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 Tiger Rising. Students should identify major turning points in the novel such as the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Exposition: Twelve year old Rob has just lost his mother. He and his father move to a new town where they don’t know anyone. Rob is bullied and meets another new student named Sistine.
Rising Action: Rob is asked to stay home for a few days so his rash can have time to heal. While home, he finds a caged tiger in the woods; he belongs to Beauchamp, the motel owner.
Climax: Beauchamp gives Rob the keys to the cage and money to feed the tiger. Rob tells Sistine of this, and she insists they set the tiger free. Rob and Sistine open the cage to release the tiger. He doesn’t leave at first, but then he runs out into the woods.
Falling Action: Rob and Sistine hear a gunshot, and find Rob’s father and Willie May standing over the dead tiger. Rob is furious at first, and then he and his father cry together for a long time.
Resolution: They bury and have a funeral for the tiger. Rob feels sad that the tiger died, but also hopeful for the first time in a long time.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a visual plot diagram of The Tiger Rising.
Student Instructions:
Deepen students' understanding of the story by adding character analysis to your plot diagram activity. Connecting character growth to plot events helps students see how actions and decisions drive the narrative.
Enhance engagement by giving each student or small group a character to follow. Focusing on one character encourages close reading and lets students notice subtle changes throughout the plot.
Ask students to jot down how their character feels and what motivates them during the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. This builds empathy and helps students connect actions to emotions.
Encourage students to document key moments of change for their character using a timeline or annotations beside each plot point. This visual aid clarifies how the character evolves as the story unfolds.
Lead a conversation where students share insights about their characters' journeys and how plot events influenced them. This reflection reinforces understanding and builds communication skills.
The Tiger Rising follows Rob, a twelve-year-old boy coping with his mother's death and a move to a new town. He befriends Sistine, discovers a caged tiger owned by Beauchamp, and together they decide to free it. The story explores grief, friendship, and healing as Rob and Sistine face the consequences of their actions and find hope after loss.
To create a plot diagram for The Tiger Rising, students should identify and illustrate the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. Using a six-cell storyboard, they can summarize key events for each plot stage and add images or short descriptions to visualize the narrative arc.
Major turning points include Rob's move and meeting Sistine (Exposition), finding the caged tiger (Rising Action), freeing the tiger (Climax), the tiger's death (Falling Action), and the emotional resolution as Rob and his father grieve and begin healing (Resolution).
Plot diagrams help middle school students understand story structure, identify key events, and improve reading comprehension. Visualizing the narrative arc reinforces learning and supports analysis of themes, character development, and conflict resolution.
Students can use a storyboard with six cells labeled Title, Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. For each part, they draw or select images depicting important scenes—such as Rob discovering the tiger—and write brief descriptions to explain each event's role in the story.