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 Tuesdays with Morrie Plot Diagram
Exposition
After 16 years, journalist Mitch Albom sees his former beloved Brandeis professor Morrie Schwartz featured on an episode of Nightline. Morrie, a once active and spry professor who danced weekly in Boston, has been diagnosed with ALS, a devastating progressive neurological disease. Mitch contacts Morrie and flies out to visit him in his home in West Newton, Massachusetts.
Conflict
While Mitch and Morrie were close during Mitch’s tenure at Brandeis, Mitch has drifted away from the ideals he once had. Now he is wrapped up in his work, the one thing he can control, and in the culture of getting more with more money. Morrie feels the need to tell Mitch his story in a form of a final class, or final thesis, so that he can share what he learns about life and dying from his research – his own demise.
Rising Action
Since Mitch’s paper in Detroit is on strike, he flies out to visit Morrie on Tuesdays. Every week, they cover a different topic that Mitch has written down and Mitch tape records their session, but each week Morrie’s disease becomes increasingly worse. Mitch holds a lot of guilt about the path his life has taken, and he is very reserved with his emotions. Morrie is determined to help Mitch acknowledge his emotions and find a path to living a more meaningful life.
Climax
Mitch receives word from Morrie’s wife to come visit him in late October. As Mitch arrives, he finds Morrie lying in bed, looking very thin and frail, unable to breathe well anymore. Mitch holds Morrie’s hand and Morrie puts it over his heart and cries. Mitch holds him and promises that he will come back next week. As he goes to leave, he realizes that Morrie has finally gotten him to cry.
Falling Action
Morrie falls into a coma shortly after Mitch leaves and passes away the following Saturday. He waited until all of his family had left the room to draw his final breath, and Mitch believes that Morrie did this purposefully.
Resolution
Mitch contacts his brother in Spain, who is battling pancreatic cancer, and rather than trying to recapture the past, he builds a new relationship with him. Mitch finds new meaning in his life from what he learns from Morrie, and he puts aside his pursuit of money in order to focus on his family and living a meaningful life.
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 Tuesdays with Morrie.
- 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 Tuesdays with Morrie Plot Diagram
Exposition
After 16 years, journalist Mitch Albom sees his former beloved Brandeis professor Morrie Schwartz featured on an episode of Nightline. Morrie, a once active and spry professor who danced weekly in Boston, has been diagnosed with ALS, a devastating progressive neurological disease. Mitch contacts Morrie and flies out to visit him in his home in West Newton, Massachusetts.
Conflict
While Mitch and Morrie were close during Mitch’s tenure at Brandeis, Mitch has drifted away from the ideals he once had. Now he is wrapped up in his work, the one thing he can control, and in the culture of getting more with more money. Morrie feels the need to tell Mitch his story in a form of a final class, or final thesis, so that he can share what he learns about life and dying from his research – his own demise.
Rising Action
Since Mitch’s paper in Detroit is on strike, he flies out to visit Morrie on Tuesdays. Every week, they cover a different topic that Mitch has written down and Mitch tape records their session, but each week Morrie’s disease becomes increasingly worse. Mitch holds a lot of guilt about the path his life has taken, and he is very reserved with his emotions. Morrie is determined to help Mitch acknowledge his emotions and find a path to living a more meaningful life.
Climax
Mitch receives word from Morrie’s wife to come visit him in late October. As Mitch arrives, he finds Morrie lying in bed, looking very thin and frail, unable to breathe well anymore. Mitch holds Morrie’s hand and Morrie puts it over his heart and cries. Mitch holds him and promises that he will come back next week. As he goes to leave, he realizes that Morrie has finally gotten him to cry.
Falling Action
Morrie falls into a coma shortly after Mitch leaves and passes away the following Saturday. He waited until all of his family had left the room to draw his final breath, and Mitch believes that Morrie did this purposefully.
Resolution
Mitch contacts his brother in Spain, who is battling pancreatic cancer, and rather than trying to recapture the past, he builds a new relationship with him. Mitch finds new meaning in his life from what he learns from Morrie, and he puts aside his pursuit of money in order to focus on his family and living a meaningful life.
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 Tuesdays with Morrie.
- 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 Tuesdays with Morrie Plot Diagram
How to facilitate a class discussion using the Tuesdays with Morrie plot diagram
Engage students in meaningful analysis by using the plot diagram as a discussion guide. Encourage participation and critical thinking as students connect events to larger themes.
Prepare open-ended questions for each plot point
Craft thought-provoking, open-ended questions that relate to each part of the plot diagram. This helps students explore characters’ motivations and the story’s underlying messages.
Organize students into small discussion groups
Divide the class into groups of 3–4 and assign each group a plot stage to discuss. This boosts student confidence and ensures all voices are heard.
Encourage evidence-based responses
Ask students to support their ideas with specific examples from the plot diagram. This builds analytical skills and deepens comprehension.
Summarize and connect insights as a class
Have groups share their key findings and draw connections between different parts of the story. This wraps up the discussion and highlights major themes from Tuesdays with Morrie.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tuesdays with Morrie Plot Diagram
What is a plot diagram for Tuesdays with Morrie?
A plot diagram for Tuesdays with Morrie visually breaks down the story into key parts: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. It helps students understand the narrative structure and major events of the book.
How can I teach Tuesdays with Morrie using a plot diagram activity?
To teach Tuesdays with Morrie using a plot diagram, have students create a six-cell storyboard. Each cell should depict and describe a part of the story’s arc: exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. This reinforces literary structure and comprehension.
What are the main events in Tuesdays with Morrie for each plot diagram stage?
The main events are: Exposition—Mitch reconnects with Morrie after seeing him on TV; Conflict—Mitch struggles with his work-focused life; Rising Action—Weekly visits and emotional growth; Climax—Morrie’s final moments with Mitch; Falling Action—Morrie’s passing; Resolution—Mitch finds new meaning and reconnects with his brother.
Why is using storyboards effective for teaching literary structure?
Storyboards engage students visually and sequentially, making abstract literary structures like plot diagrams more concrete. They help students retain major events, understand narrative flow, and improve both comprehension and creativity.
What tips help students create a successful plot diagram for a novel?
Encourage students to summarize key events for each plot stage, use images or symbols to represent moments, and write brief descriptions. Remind them to follow the story’s sequence and focus on pivotal changes in the characters or conflict.
More Storyboard That Activities
Tuesdays with Morrie
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