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.
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 Thousand Splendid Suns.
- 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.
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 Thousand Splendid Suns.
- 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 Thousand Splendid Suns Plot Summary
Organize students into small groups for collaborative plot diagramming
Promote teamwork by dividing your class into groups of 3–4. Assign each group a segment of the plot diagram (such as Exposition or Climax) to focus on. Collaboration helps students share ideas and deepen their understanding of the story as they work together to visualize key events.
Provide storyboarding templates to guide student creativity
Distribute pre-made storyboard templates with labeled cells for each plot part. Templates offer structure while still allowing students to add their own creative touches and interpretations.
Encourage students to use quotations from the text in their descriptions
Ask students to include a relevant quote from the novel with each scene they create. This strengthens textual analysis skills and connects visual representations to the author’s original words.
Facilitate group presentations of completed plot diagrams
Have each group present their plot diagram to the class. Use this as an opportunity for peer feedback and to reinforce key literary elements together.
Frequently Asked Questions about A Thousand Splendid Suns Plot Summary
What is a plot diagram for A Thousand Splendid Suns?
A plot diagram for A Thousand Splendid Suns is a visual tool that outlines the key events of the novel, breaking the story into Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. This helps students understand the narrative arc and major turning points.
How can students create a storyboard for A Thousand Splendid Suns?
Students can create a storyboard by dividing the story into six sections: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. For each part, they draw a scene and write a brief description that captures the main events or themes of that segment.
Why use a plot diagram in teaching A Thousand Splendid Suns?
Using a plot diagram helps students identify and organize the main events, understand literary structure, and reinforce comprehension of the novel’s themes and character development.
What are the key parts of the plot diagram for this novel?
The key parts of a plot diagram for A Thousand Splendid Suns are: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution—each representing a critical phase in the story’s progression.
What is the best way to help students summarize A Thousand Splendid Suns?
The best way is to use a storyboard or plot diagram activity, encouraging students to visualize and briefly describe each major plot point, which supports both comprehension and retention.
More Storyboard That Activities
A Thousand Splendid Suns
- Rubble • pasa47 • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
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