Excerpt of Reading Lesson: Fiction Plot
I love teaching plot.
It can seem easy at first. First have them draw the plot diagram, then they should fill in the different parts, and finally create a paragraph based on what they wrote. Don't teach it that way - it's boring. Focus on the WHY and the HOW of a plot and do it in an interactive way. Look below for how I break it down- I give my lesson talking points and then how they apply it in both sections. |
WHY |
Notes & Lesson: Students come to me typically using the B-M-E (Beginning-Middle-End) model. This is when they tell you what happened in the beginning of the story, the middle, and then how it ended. This is excellent for nonfiction (or as a modified version), but this should not be encouraged for fiction.
I explain to my students that we use PLOT because there is most certainly always a problem and a solution. I break it down into simplest form: Exposition (exposes us) to the WHO and WHERE of the story Rising Action is the PROBLEM Climax is the TURNING POINT *Falling Action is the SOLUTION Resolution is the ENDING or in some cases the theme or moral stated (especially for Folktales) *A lot of times I emphasis to students that the Falling Action and Resolution can share a spot on the PLOT diagram. You don't always need a defined Falling Action and Resolution. This is when they will need that higher level thinking to determine the best ending. To apply: Students take notes on the right side of their journal and then practice with a small reading excerpt - we walk through as a class for the right side and they partner work for the left side |
HOW |
Exposition is the first part. It includes: main characters and setting. When I explain this to students, I first introduce the root word to Exposition - expose. I then proceed to emphasis that we are exposing only the main characters and where this is located ( this can include place, time, year).
Rising Action I explain this as the Problem that the character(s) must overcome. My students generally get confused in this section because multiple issues can be introduced that sound like the problem so to solve this - I always tie the Rising Action and Falling Action together. Falling Action the solution to the problem. Instead of going in order from the Rising Action to the Climax, I have students draw a line across the diagram to connect the Rising Action to the Falling Action. Students will typically write down the first problem they encounter in a story (or the first thing that sounds like a problem). However, if they cannot write how the problem is solved in the Falling Action than I tell them that is NOT the PROBLEM. They must connect that the story is like one big puzzle that all connects no matter which two parts of the diagram you are working with. Climax I have my students return to the climax after filling in the Falling Action portion and I have them answer one question: What caused this to happen? In a fiction story there is always a reason why the ending happens a certain way and the Climax determines that. Hopefully by backwards plotting they can make the connections. Resolution While tricky at times, the ending sometimes blends with the Falling Action. As the reading starts to get denser the Falling Action and Resolution differ greatly. When I first introduce plot like this to my students I briefly focus on the Resolution. Instead I put emphasis on the connection to the Rising and Falling Action. After I introduce theme - I slowly start to have them focus on the Resolution. Eventually we focus on the difference between the Falling Action and Resolution, but this comes later in the year. Teaching plot is a continual lesson that should be touched on throughout the year. Unfortunately in this sometimes chaotic testing world, we teach and then move on, not realizing that we constantly need to spiral. |
Modifications
What to do when students struggle?
Modify.
This is when using the B-M-E strategy becomes handy (but with tweaks)
First - do not call it B-M-E. It's still called a plot
Second - Decompress it to three parts
Exposition -who /what
Problem - what did the main characters have problem with
Resolution - how it ends (and is solved)
As students continue to grow and understand, you can start to introduce the problem and how it is solved.
The idea of a modification is that you want it to simply enough that they feel they can conquer it, but also still connected to the central idea and one that can grow as they gain mastery.
Modify.
This is when using the B-M-E strategy becomes handy (but with tweaks)
First - do not call it B-M-E. It's still called a plot
Second - Decompress it to three parts
Exposition -who /what
Problem - what did the main characters have problem with
Resolution - how it ends (and is solved)
As students continue to grow and understand, you can start to introduce the problem and how it is solved.
The idea of a modification is that you want it to simply enough that they feel they can conquer it, but also still connected to the central idea and one that can grow as they gain mastery.