What Makes A Story Come Together?

What is plot? Does a plot have to have certain elements? What are they? Can a story be good with a plot?

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.

Freytag’s Pyramid uses a five-part system to describe a story’s plot. This graphic organizer matches the way stories are constructed: The climax is the high point, and it’s surrounded by rising and falling action.

Freytag’s Pyramid is often modified so that it extends slightly before and after the primary rising and falling action. You might think of this part of the chart as similar to the warm-up and cool-down for the story.

TAKE NOTES ON THE FOLLOWING CHART on paper or in Notability where you can draw the chart.

Exposition: The start of the story. The way things are 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.

One fine evening a young princess put on her bonnet and clogs, and went out to take a walk by herself in a wood; and when she came to a cool spring of water, that rose in the midst of it, she sat herself down to rest a while. Now she had a golden ball in her hand, which was her favourite plaything; and she was always tossing it up into the air, and catching it again as it fell. After a time she threw it up so high that she missed catching it as it fell; and the ball bounded away, and rolled along upon the ground, till at last it fell down into the spring. The princess looked into the spring after her ball, but it was very deep, so deep that she could not see the bottom of it. Then she began to bewail her loss, and said, 'Alas! if I could only get my ball again, I would give all my fine clothes and jewels, and everything that I have in the world.' Whilst she was speaking, a frog put its head out of the water, and said, 'Princess, why do you weep so bitterly?' 'Alas!' said she, 'what can you do for me, you nasty frog? My golden ball has fallen into the spring.' The frog said, 'I want not your pearls, and jewels, and fine clothes; but if you will love me, and let me live with you and eat from off your golden plate, and sleep upon your bed, I will bring you your ball again.' 'What nonsense,' thought the princess, 'this silly frog is talking! He can never even get out of the spring to visit me, though he may be able to get my ball for me, and therefore I will tell him he shall have what he asks.' So she said to the frog, 'Well, if you will bring me my ball, I will do all you ask.' Then the frog put his head down, and dived deep under the water; and after a little while he came up again, with the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the edge of the spring. As soon as the young princess saw her ball, she ran to pick it up; and she was so overjoyed to have it in her hand again, that she never thought of the frog, but ran home with it as fast as she could. The frog called after her, 'Stay, princess, and take me with you as you said,' But she did not stop to hear a word.

In your assigned small group, practice filling out the plot diagram for the story of "The Frog-Prince" You can find the "Plot Diagram Map" document on iTeach under Documents Every individual in your group should fill out and submit their own “Plot Diagram Map” document to Google Drive.

Plot Diagrams and Implicit/Explicit Statements

Friendship Fate Loss of a Dream

What makes people form a special bond? Do friends always have total respect for one another? Just because you say bad things about someone, does that mean you are not friends? Do friends give without asking anything in return? Can your friends become your family? Is it right for your friends to make choices about your future?

What is fate? Is there such a thing as coincidence? Or, do all life events work together to bring you to a certain point? Can fate be escaped? Are there just some things you are destined to do and you could not avoid them if you tried?

Why do we create and hold onto our dreams? Are most dreams actually attainable, or do they almost always come to nothing? How far should you go to attain your dream? What do you do when you realize your dream is never going to come true?

Title: Making Connections Date: 8-19 or Write four sentences about your experience with Friendship, Fate or Loss of a Dream. How has one of these themes touched your life? Tell me about a brief experience and how it relates to the theme of your choice.

Open up Of Mice and Men to the first chapter. We will read Chapter One in class. WARNING: There is some language in this novel. These are hardened, tough guys living a really rough life; please be aware this is not just language for language's sake. It tells us about the characters.

 Where does the novel take place? Give me some of the exposition.  What themes are we already seeing develop?  Describe our 2 main characters. What is George like? How is he similar or different than Lennie?  It was pretty rare for anyone to travel with a companion under these conditions. Why do you think George and Lennie stay together?  George and Lennie in popular culture:  Tell me about the rabbits, George: zvMyxNAohttp:// zvMyxNAo

Open a new Plot Diagram Map in iTeach. We will be filling in this document as we read the novel each day, so DO NOT delete it anytime soon! Fill out the Exposition, Main Characters and Setting.

Explicit – when something is directly stated Implicit – when something is indirectly stated AKA – when you have to read between the lines Do you remember the story “The Most Dangerous Game” from last year? The author didn’t come right out and say that Zarnoff was hunting humans; you had to read between the lines to figure out the only animal who could reason would have to be a man.

Open the “Implicit versus Explicit” document. Complete this document on your own IN SILENCE. You may listen to music as you work, but there will be no talking. Submit this as a pdf when you finish!