Activity Overview
Students can create and show a storyboard that captures the concept of the Five Act Structure by making a six-cell storyboard. For each cell, have students create a scene that follows the acts in order: Prologue, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement.
Twelfth Night Five Act Structure Example
Act 1: Prologue
Duke Orsino is in love with Countess Olivia, who is in mourning for her recently-deceased brother. Olivia refuses to marry anyone for seven years, but Duke Orsino is determined to win her over. Meanwhile, Viola, a beautiful aristocrat, is shipwrecked on the island of Illyria, and she believes her twin brother Sebastian has likely drowned.
Act 1: Conflict
Viola disguises herself as a man and calls herself Cesario, and begins to serve in Duke Orsino’s court. She ends up falling in love with Duke while still in disguise as a man. The Duke sends Cesario as an envoy to Olivia on his behalf, but Olivia ends up falling in love with “Cesario” and gifting “him” with a ring.
Act 2: Rising Action
Sebastian is actually very much alive, and staying with a man named Antonio on another side of the island. Like Viola, Sebastian believes his sister drowned. Meanwhile, members of Olivia’s court conspire to make her obnoxious steward Malvolio think that she has fallen in love with him. They deliver a letter in her handwriting telling him to act and dress strangely to prove his love for her.
Act 3: Climax
Sir Toby convinces Sir Andrew to challenge Cesario to a duel in order to win Olivia’s heart. Antonio enters as the two are about to duel and thinks that “Cesario” is Sebastian, whom he has come to care for very much. He steps between the men and is carried away by guards because he is an enemy of Duke Orsino. However, because “Cesario” doesn’t recognize him, he believes “Sebastian” has betrayed him. Malvolio’s behavior alarms Olivia, and she believes he has gone crazy. Maria, Sir Toby, and Fabian take the opportunity to lock Malvolio up.
Act 4: Falling Action
Meanwhile, Sirs Toby and Andrew come across Sebastian nearby, and mistake him for Cesario. Andrew attacks Sebastian, and Olivia arrives, separating the men and bringing the very bewildered Sebastian back to her home because she believes him to be her Cesario, too. She asks him to marry her, and he happily agrees. Feste, the Fool, disguises himself as a priest and messes with Malvolio, making Malvolio begin to wonder if he is crazy after all.
Act 5: Denouement
Antonio is brought in to see Orsino, and his rantings about Sebastian’s betrayal are bewildering to Cesario because “he” does not know him. Olivia comes in and greets Viola, thinking that she is the man that she just married. Sebastian arrives, and Viola reveals her true identity. Orsino comes to realize that he’s in love with Viola, and the couples are happy. Malvolio is released from his prison when it is revealed that the letter was a forgery; he swears his revenge.
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 Twelfth Night.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Separate the play into the Prologue/Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement.
- Create an image that represents an important moment or set of events for each of the acts.
- 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 | Emerging | Beginning | Try Again | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
Students can create and show a storyboard that captures the concept of the Five Act Structure by making a six-cell storyboard. For each cell, have students create a scene that follows the acts in order: Prologue, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement.
Twelfth Night Five Act Structure Example
Act 1: Prologue
Duke Orsino is in love with Countess Olivia, who is in mourning for her recently-deceased brother. Olivia refuses to marry anyone for seven years, but Duke Orsino is determined to win her over. Meanwhile, Viola, a beautiful aristocrat, is shipwrecked on the island of Illyria, and she believes her twin brother Sebastian has likely drowned.
Act 1: Conflict
Viola disguises herself as a man and calls herself Cesario, and begins to serve in Duke Orsino’s court. She ends up falling in love with Duke while still in disguise as a man. The Duke sends Cesario as an envoy to Olivia on his behalf, but Olivia ends up falling in love with “Cesario” and gifting “him” with a ring.
Act 2: Rising Action
Sebastian is actually very much alive, and staying with a man named Antonio on another side of the island. Like Viola, Sebastian believes his sister drowned. Meanwhile, members of Olivia’s court conspire to make her obnoxious steward Malvolio think that she has fallen in love with him. They deliver a letter in her handwriting telling him to act and dress strangely to prove his love for her.
