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Subject

English Language Arts (2005), English Language Arts (NYS P-12 Common Core)

Description

Students will construct a plot diagram for a short story. They will identify the problem, the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution.

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

sequence events in a story

understand and identify the parts of the plot of a story

construct a plot diagram

Duration

One 45 minute period for this task, with another 45 minute period for the assessment.

Materials/Web Resources

"The King of Mazy May" (Prentice Hall Literature, Copper Level pp. 60-67, or visit: The King of Mazy May)

List of events to sequence (provided)

Plot diagram with moveable labels (provided)

Scissors

Yarn or string

SMART Board with software (if available)

Procedure

1. Students have read the story "The King of Mazy May" and have learned about the parts of the plot.
2. Begin lesson by reviewing the parts of the plot diagram. Students are called on to define one of the parts (Ex. problem, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution). If the student correctly defines the term, he/she moves the term into its proper position on the smart board (if a SMART Board is not available, the teacher could use a projector and dry erase board/black board, or create the materials as "cut-outs").
3. Discuss the problem as a class and add it to the plot diagram.
4. Students then use their text and the list of events to sequence.
5. Discuss the proper order of the events.
6. Model proper procedure, then students string their events together in the proper order.
7. Students work with a partner or small group to determine which events belong in the rising action, what event marks the story’s climax, which events belong in the falling action, and what the resolution is.
8. Each group arranges their string so that the first event is on the bottom left; the climax is at the peak, and the resolution in on the bottom right.
9. Students are called up to the SMART Board to move events into their correct position.

Assessment

Each group is assessed upon their class work, but each individual is given a performance assessment. I had students read a new story, called "Aaron’s Gift" (text pp. 116-121), sequence the story’s events, and draw a plot diagram. Any story with a climax that is easily recognizable will work.

Support Materials

The handouts used in this lesson are available below.

Plot Diagram

"The King of Mazy May" - Sequential Order

Completed Plot Diagram

SMART Board

This instructional content was intended for use with a SMART Board. The .xbk file below can only be opened with SMART Notebook software. To download this free software from the SMART Technologies website, please click here.

 

• Mazy May plot

 

Author

Meredith Zeiger, Enlarged City School District of Middletown

Related Academic Standards

New York State

6R1 Cite textual evidence to support an analysis of what the text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences. (RI&RL)

6R2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is developed by key supporting details over the course of a text; summarize a text. (RI&RL)

6R3 

• In literary texts, describe how events unfold, as well as how characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution. (RL)
• In informational texts, analyze how individuals, events, and ideas are introduced, relate to each other, and are developed. (RI)

AS.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

RL.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

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