Elements Of Plot (Knowledge/Comprehension)
Intro: Over the past few years, I’ve developed a method to teach Elements of Plot in an explicit but engaging way. A differentiated approach which follows Bloom’s Taxonomy progression.
In this article, I’ll share scaffolds, engagement strategies and the overall (Hattie) effect size for teaching Elements of Plot using the routine.
Terms To Know
Bloom’s Taxonomy: A rigor matrix which has six categories(Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analyze, Create, Synthesis)
Hattie (Effect) Size: A meta analysis of research which synthesizes multiple studies to calculate how much student growth happens due to the approach, strategy or dynamic. Anything over 0.40 will yield at least one year’s growth.
Day 1(Knowledge): Identify The Elements
Learning Intention: I will analyze plot elements for deeper meaning.
Success Criteria: I can identify the elements of the plot.
Intro (5-7 Minutes): The Power Pegs
To begin instruction on the Elements of Plot, I play an interactive song. It serves two purposes.
1. Engages scholars passively in the learning process.
2. Presents information in a format that’s comprehensible for Auditory Learners.
After the song, I teach “The Power of Story”, which is a Mnemonics(0.65) based on Quantum Learning’s Power Pegs.
The Sun is shining on the setting.
I’m eyeing the problem.
I tried and found the events.
This is squarely the solution.
Now I have my fingers on the parts of a story.
Video-Aloud (10-15 Minutes): Lift
Using a form of Content Differentiation(0.52), I conduct a video-aloud with a Pixar short film–Lift…pausing intermittently to identify the parts of the story.
Setting: Spaceship or House On A Farm
Problem: Skinny Alien can’t abduct(get) man out of the house
Events: Skinny alien keeps trying to abduct man but gets frustrated, Fat Alien steps in and helps Skinny Alien
Solution: The man is abducted from the house.
Modeled Instruction (10 Minutes): Use The Pegs
Now that I’ve practiced the skill with the students through a video-aloud, I transfer to modeling how to use the Power Pegs on a traditional text.
Group Work (15-20 Minutes): Jigsaw The Problem (1.20)
As a way to increase engagement and reinforce identifying the parts of a story, I place the students in 4-6 groups(depending on class size) and give them different stories. Each group completes the task and reports out to the class.
While the individual groups are sharing out, I can clear up any misconceptions.
Independent Practice (10 Minutes): Identify The Parts
Next, the students practice the skill independently with a review directly afterwards.
An addition for this year is students assessing mastery by marking if they identified all the parts of the story.
For example, 1 would be for identifying one part and a 5 would be for identifying the setting, problem, events, and solution.
Closure (1 Minute): Set Up The Summary
I say: “Today, you learned the parts of a story. Tomorrow, you’ll learn how to put those parts together and summarize a text.”
Lesson Effect Size: 2.80
Day 2 (Comprehension): Summary
Learning Intention: I will analyze plot elements for deeper meaning.
Success Criteria: I can summarize the plot of a fictional text.
Intro/Video-Aloud (10-15 Minutes): Soar
To introduce summary (0.74), I review the B.M.E.(Beginning, Middle, End) strategy. Then I initiated a video aloud with Soar(0.52).
After watching the clip, I model how to effectively summarize it.
Partner Work/Small Group (10-15 Minutes): Let Them Practice
Once I’ve modeled a proper summary, students practice with a partner(0.50) while I pull Tier 2 or 3 students in a Small Group(0.49)
Independent Practice (15 Minutes): Do It Themselves
After I clear up misconceptions, students practice independently. Following a review of the independent work, students assess their mastery as they did for “Parts of a Story.”
Exit Ticket or Closure (5 Minutes): Set Up Making Predictions
I say: “Today, you learned how to summarize a text. Tomorrow, you’ll use those skills to make and revise predictions.”
Lesson Effect Size: 2.25
Day 3 (Application) : Make, Revise and Confirm Predictions
Learning Intention: I will analyze plot elements for deeper meaning.
