A common use for Storyboard That is to help students create a plot diagram of the events from a book. 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.
Even true stories, like memoirs, can have a plot arch. Students can create a storyboard capturing the narrative arc of The Sunflower with a three-cell storyboard, containing the major parts of the plot diagram: the Exposition, the Climax, and the Resolution or a six-cell storyboard with Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. For each cell have students create a scene that shows their understanding of that part of the book and summarize their understanding.
Simon and his friends Arthur, Josek, are prisoners in a Nazi concentration camp. They work cleaning up medical waste at a converted army hospital for wounded German soldiers. One day, on his way to work, Simon is stopped by a nurse, and taken to the bedside of a dying, young Nazi soldier.
Confused why he is there, Simon asks Karl what he wants with a Jew. Karl proceeds to tell him a story about atrocities he committed during his time serving as an SS soldier, primarily, how he set a building on fire with over many Jewish families inside, then shot them as they attempted to jump out the windows to escape the flames.
After telling Simon what he had done, Karl asks for Simon’s forgiveness. Karl felt that the only way to die in peace was to clear his conscious and ask forgiveness from a Jew. However, Simon leaves the room without answering him. That night, Simon discusses the moral issue with friends in his barracks. The next day, when he returns, Karl is dead.
(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 The Sunflower.
Encourage students to collaborate by assigning small groups to create their own plot diagrams on different sections of The Sunflower. Group work boosts engagement and helps students learn from each other's perspectives.
Designate roles such as illustrator, summarizer, and presenter within each group. Clear roles ensure everyone participates and leverages their strengths for a more comprehensive plot diagram.
Pause at key moments so groups can discuss plot events and moral dilemmas together. Mid-activity discussions deepen understanding and encourage critical thinking about the story’s themes.
Have each group present their plot diagram to the class and explain their artistic and literary choices. Presentations foster communication skills and allow students to see multiple interpretations of the same story.
Ask students to share what they learned from their group members and how teamwork affected their understanding of the plot. Reflection helps reinforce both plot structure knowledge and social-emotional skills.
A plot diagram for The Sunflower visually maps out the main events of Simon Wiesenthal's memoir using sections like Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution, helping students understand narrative structure and key moments.
To create a Sunflower plot diagram, have students break the story into key plot parts, then use a storyboard template (3 or 6 cells) to draw scenes and write short summaries for each plot element, such as Exposition, Climax, and Resolution.
The main events include: Exposition (Simon and friends in the camp), Climax (the dying Nazi's confession), and Resolution (Simon's response and the soldier's death), with optional steps for Conflict, Rising and Falling Action.
A plot diagram activity helps students visually organize and deepen comprehension of The Sunflower's structure, encourages discussion of moral dilemmas, and reinforces understanding of literary elements in memoirs.
The climax occurs when Karl, the dying Nazi soldier, confesses his crimes to Simon and asks for forgiveness, placing Simon in a powerful moral dilemma central to the memoir's themes.