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. 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. In this activity, students will create a visual plot diagram of major events in The Miracle Worker. Students should identify major turning points in the novel such as the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Exposition: Set in Tuscombia, Alabama, Helen is born a healthy baby, but illness leaves her blind and deaf at just 18 months old. When she is 6 years old, 20 year old Annie Sullivan comes to live with the Keller family, with the hope that she can teach Helen and help the family.
Rising Action: Annie lives with Helen for two weeks in the garden house. They make a great deal of progress.
Climax: Helen discovers what water is and that Annie has been trying to teach her words the whole time.
Falling Action: Helen immediately wants Annie to teach her many new words and gets excited about learning them all.
Resolution: Helen gives Annie the keys that she’s been hiding. This is a symbol of the trust that Helen now has for Annie.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a visual plot diagram of The Miracle Worker.
Student Instructions:
Engage students in a reflective conversation to deepen their understanding of The Miracle Worker and plot structure. Class discussions help students connect events, themes, and character growth, reinforcing learning in an interactive way.
List 3–5 open-ended questions about the plot or characters. Well-crafted questions spark meaningful conversation and give everyone a chance to participate.
Remind students to use their visual aids to support their answers. This boosts confidence and encourages thoughtful, evidence-based responses.
Have students think about a question, discuss with a partner, then share with the class. This ensures every voice is heard and supports shy or reluctant speakers.
Wrap up by highlighting important points from the discussion. Link the conversation to upcoming topics, such as character analysis or theme exploration, to maintain momentum.
The Miracle Worker follows Helen Keller’s life, focusing on her struggle with blindness and deafness. Key plot points include Helen’s early life, Annie Sullivan’s arrival, Helen’s breakthrough with language, and their developing trust, forming the classic plot structure: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Students can create a plot diagram for The Miracle Worker by dividing the story into Title, Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. For each part, students should pick a key event, draw or select images, and write brief descriptions to illustrate the narrative arc visually.
The climax of The Miracle Worker occurs when Helen Keller finally understands the meaning of words—specifically ‘water’—realizing Annie Sullivan has been teaching her language all along. This moment marks Helen’s breakthrough to communication.
Using a storyboard helps students visually organize the main events and structure of The Miracle Worker. It reinforces comprehension, supports memory, and aids in understanding literary elements by making abstract concepts more concrete and engaging.
To teach plot structure with The Miracle Worker, encourage students to identify turning points, use images to represent events, and briefly summarize each plot stage. Discussing the narrative arc and relating events to the plot diagram helps deepen literary understanding.