Activity Overview
A common use for Storyboard That is to help students create a plot diagram of the events from a story. Not only is this a great way to teach the parts of the plot, but it reinforces major events and help students develop greater understanding of literary structures.
Students can create a storyboard capturing the narrative arc in a work with a six-cell Storyboard containing the major parts of the plot diagram. For each cell, have students create a scene that follows the story in sequence using: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a visual plot diagram of A Separate Peace.
- Separate the story into the Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
- Create an image that represents an important moment or set of events for each of the story components.
- Write a description of each of the steps in the plot diagram.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 25 Points | Emerging 21 Points | Beginning 17 Points | Try Again 13 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive and Visual Elements | Cells have many descriptive elements, and provide the reader with a vivid representation. | Cells have many descriptive elements, but flow of cells may have been hard to understand. | Cells have few descriptive elements, or have visuals that make the work confusing. | Cells have few or no descriptive elements. |
| Grammar/Spelling | Textables have three or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have four or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have five or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have six or more spelling/grammar errors. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has done both peer and teacher editing. | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has either teacher or peer editing, but not both. | Student has done neither peer, nor teacher editing. | Work shows no evidence of any effort. |
| Plot | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram. | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram, but one or more is confusing. | Parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot difficult to follow. | Almost all of the parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot very difficult to follow. |
Activity Overview
A common use for Storyboard That is to help students create a plot diagram of the events from a story. Not only is this a great way to teach the parts of the plot, but it reinforces major events and help students develop greater understanding of literary structures.
Students can create a storyboard capturing the narrative arc in a work with a six-cell Storyboard containing the major parts of the plot diagram. For each cell, have students create a scene that follows the story in sequence using: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a visual plot diagram of A Separate Peace.
- Separate the story into the Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
- Create an image that represents an important moment or set of events for each of the story components.
- Write a description of each of the steps in the plot diagram.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 25 Points | Emerging 21 Points | Beginning 17 Points | Try Again 13 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive and Visual Elements | Cells have many descriptive elements, and provide the reader with a vivid representation. | Cells have many descriptive elements, but flow of cells may have been hard to understand. | Cells have few descriptive elements, or have visuals that make the work confusing. | Cells have few or no descriptive elements. |
| Grammar/Spelling | Textables have three or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have four or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have five or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have six or more spelling/grammar errors. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has done both peer and teacher editing. | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has either teacher or peer editing, but not both. | Student has done neither peer, nor teacher editing. | Work shows no evidence of any effort. |
| Plot | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram. | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram, but one or more is confusing. | Parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot difficult to follow. | Almost all of the parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot very difficult to follow. |
How Tos about A Separate Peace Plot Diagram
Get students talking: How to lead a meaningful class discussion on plot structure
Encourage participation by starting with open-ended questions about the plot. Invite students to share their favorite moments or surprising twists, helping everyone feel involved in the conversation.
Use guiding questions to deepen understanding
Pose specific prompts like “What do you think motivated the main character’s actions in the climax?” or “How did the conflict affect the resolution?” These questions guide students to think critically about the plot elements they diagrammed.
Connect plot events to real-life experiences
Ask students to relate the story’s events to situations they’ve faced, encouraging personal connections. This helps students see the relevance of literary structure and deepens engagement.
Summarize key insights as a class
Wrap up the discussion by highlighting major discoveries about the plot. Invite volunteers to share their takeaways so all students leave with a clearer understanding of narrative structure.
Frequently Asked Questions about A Separate Peace Plot Diagram
What is a plot diagram for A Separate Peace?
A plot diagram for A Separate Peace visually outlines the key events in the novel, breaking the story into six parts: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. This helps students understand the narrative arc and structure of the book.
How can students create a plot diagram for A Separate Peace?
Students can create a plot diagram by dividing the story into six sections—Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution—and illustrating or describing an important event from each part. Using a storyboard tool makes this process engaging and visual.
What are the main parts of the plot in A Separate Peace?
The main parts of the plot in A Separate Peace are Exposition (introduction of characters and setting), Conflict (the central struggle), Rising Action (events building tension), Climax (turning point), Falling Action (events after the climax), and Resolution (the story’s conclusion).
Why is using a plot diagram helpful when teaching A Separate Peace?
Using a plot diagram helps students identify and remember major events, understand literary structure, and visualize how the story develops, making it easier to analyze characters and themes in A Separate Peace.
What tools can teachers use to help students make a plot diagram of A Separate Peace?
Teachers can use digital storyboard creators like Storyboard That or printable templates to help students visually organize the plot of A Separate Peace in six steps, enhancing engagement and comprehension.
More Storyboard That Activities
Separate Peace, A
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