Focus Skill: Plot

What does that mean?

Everything that happens in a story is the plot.

As you read a story, you should be thinking about what is happening.

That means you should be thinking about the events that happen in the beginning of the story, the middle of the story, and the end of the story.

In the beginning of the story, the setting and characters are given In the beginning of the story, the setting and characters are given. The beginning also tells the story’s problem.

The middle of the story tells how the characters try to solve the problem.

The end of the story tells how they solved the problem. Yahoooo!

Remember, most stories have a problem that needs to be solved Remember, most stories have a problem that needs to be solved. That problem and the solution are part of the story’s plot.

Let’s be a detective. We’ll read some stories and decide what the plot is.

The Lion and the Tortoise. Once upon a time, there was a greedy lion The Lion and the Tortoise Once upon a time, there was a greedy lion. The lion would chase all the animals away from the water. One day a brave little tortoise crept up. “Go away or I will eat you!” the lion roared. The tortoise just laughed. The lion gobbled up the tortoise but the tortoise got stuck in his throat. “Help!” roared the lion. “I will get out,” said the tortoise. “But first you must agree to share the water with everyone!” The lion agreed. All the animals cheered.

What happened at the beginning of that story. A What happened at the beginning of that story? A. The lion ate the tortoise. B. The tortoise crawled out of the lion’s mouth. C. The greedy lion chased all the animals away. The answer is “C.”

What was the lion’s problem. A. He liked to play in the water. B What was the lion’s problem ? A. He liked to play in the water. B. The tortoise was stuck in his throat. C. The lion liked to eat animals. The answer is “B.”

What happened at the end of the story. A What happened at the end of the story ? A. The lion chased all the animals away from the water. B. The lion agreed to share the water with the other animals. The answer is “B.”

The Tale of the Milky Way The Tale of the Milky Way Long ago, the people of a Cherokee village pounded corn into cornmeal. They stored it in large baskets. One morning a woman noticed that a lot of the cornmeal was missing. She saw huge dog prints nearby. She thought of a plan and told the villagers. Late that night, the villagers saw a giant dog fly down from the sky. Right away, he started eating the cornmeal. The villagers banged on their drums and shook their rattles. The huge dog got scared and flew into the sky. He moved so quickly that he spilled cornmeal. It spread across the night sky. Each piece of cornmeal turned into a star. From then on, the stars were called “where the dog ran.” Today, we call the stars the Milky Way.

What happens in the beginning of the story. A What happens in the beginning of the story? A. The villagers notice all the stars in the sky. B. The dog flies down from the sky. C. The villagers notice that cornmeal is missing. The answer is “C.”

Why was it a problem that the cornmeal disappeared. A Why was it a problem that the cornmeal disappeared ? A. The villagers needed cornmeal for food. B. The villagers needed cornmeal to make toys. C. The villagers needed cornmeal to sleep on. The answer is “A.”

What happens in the middle of the story. A What happens in the middle of the story ? A. The villagers talk to the dog. B. The villagers see a dog from the sky eating their cornmeal. C. The villagers make drums. The answer is “B.”

What do the villagers do to scare the dog away ? The villagers scare him away by banging on their drums and shaking rattles.

What happens in the end of the story. A What happens in the end of the story ? A. The dog drops pieces of cornmeal, which become stars. B. The dog tells the villagers the cornmeal will turn into stars. The answer is “B.”