Teacher: Lauren Newman-Lipp

School: Preston Middle School

Content Area: English
Title: Plot Diagram

Date: 22-23 October 2015

Grade Level: 6th grade
Lesson #: 4 of 6

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson:

1.1 Successful group discussions require planning and participation by all.
4.1 Individual and group research projects require obtaining information on a
topic from a variety of sources and organizing it for presentation.
Understandings:
1. Students will be able to recognize and think about the plot progression and
elements while reading a story/narrative.
Inquiry Questions:
1. What elements make up the plot of a story and how can this help us to
better understand a story?
Evidence Outcomes:
Every student will be able to:
Given information about the different elements of a plot diagram, students will
be able to collaborate effectively in order to learn and understand the elements of
a plot diagram.
Given a reworking of Little Red Riding Hood, students will be able to make an
accurate plot diagram of the story.
I can:
Collaborate with my peers to research elements of plot.
Accurately depict a specific storys plot on a visual diagram.
This means I can:
-work with my peers to understand one element of a plot diagram
-work with a group to create a visual of one specific element
-teach my peers about an element of a plot diagram
-chart the plot of a story
List of Assessments:
1. Walk-it-to-know-it Plot Diagram

2. Story Diagram
Planned Lesson Activities
Name and
Purpose of
Lesson
Approx. Time
and Materials

Anticipatory
Set

Procedures

Plot Diagram
Students will gain understanding to what plot is in a story,
and using this understanding to visually plot a story.
2 hours 30 minutes
Element write-ups, posters,markers, interactive notebooks,
writing utensil, plot diagram foldable, Little Red Riding
Hood, plot diagram handout.
Launch
Students will start all together in the middle of the room on
the floor to go over the agenda of the day, reminders, and
learning targets. Students will also receive directions for
their task of the day.
Day 1: Re-iterate what researchers do conversation.
1. Silent sustained reading. (10 minutes)
2. Launch. (10 minutes)
3. Students will return to their table groups and be
assigned an element of plot. As a group, they will
receive a handout with information about their
element. (5 minutes)
4. In groups, students will research their specific
element to become experts on their element
(Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Conflict, Falling
Action, or Resolution).
5. Students will then work in groups to create a poster
for their element. (30-40 minutes)
6. Closure on Edmodo. (5-10 minutes)
7. Silent sustained reading. (10 minutes)
8. Launch. (10 minutes)
9. Students will go back to their table groups and
receive the Plot Diagram foldable. They will then
receive instructions for how to tape it into their
Interactive Notebooks. (5 minutes)
10. Students will help set up the two Walk-it-to-knowits in order. (5 minutes)
11. Students will take their Interactive Notebooks and
pick one WITKI. They will record information in
their foldable. (5 minutes)

12. Students will gather in the nook, receive a Plot

Diagram handout, and teacher will read the Little
Red Riding Hood story. Students will fill in their
plot diagram throughout the reading. (30 minutes)
13. Closure. (10 minutes)
Closure

Day 1: How does your element aid the telling of a story?

Post question on Edmodo and have students answer
virtually.
Day 2: (On the back of plot diagram) How do the elements
of plot work together to create a narrative?

Assessment

Plot Diagram Poster: Students will work in groups to

become experts on one element of a plot diagram. They
will be responsible for one poster per group to explain their
element.
Plot Diagram for Little Red Riding Hood: Students will
listen to a story and diagram the plot on their own charts.