Success Criteria: I can make, revise and confirm predictions about a digital or print text.
Intro (10- 15 Minutes): Interactive Predictions
For the introduction, I guide students through an interactive Google Slide (0.52) with various book covers and movie posters…supplying them with metacognitive strategies–such as what’s going on in the picture? And pay attention to the title(the words sometimes have double meanings).
Then I ask them to make a prediction and tell me the potential problem and two things that will happen in the story.
Closed Reading (30-45 Minutes): Cataleya’s Slime Search
Typically, the Google Slide is the entire lesson for this concept but I’m planning to incorporate a closed reading more aligned to the mastery of the making, revising, and confirming predictions.
Using Chat GPT, I created a story: Cataleya’s Slime Search. In the text, the student adventures throughout her story to find her slime. Throughout the closed reading, I ask think-alouds and instruct students to revise their predictions.
At the end, they confirm their predictions and also finish a summary (0.74) of the story(A new test question on the S.T.A.A.R. test in Texas).
After I review their answers, students assess their Before and During Reading prediction on a 4-point scale (0.96).
Closure (1- 3 Minutes): Set Up Analyzing The Plot
I say: “This week, you’ve learned how to identify the parts of a story, summarize and predict. Tomorrow, you’ll put all those pieces together and analyze a story.”
Lesson Effect Size: 2.22
Day 4 (Analyze): Analyze The Plot
Learning Intention: I will analyze plot elements for deeper meaning.
Success Criteria: I can analyze the elements of the plot for realism.
Talk 1 (3-5 Minutes): Activate or Build Background Knowledge
Utilizing the Talk, Read, Talk, Write strategy created by Nancy Motley, I activate prior knowledge(0.93) with a question.
Sample question: Have you ever had to make a meal with a parent or sibling?
Read (20 Minutes): Model Metacognitive Strategies (0.52)
Transition, I move toward reading the text with the students. Before we participate in the Shared Reading, I review the questions the students will have to answer.
Once that takes place, we read the text(rotating) and I model highlighting key parts and ask them to annotate. Typically, the annotations are think-alouds(0.84).
Talk 2 (3-5 Minutes): Discuss The Problem
After finishing the Read portion of the routine, I have the students discuss(but not answer) the comprehension questions.
Write (10-15 Minutes): Answer The Question
For the written response, students answer the questions–including a heat check “Evaluate” prompt: Do you think the “character” was a good friend?
Review (5 Minutes): Share Answers
To close the lesson, students share their answers, discuss or potentially debate the Evaluate question(0.82), and I provide feedback. Another planned addition for next year is students grading their own response(0.93) on a 1-5 scale(with 5 being mastery).
Lesson Effect Size: 4.04
Day 5 (Evaluate/Synthesize): Assess and Solve The Problem
Learning Intention: I will analyze plot elements for deeper meaning.
Success Criteria: I can evaluate, master and synthesize the plot of a story for deeper meaning.
Mini-Lesson(3-5 Minutes): Quiz Expectations
I say: This week, you’ve learned the parts, summarize, how to predict and analyze a story. Today, you’ll have a chance to show your mastery.
Then I share quiz expectations.
Assessment (30-35 Questions): Quiz
Students complete a 5-10 question quiz. Normally, I give a student the key and allow them to call on classmates for answers and facilitate discussion. (0.41)
Synthesize (15-30): Prevent or Solve The Problem
A good heat check(or critical thinking assessment) is to ask students how they would have solved or prevented the problem. (0.84)
Review/Closure (5-7 Minutes): Share Out
Lesson Effect Size: 1.25
Weekly Effect Size Average: 2.51
Conclusion: The Bloom’s Taxonomy method to teaching “Elements of Plot” isn’t the only way to instruct on the skill, but it’s an effective way to ensure students retain the concept, to go along with adequately preparing students for the higher-order literary elements(I.E.: Analyze Characters, Inference, Theme, Point of View).
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