Act 3: Climax
Sir Toby convinces Sir Andrew to challenge Cesario to a duel in order to win Olivia’s heart. Antonio enters as the two are about to duel and thinks that “Cesario” is Sebastian, whom he has come to care for very much. He steps between the men and is carried away by guards because he is an enemy of Duke Orsino. However, because “Cesario” doesn’t recognize him, he believes “Sebastian” has betrayed him. Malvolio’s behavior alarms Olivia, and she believes he has gone crazy. Maria, Sir Toby, and Fabian take the opportunity to lock Malvolio up.
Act 4: Falling Action
Meanwhile, Sirs Toby and Andrew come across Sebastian nearby, and mistake him for Cesario. Andrew attacks Sebastian, and Olivia arrives, separating the men and bringing the very bewildered Sebastian back to her home because she believes him to be her Cesario, too. She asks him to marry her, and he happily agrees. Feste, the Fool, disguises himself as a priest and messes with Malvolio, making Malvolio begin to wonder if he is crazy after all.
Act 5: Denouement
Antonio is brought in to see Orsino, and his rantings about Sebastian’s betrayal are bewildering to Cesario because “he” does not know him. Olivia comes in and greets Viola, thinking that she is the man that she just married. Sebastian arrives, and Viola reveals her true identity. Orsino comes to realize that he’s in love with Viola, and the couples are happy. Malvolio is released from his prison when it is revealed that the letter was a forgery; he swears his revenge.
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 Twelfth Night.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Separate the play into the Prologue/Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement.
- Create an image that represents an important moment or set of events for each of the acts.
- 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 | Emerging | Beginning | Try Again | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Twelfth Night Summary
Engage students with creative Twelfth Night character analysis
Analyzing characters helps students connect with the story and understand motivations and relationships. By focusing on key characters, students build empathy and critical thinking skills while exploring Shakespeare’s world.
Assign each student or small group a main character
Letting students focus on one character makes the task manageable and allows them to dig deep. Assign roles like Viola, Orsino, Olivia, or Malvolio to ensure variety.
Have students track character actions and emotions across each act
Encourage students to note important decisions, feelings, and relationships for their character in every act. Use charts or graphic organizers to keep information clear and organized.
Guide students to illustrate their character’s journey with visuals
Ask students to draw or storyboard scenes showing how their character changes or faces challenges. Visuals make abstract ideas more concrete for young learners.
Lead a class discussion or gallery walk for students to share insights
Invite each group or student to present their findings and visuals. Discuss how different characters’ paths intersect and what motivates their choices.
Frequently Asked Questions about Twelfth Night Summary
What is a simple summary of Twelfth Night's five act structure?
Twelfth Night follows the classic five act structure: Prologue with Orsino's love and Viola's shipwreck, Conflict as Viola disguises herself and Olivia falls for 'Cesario,' Rising Action with mistaken identities and Malvolio's prank, Climax during the duel and Antonio’s arrest, Falling Action with more confusion and a secret marriage, and Denouement as true identities are revealed and couples unite.
How can students create a storyboard for Twelfth Night's plot?
Students can make a six-cell storyboard, illustrating each act: Prologue, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement. Each cell should depict a key scene and include a short description to show understanding of the play’s structure.
What are the key events in each act of Twelfth Night?
Key events include: Prologue—Orsino’s love and Viola’s shipwreck; Conflict—Viola’s disguise and Olivia’s interest; Rising Action—Sebastian's arrival and Malvolio’s prank; Climax—the duel and mistaken identities; Falling Action—Sebastian’s marriage to Olivia; Denouement—Viola reveals herself, couples unite, Malvolio vows revenge.
What is the best way to teach Twelfth Night's plot to high school students?
The best approach is using visual aids like storyboards or plot diagrams, paired with discussion and scene reenactments. Breaking down each act and focusing on character motivations helps students understand the play's humor and themes.
Why is the five act structure important in understanding Twelfth Night?
The five act structure helps students see how Shakespeare builds tension, develops characters, and resolves conflicts. It makes the plot easier to follow and highlights the key turning points in the story.
More Storyboard That Activities
Twelfth Night
Testimonials
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher
© 2025 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved.
StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
