Activity Overview
Creating a plot diagram not only helps students learn the parts of the plot, but it reinforces major events and help students develop greater understanding of literary structures. In this activity, students will 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 story in sequence using: Title, Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. Teachers shouldn't be surprised if students have different views on the actions and the climax; there are a lot of stories within the story.
The Crossover Plot Diagram Example
Exposition: Josh and JB are identical twins who are almost 13 years old. They are both basketball superstars, but are nothing alike. Josh is quiet, has locs down to his neck, and is known for his speed. JB is loud, has a buzz cut, and is known for his jumps. Middle school isn’t easy, but it’s even harder when you have a twin whose shadow can sometimes be hard to get out of.
Rising Action: JB gets a girlfriend and spends less and less time with his brother. After losing a bet, Josh lets JB cut one of his locs, but he ends up cutting too much and Josh has to cut them all off.
Climax: Josh is so upset at being left out of JB’s life that he chucks the ball at JB’s face during a game, nearly breaking his nose. Josh gets suspended from the team. Their relationship is very strained.
Falling Action: Josh and JB’s dad suffers a heart attack while playing at the gym with Josh. He is in a coma for several days, and even when he wakes up, he must stay in the hospital. After complications, their dad passes away.
Resolution: Josh and JB realize how important family is and they make up.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a visual plot diagram of The Crossover.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Separate the story into the Title, Exposition, 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 using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
- Write a short description of each of the examples in the plot diagram.
- Save and exit when you're done.
Lesson Plan Reference
- [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
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/5/2] Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 25 Points | Emerging 21 Points | Beginning 17 Points | Try Again 13 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive and Visual Elements | Cells have many descriptive elements, and provide the reader with a vivid representation. | Cells have many descriptive elements, but flow of cells may have been hard to understand. | Cells have few descriptive elements, or have visuals that make the work confusing. | Cells have few or no descriptive elements. |
| Grammar/Spelling | Textables have three or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have four or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have five or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have six or more spelling/grammar errors. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has done both peer and teacher editing. | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has either teacher or peer editing, but not both. | Student has done neither peer, nor teacher editing. | Work shows no evidence of any effort. |
| Plot | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram. | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram, but one or more is confusing. | Parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot difficult to follow. | Almost all of the parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot very difficult to follow. |
Frequently Asked Questions About Identifying Themes in The Crossover
What are some other major themes present in the story?
Family, love, identity, sacrifice, competitiveness, and coming-of-age are all recurring themes in "The Crossover". Through the experiences of the major characters, particularly the Bell brothers, these issues are investigated. The novel's primary topic is family. All the events that took place in the Bell household help in the manifestations of these themes.
What significance does the issue of identity have in "The Crossover"?
Through their challenges with acceptance and self-discovery, the character's struggles with identity are depicted. Josh, in particular, struggles with defining who he is as a basketball player and as a person outside of the sport. The point when Josh loses his hair because of JB serves as a symbol as well as a turning point in the story.
How To Explain the Concept of Plot Diagrams To Younger Students
Build a Foundation
Before introducing the concept begin the discussion by reading a story and analyzing the structure of that story will the help of open-ended questions. For instance, teachers can ask the students about the significance of the sequence or order of events. Or if they have ever observed a similar pattern in some stories.
Break into Easy Steps
Inform the students that the story may be broken down into distinct chapters much like we can split a day into morning, afternoon, and evening. Teachers can use more simple and interesting examples to explain the concept in a better way.
Give a Simple Example
Draw a straightforward diagram on a whiteboard or a large piece of paper. Put the appropriate element (Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution) after each section's heading. Teachers can make the concept and the story more interesting by adding visual elements such as stick people to portray characters.
Assign Students the Same Task
Ask the students to name the many story points in other well-known stories that they have just seen with the help of the example. Students can choose any other interesting stories to make plot diagrams and apply structures as it will improve their comprehension of the narrative.
Encourage Curiosity
Encourage the students to be more curious and ask any questions they would like. Ensure that every question is answered in a friendly manner and no student feels left out. Teachers can foster a comfortable environment for the students to have discussions about their ideas, thoughts and feelings.
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