Students can create a storyboard that captures the concept of the narrative arc in a story by creating a six-cell storyboard which contains the major parts of the plot diagram. For each cell, students create a scene that follows the story in a sequence using; Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Arthur (The Wart) is a young boy who has been taken in and raised by Ector. Kay is Ector’s proper son. Arthur finds a tutor, Merlyn, who begins to teach him the importance of education and being a good leader by turning him into various animals and sending him on quests.
Arthur’s naivete leads him to believe that becoming a knight is a wonderful and honorable thing, but because he is not Ector’s proper son, he is destined to be Kay’s squire. Merlyn tries to break him of his traditional ideas about the positives of knighthood and war.
Arthur is placed into the bodies of different animals, including a perch, a merlin, an ant, an owl, a goose, and a badger. As a badger, he has to make a decision whether to eat a hedgehog out of anger; he decides to leave him. He follows Kay as his squire, to a tournament in London where Kay will debut as a knight. Meanwhile, King Uther Pendragon has died without an heir.
Kay gets to the tournament, but realizes he’s forgotten his sword. The Wart, anxious to please Kay, goes back to their inn to retrieve the sword, but it’s closed. He wanders over to a nearby churchyard and sees a sword stuck upright in a large stone. His animal friends swarm his consciousness, reminding him of all of the lessons he’s learned. He pulls the sword from the stone with ease and brings it to Kay.
It turns out that whoever could solve the challenge of pulling the sword from the stone would be the next King of England. At first, Kay tries to take credit for removing the sword when Ector asks him, but then gives in and admits Arthur did it.
Ector and Kay kneel before Arthur. Arthur is crowned as King of England, and the people are happy because they are tired of the unrest and violence they’ve endured under Uther Pendragon. Merlyn agrees to stay with Arthur, as his advisor for the foreseeable future.
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Student Instructions
Create a visual plot diagram of one of the books from The Once and Future King.
Lead students in a focused discussion about each part of the plot diagram—exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution—to ensure deeper understanding. Use targeted questions and examples to help students connect story events to each element and encourage them to share their interpretations.
Have students list key events from the narrative before creating their storyboard. This helps them identify major plot points and organize their ideas for each section, making the visual process smoother and more accurate.
Demonstrate how to choose or draw images that capture the essence of each plot point. Show examples and explain why specific visuals were selected, guiding students to make meaningful creative choices in their own work.
Instruct students to pair each visual with a brief, clear description of the event or turning point. This reinforces comprehension and helps them articulate the story’s progression in their own words.
Arrange students’ storyboards around the classroom and let them walk around to view each other’s work. Prompt them to ask questions or leave feedback, fostering a collaborative and reflective learning environment.
A plot diagram for 'The Once and Future King' visually outlines the major story elements: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. It helps students understand how the narrative unfolds from Arthur's early life to his rise as king.
To create a storyboard for 'The Sword in the Stone', divide your page into six cells. Illustrate and write a brief description for each part: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution, reflecting key events from Arthur's journey.
The main events include: Arthur's upbringing by Ector, lessons with Merlyn, Arthur's transformation into animals, the tournament, Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, and his crowning as King of England.
Creating a plot diagram helps students analyze story structure, sequence major events, and better understand character development and themes. It's an effective way to reinforce literary comprehension skills in high school.
Use visual aids like storyboards, encourage discussion about leadership and ethics, assign group activities for plot mapping, and connect Arthur's lessons to modern themes to engage grade 9-12 students.