Elements of Plot

6th GradeELA60 min

aligned to Ccss Ccss.ela-literacy.rl.6.5

Learning Objective

I can identify the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution in a fictional story.

Lesson Flow

Watch Video

7 min

Plot Structure: The Building Blocks to Every Story

The ELA Connection

Guided Notes

12 min

Key concepts students will learn:

  • A story's plot is a series of events with conflict, and every good story has a problem that must be solved.

  • According to Freytag's Pyramid, the exposition introduces the basic story elements, while the inciting incident is the moment that requires the protagonist to take action.

  • The climax is when the main conflict is the strongest, and the resolution is the end of the story when there is no more conflict.

Practice

18 min

12 questions • Multiple choice & Short answer

Exit Ticket

5 min

Identify the following elements of plot in the story below: exposition, inciting incident, climax, falling action, and resolution. Once upon a time, in a quiet village, lived a young girl named Lily who loved to read (Exposition). One day, she discovered an old, mysterious book in her attic (Inciting Incident). As Lily read the book, strange things started happening in the village, and she realized the book was magical. She decided she had to find a way to stop the magic (Rising Action). Lily confronted the source of the magic, a dark wizard who wanted to control the village. In a final battle of wits and courage, Lily used her knowledge from the book to defeat the wizard and break the spell (Climax). With the wizard defeated, the strange events ceased, and the village returned to normal (Falling Action). Lily returned the book to the attic, knowing she had saved her village and learned the importance of bravery (Resolution).

Teacher Guide

Get the complete package:

  • Answer keys for all questions
  • Differentiation strategies
  • Extension activities
  • Printable student handouts