“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
Creating a plot diagram not only helps students learn the parts of the plot, but it reinforces major events and helps students develop a 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 Poet X. Students should identify major turning points in the novel such as the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
(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 for The Poet X.
Student Instructions:
Grade Level 9-12
Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)
Type of Assignment Individual
Type of Activity: Plot Diagrams and Narrative Arcs
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | Cells include images that help to tell the story and do not get in the way of understanding. Descriptions match the images. | Descriptions do not always match the images. | Descriptions are missing or do not match the images. |
| Plot | Each of the six cells represents a different part of the story. The cells are in order from beginning to end. | Two cells or fewer are out of order, or the storyboard is missing important information. | Important information is missing and/or three or more cells are out of order. |
| Spelling and Grammar | Spelling and grammar is mostly accurate. Mistakes do not get in the way of understanding. | Spelling is very inaccurate and hinders full understanding. | Text is difficult to understand. |
Creating a plot diagram not only helps students learn the parts of the plot, but it reinforces major events and helps students develop a 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 Poet X. Students should identify major turning points in the novel such as the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
(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 for The Poet X.
Student Instructions:
Grade Level 9-12
Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)
Type of Assignment Individual
Type of Activity: Plot Diagrams and Narrative Arcs
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | Cells include images that help to tell the story and do not get in the way of understanding. Descriptions match the images. | Descriptions do not always match the images. | Descriptions are missing or do not match the images. |
| Plot | Each of the six cells represents a different part of the story. The cells are in order from beginning to end. | Two cells or fewer are out of order, or the storyboard is missing important information. | Important information is missing and/or three or more cells are out of order. |
| Spelling and Grammar | Spelling and grammar is mostly accurate. Mistakes do not get in the way of understanding. | Spelling is very inaccurate and hinders full understanding. | Text is difficult to understand. |
You will know best how to explain the plot line to students with special needs, as you have worked with them. Use manipulatives, computer interactives, and repetition to get the information across.
Rather than a blank canvas, students with special needs will find more success if you do the heavy lifting of writing the elements of the plot either on the computer or little slips of paper, whatever will be easier for them to work with.
Students can then put the ideas in order of the story. Often students find it easier to find the moment of highest action, or the turning point first. Then they fit all the other ideas around it.
As a story gets started and the reader meets the characters, events start happening. Likely, the events provide conflict between the protagonist and herself, someone else, or nature. The playing out of the conflict leads to the climax, or turning point of the story.
After a story reaches its highest point of action, or climax, nothing will ever be the same for the characters. The story starts wrapping up, as the falling action finds the characters getting situated with their new information and roles. Then the story resolves, or wraps up.
Studying the plot diagram helps students to compartmentalize and organize the information in a story into a logical flow. It helps students to make predictions, as they expect what should probably come next. It also helps them to see how conflicts are resolved. These skills can translate to real life.
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher