Teaching Plot!

Teaching plot to students is typically a fun first skill to work on with them! Teaching plot with picture books and short stories help students create mastery of the skill. Engaging them in their learning with interesting topics also helps! In this post, I am going to share my five favorite ways to review and learn plot!

Teaching Plot Diagram 

The plot diagram is a great way to teach students how to understand plot. They can use the roller coaster picture and song to really remember what plot means.

When I teach the plot diagram to students I focus first on teaching them this song! This song helps them tremendously when remembering what plot is!

Then, I use anchor charts and diagrams to help them practice the plot diagram throughout the entire week! 

Grab the plot diagram and a graphic organizer to go with any reading by putting your email below! 

Teaching Plot With Picture Books 

Pictures books are a great way to practice teaching plot and the plot diagram. All you have to do is simply read and show students how to write the plot out correctly.

Here are four great picture books to use! Click on the picture for the affiliate link.

“Owl Moon” by Jane Yolen — This is a sweet picture book about a young boy going out in the evening looking for the Owl Moon. It has some great images and requires students to really think about the plot.

“Jack’s Worry” by Sam Zuppardi — This book is not only great for plot, but it is also a great lesson for students about anxiety and worries when it comes to school. Great for the beginning of the year! 

“Miss Nelson is Missing” by Harry Allard— This fun book is about a class who constantly misbehaves for their teacher, Miss Nelson. When she does not show up for school, a mean substitute teacher replaces her and the students wish they had Miss Nelson back.  This book includes a great lesson about respecting the people we value.

“The Most Magnificent Thing” by Ashley Spires— This sweet book is about a girl who is trying to build amazing things but struggles with perfectionism. Then, she learns all about how important her creativity is. I love to do this with a fun STEM lesson! Read more about that lesson here! 

Teaching Plot with Short Stories 

When you use short stories to begin teaching plot, students are able to really pick out the different elements easier and understand why plot is important. Then, when you get to chapter books and novels later in the year they will have mastered the skill and be able to do it easily!

The use of picture books and short paragraphs to determine and analyze plot in the beginning will help you tremendously in the end.

Read about how I use paragraph of the day each day to work on practicing plot as well as other skills here! 

Teaching Plot with Pixar Videos

Don’t your kiddos just love Pixar videos?! They are short, funny, and easy to use! They make for the perfect way to practice analyzing plot and the plot diagram. 

Just watch the Pixar video and use the graphic organizer that was free above to write the plot! 

Here are three of my favorite videos to use! 

Mike’s New Car

Geri’s Game

Soar

Plot Task Cards and Games! 

Here are three simple ideas to practice plot in your classroom!

1. Task Cards– Using task cards is a great way to do a fast practice of plot and the vocabulary that goes along with it! You can place these around the classroom and have kiddos do them. While they are working you can go around and help reteach! You can use these task cards here!
2. Acting– Give your students a quick scene that they have to act out. Then, they can perform in front of the class and the rest of the classroom can analyze the plot from their performance. 
3. Use the News– Have kids analyze news stories from websites like timeforkids.org or dogonews.org. They can read a newspaper article and then determine the plot of that article!

Want your whole plot week planned out for you including small group and whole group lessons?! 

GRAB IT HERE!