Journal Writing

• What are the parts of a story? What makes a good story?

Describe all of the things you put into a story to make it a good one. What are the parts of the plot? How do you start it? What makes a good ending? What makes the writing better or more vivid? Freewrite for seven minutes.

Notes on Plot and Conflict!• Take out a sheet of paper to take

some notes!

Plot is the literary element that describes the structure of a story. It shows the a causal arrangement of events and actions within a story.

Teaching Plot Structure Through Short Stories

Types of Linear PlotsPlots can be told in

Chronological order

Flashback

In media res (in the middle of things) when the story starts in the middle of the action without exposition

Aristotle’s Unified Plot

The basic triangle-shaped plot structure was described by Aristotle in 350 BCE.

Aristotle used:• Beginning, • Middle, and • End structure to describe a story.

This story is:

• Linear (forward moving)• Follows a cause/effect chain

• Works toward a resolution of the conflict/crisis.

Plot Components

Exposition: the start of the story, the situation before the action starts

Rising Action: the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax

Climax: the turning point, the most intense moment—either mentally or in action

Falling Action: all of the action which follows the climax

Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads

Conflict Conflict is the dramatic struggle

between two forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no plot.

Types of Conflict

Man vs Nature

Man vs Society

Man vs SelfInternal Conflict:

Man vs ManExternal Conflict:

Jack And The Bean Stalk: What’s the plot?

• During the Video: Keep notes on what’s happening in the story – make them detailed, at least 10

occurrences

• After Video: Draw a Triangle, dissect the parts of the plot

• What is the conflict and theme?

Draw a Triangle. Identify:

• The plot structure: (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)

• Conflict:• Theme: What is the ending moral

of the story?

Example:

Draw a Triangle, and, in groups or alone, identify:

• The plot structure: (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution

• Conflict• Resolution: What is the ending

moral of the story?