same direction or go a different way.
Encourage the students to think back on the procedure. Ask them to write a different ending, taking into account what they've learned about the themes, characters, and narrative. Students can also share their endings with their classmates and discuss their intentions and why they went with a certain ending.
The story concludes with a resolution which ties up the loose ends. In "Of Mice and Men," George's choice and its effects are central to the story. The achievement of the American Dream and the fates of the characters are contemplated.
Plot diagrams provide students with a visual tool for dissecting the narrative's structure. It aids in their comprehension of the main story aspects, the way the events unfold, and the ways in which the author creates tension and settles disputes.