Often before children learn the specifics of plot and plot development, they learn that all stories have a beginning, a middle and an end. Picture books can help students grasp the basic structure of a story before delving into more complex plot structure. There are numerous books available for this purpose, but some have stood the test of time. “The Lorax”, “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” and “The Ugly Duckling” are all picture books that can be used to teach plot development to young children.
Some of the most beloved literature of all time falls in the intermediate level category of books. “A Wrinkle in Time,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and “Charlotte’s Web” are great intermediate books that can be used to teach elementary students the elements of plot. “Charlotte’s Web” in particular has definite and clear plot points (expository text, rising action, climax and resolution) that students can diagram, although the resolution is a sad one.
Depending on the genre, teen literature offers adolescent readers wide and varied choices of books that have strong plot development. Rick Riordian’s Percy Jackson series and the classic “Treasure Island” are books that have strong plot and conflict elements, but are also interesting and engaging. By this point, most students have a firm grasp of plot and plot development so choosing books with more complex plot structure is appropriate.
Teachers can use graphic organizers, worksheets, videos and more to teach plot. Once students have an understanding of the different elements of plot, then students can begin to take notes of the elements they find in their readings. Graphic organizers are an effective way of teaching plot because they provide both a written and visual format for students to see how the plot elements are related to one another. For example, when using “Charlotte’s Web” to teach plot, students can pull out examples of the rising and falling action and the climax from the story and write them on their graphic organizer. Taking it a step further, students can review their graphic organizer to see how the elements of plot help to formulate the story’s theme.