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 helps 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.
Example The Handmaid’s Tale Plot Diagram
Exposition
In the Republic of Gilead, Offred, a young Handmaid, has just started her newest post at the Commander’s house. As a Handmaid, it is her duty to bear the Commander and his wife a child. Offred is unhappy, remembering tidbits of her life before this one, with her husband Luke and their daughter. The Handmaids are forced into this life, and have been trained at the Red Center by the Aunts to be pious and to appreciate their new status.
Conflict
Offred’s primary conflict throughout the novel is that she has a two-year time period in which to bear the Commander a child. However, the Commander also wishes to get to know Offred better, and begins inviting her to his study late at night without his wife, Serena Joy. Offred and the Commander’s Guardian, Nick, have begun to notice each other as well.
Rising Action
Offred’s daily shopping partner, Ofglen, begins to reveal that she may be a part of an underground resistance movement called Mayday. The Commander plays Scrabble with Offred and begins to bring her gifts, such as women’s magazines which are no longer in print. Eventually, he brings her to a club where men and hired women mingle. Serena Joy desperately wants a child and knows her husband is probably infertile; she develops a scheme for Offred to sleep with Nick.
Climax
After a Women’s Salvaging, or public hanging, and a Particicution (where the Handmaids beat a man to death as punishment for the crime of rape), Ofglen reveals that the man was actually a political operative. Later, Ofglen has been replaced by another Handmaid - now “Ofglen.” Offred tests her by mentioning “Mayday”, and discovers that she’s made a terrible mistake when the new Ofglen warns her to forget about those old “echoes.”
Falling Action
Serena Joy finds out about Offred’s outing to the club, and confronts both Offred and the Commander. Soon afterwards, an Eye van arrives to take Offred away. Nick comes up to tell her that they are really Mayday operatives and to trust him, so Offred does. As she is taken from the home, the Commander believes that she will betray him.
Resolution
The final part of the novel is called “Historical Notes”, and is purportedly a transcript from a symposium looking at the Gileadean era from the year 2195. The speaker gives the history of “The Handmaid’s Tale” transcript, and their attempts to establish its origins and the identity of the Handmaid. The tale was told on a series of cassette tapes, and it was recovered in Bangor, Maine, a known stop of The Underground Femaleroad. It seems that the world has managed to balance itself out population-wise again, and the symposium is designed to understand the foreign and archaic ways of the Gilead nation.
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 The Handmaid’s Tale.
- 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 helps 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.
Example The Handmaid’s Tale Plot Diagram
Exposition
In the Republic of Gilead, Offred, a young Handmaid, has just started her newest post at the Commander’s house. As a Handmaid, it is her duty to bear the Commander and his wife a child. Offred is unhappy, remembering tidbits of her life before this one, with her husband Luke and their daughter. The Handmaids are forced into this life, and have been trained at the Red Center by the Aunts to be pious and to appreciate their new status.
Conflict
Offred’s primary conflict throughout the novel is that she has a two-year time period in which to bear the Commander a child. However, the Commander also wishes to get to know Offred better, and begins inviting her to his study late at night without his wife, Serena Joy. Offred and the Commander’s Guardian, Nick, have begun to notice each other as well.
Rising Action
Offred’s daily shopping partner, Ofglen, begins to reveal that she may be a part of an underground resistance movement called Mayday. The Commander plays Scrabble with Offred and begins to bring her gifts, such as women’s magazines which are no longer in print. Eventually, he brings her to a club where men and hired women mingle. Serena Joy desperately wants a child and knows her husband is probably infertile; she develops a scheme for Offred to sleep with Nick.
Climax
After a Women’s Salvaging, or public hanging, and a Particicution (where the Handmaids beat a man to death as punishment for the crime of rape), Ofglen reveals that the man was actually a political operative. Later, Ofglen has been replaced by another Handmaid - now “Ofglen.” Offred tests her by mentioning “Mayday”, and discovers that she’s made a terrible mistake when the new Ofglen warns her to forget about those old “echoes.”
Falling Action
Serena Joy finds out about Offred’s outing to the club, and confronts both Offred and the Commander. Soon afterwards, an Eye van arrives to take Offred away. Nick comes up to tell her that they are really Mayday operatives and to trust him, so Offred does. As she is taken from the home, the Commander believes that she will betray him.
Resolution
The final part of the novel is called “Historical Notes”, and is purportedly a transcript from a symposium looking at the Gileadean era from the year 2195. The speaker gives the history of “The Handmaid’s Tale” transcript, and their attempts to establish its origins and the identity of the Handmaid. The tale was told on a series of cassette tapes, and it was recovered in Bangor, Maine, a known stop of The Underground Femaleroad. It seems that the world has managed to balance itself out population-wise again, and the symposium is designed to understand the foreign and archaic ways of the Gilead nation.
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 The Handmaid’s Tale.
- 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 The Handmaid’s Tale Summary Activity
Engage Students with Creative Character Analysis Activities
Character analysis helps students dive deeper into motivation, choices, and development throughout the story. Creative activities make this process fun and meaningful for all learners.
Select key characters for analysis
Choose 2–4 main or supporting characters from The Handmaid’s Tale for your students to focus on. Variety allows for deeper discussion and comparison.
Assign creative analysis formats
Let students pick from character journals, social media profiles, or illustrated character maps to explore personalities and growth. This builds engagement and encourages different strengths.
Guide students to find text evidence
Encourage students to use quotes or scenes from the book to support their ideas about each character. This strengthens reading comprehension and critical thinking.
Facilitate sharing and discussion
Arrange for students to present their work in small groups or as a gallery walk. Peer feedback helps deepen understanding and builds classroom community.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Handmaid’s Tale Summary Activity
What is a plot diagram for The Handmaid’s Tale?
A plot diagram for The Handmaid’s Tale visually maps the story’s main events using six parts: exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. This tool helps students understand the narrative structure and key turning points in Margaret Atwood’s novel.
How can I teach The Handmaid’s Tale plot structure with a storyboard activity?
You can have students create a six-cell storyboard that illustrates the exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution of The Handmaid’s Tale. For each cell, students draw a scene and write a brief description, reinforcing comprehension and literary analysis skills.
What are the key events to include in a Handmaid’s Tale plot summary for students?
Key events include Offred’s introduction to the Commander’s house (exposition), her inner and external conflicts, involvement with resistance (rising action), the public executions and betrayals (climax), her capture (falling action), and the historical notes about Gilead (resolution).
Why is using a plot diagram effective for teaching complex novels like The Handmaid’s Tale?
A plot diagram helps break down complex narratives into manageable sections, making it easier for students to identify main events, understand character motivations, and recognize literary structures in novels like The Handmaid’s Tale.
What are some tips for making a quick and engaging plot diagram lesson for high schoolers?
Keep instructions clear and focused, use visual tools like Storyboard That, encourage group work or discussion, and have students summarize each plot part concisely. Visuals and brief descriptions help maintain engagement and reinforce understanding.
More Storyboard That Activities
Handmaid's Tale, The
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