Plot and Conflict

Step-By-Step Procedures for Teaching the Lesson:

Day Procedure
Monday
1. Lead in mentioned above
2. Reflection: Teacher will review literary elements taught: Plot and Conflict. Teacher will call on students to answer the following questions: 1. What is the fuel of a story? 2. What are the two types of conflict? 3. Identify 1 example of each type of conflict. 4. Tell me how the fuel of the story is developed? What are the stages in this development?
2. Students will receive homework. Homework will consist of creating a concept map like the one modeled in class. Using a novel they have previously read, they will identify the conflicts outlined in the novel

Tuesday
1. Daily warm-up on the board will say read the Lesson summaries on the Elements of Plot. As the students enter the classroom they will have Lesson Summary worksheets on their desks.
2. While students are reading worksheets, the teacher will walk around to review students’ homework assignments. Students will receive 50 points for completing the homework assignment. Students will not be graded on right or wrong answers.
3. Teacher will reflect on yesterday’s objective, identify conflict. Teacher will call on students to share their answers on their homework assignments. Teacher will also praise students for correct answers, and constructive feedback to the students with incorrect answers. Teacher will also Identify the elements of plot today.
4. Teacher will discuss the Elements of Plot Lesson summary worksheet. Teacher will go over the vocabulary (plot, exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution) outlined on the worksheet.
5. Teacher will draw a flow chart of five events on the board.
6. Student volunteers will fill in each event with a story plot development from the examples on the Elements of Plot Lesson Summary (Examples are from Jack and the Beanstalk).
7. Students will label each event as one element of plot (exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, resolution and/or falling action.
8. Students will draw a new diagram of the five elements of their own design showing visually how the action changes from element 1, exposition, through element 5, resolution. (Diagrams may show a straight level or shallow increase line, followed by a rising line to an apex, followed by a descending line to an end point.)
9. Reflection: Teacher will review vocabulary on lesson summary worksheet (plot, exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution). Teacher will ask the students to name each of the following plot elements in the well-known folk tale “Little Red Riding Hood.” 1) Little Red Riding Hood sets out to visit her grandmother. (exposition) 2) On the way to her grandmother’s house, the girl encounters a wicked wolf. (conflict) 3) The wolf disguises himself as the girl’s grandmother. (rising action)

Wednesday
1. Students will complete a daily warm-up as they enter the classroom. Daily warm-up: Take out a sheet of paper and label the list the following stages of plot in Jack and the Beanstalk: Exposition, Climax, Resolution)
2. After 5 minutes teacher will discuss the daily warm-up. Teacher will call on student volunteers for answers (Answers are listed on Elements of Plot Student Lesson Summary)
3. Teacher will distribute teaching model, “How the Raven Stole the Sun,” a Haida myth. Students will read the story silently. Teacher will call on a student volunteer to summarize the story. Students will read the side notes on the Teaching Model.
4. Teacher will tell the students to draw a plot diagram on a sheet of paper. The teacher will tell the students to do the following on their diagram: Using the story “How the Raven Stole the Sun” identify the plot’s exposition, What is the conflict in the story, or the struggle the story represents. On the diagram identify the rising action; this is what enlarges the conflict. Identify the climax, keeping in mind this is the turning point in the story. Now identify the falling action, this is where the conflict begins to decreases and the resolution happens shortly after. Identify the final outcomes, this is your resolution.
5. Teacher will ask the students does the plot affect your emotions or provide an insight? Students will answer voluntarily. Teacher will tell students like Jack and the Beanstalk again sometime foolish acts have good consequences.
6. Teacher will reflect on today’s lesson by going over the stages of plot using “How the Raven Stole Sun”.

Thursday
1. Teacher will invite students to recall some stories and name the conflicts, or struggles that main characters face. Teacher will list answers on the board. Teacher will explain that conflicts cause tension and suspense; readers want to see how the conflicts will be resolved.
2. Teacher will distribute the Conflict Lesson Summary. Teacher will preview the vocabulary on the worksheet. Teacher will list the four types of conflicts that characters face in literature. The conflicts include character vs. character, character vs. nature, character vs. society are all examples of external conflict, and internal conflict is a struggle inside oneself and is better known as character vs. self. Teacher will invite volunteers to suggest examples of each type. Teacher will list each example under the appropriate conflict.
3. Teacher will distribute Conflict Teaching Model, an excerpt from “The Dinner Party” by Mona Gardener.
4. Students will be instructed to read the Conflict Teaching Model. Teacher will ask the students 1) what minor external conflict opens the story? (A conflict between a colonel and a girl, who argue over whether women have as much “nerve control” as men.) 2) What serious external conflict with a force of nature does the American in the story face? (The American realizes that a deadly cobra is under the table and might strike at any moment) 3) What internal conflict do you think the American grapples with as he sits at the table? (He is probably torn between the need to stay calm and the desire to jump back and escape the cobra)
5. Reflection: Teacher will give the students the following examples: 1) Two 3-year-olds at a daycare center begin to fight over the same dump truck is this internal or external conflict? ( external conflict with another person) 2) An 80-year-old really wants to attend his grandson’s graduation in another state but fears he isn’t feeling well enough to make the trip, is this internal or external conflict? (internal conflict, within the character’s own min)
6. Teacher will remind the students this is the end of the Plot and Conflict Unit now it is time to construct projects. Teacher will tell the students they have two projects. The first project is a concept map presenting the literary element conflict along with examples and definitions. At this time the teacher will show the students a student sample concept map created using Kidspiration. Students have prior knowledge using Kidspiration on previous projects.
7. Teacher will tell students their second project will consist of constructing a two-slide Power Point Presentation based on the literary element plot. The first slide will include the title, student’s name, date, and the class period. The second slide will identify the stages of plot in their novel used for summer reading. At this time the teacher will show the students a student sample from a previous year. Teacher will tell the students both slides must include illustrations that represent the stages of plot and their examples of conflict. Students will only be allowed to use clip art on their Power Point. Teacher will tell the students they will go to the computer lab tomorrow and Monday to complete their concept map and Power Point Presentation. Teacher will pass out 2 assessment rubrics, both rubrics are the same. Rubrics will be used to assess the concept map and the Power Point Presentation.

Friday
1. Students and teacher go to the computer lab.
2. Students will first create their Power Point Presentation
3. Teacher will walk around the room observing students and answering questions that students may have.
4. Teacher will tell the students to save their presentation in their student folder on the server.
5. Teacher will remind students to write their name, date and period on both rubrics. Students will hand in rubrics when they complete their Power Point Presentations.
6. Students will continue to work on slides until the end of class

Monday
1. Students and teacher go to the computer lab.
2. Students will first create their Concept Map using the Kidspiration software
3. Teacher will walk around the room observing students and answering questions that students may have.
4. Teacher will tell the students to save their concept map in their student folder on the server.
5. Students will continue to work on slides until the end of class.
6. Teacher will tell students the projects will be graded by Friday.