A Basic Review of Plot Elements (Starring Spongebob Squarepants)

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

5

Overview

This learning activity is an engaging teacher-created Google Slides presentation with basic definitions of literary terms illustrated with examples (gifs and videos) featuring a student favorite, Spongebob Squarepants. This activity includes a link to a Quizlet flashcard set.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Phase

Before/Engage
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.17

Demonstrate comprehension of text by asking and responding to questions about literary elements used in the text.

UP:ELA21.5.17

Vocabulary

  • Demonstrate
  • Comprehension
  • Literary elements

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Literary elements within a story include the theme, plot, and point of view.
  • Comprehension can be demonstrated by asking and answering questions about a text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Ask questions about literary elements used in the text to demonstrate comprehension.
  • Respond to questions about literary elements used in the text to demonstrate comprehension.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • They can show they understood a story they read by asking and answering questions about specific literary elements.

Learning Objectives

Students will demonstrate an understanding of academic terms of literary elements used to describe or discuss the plot of a story. 

Activity Details

Students will participate in a teacher-led discussion of eighteen terms commonly used in literary analysis and discussion. There are included gifs on each slide (and two video examples) that relate to the term on the slide. 

As the teacher goes through the slide deck, share the terms with students, and ask them to volunteer their own examples from other stories/movies/tv-shows/novels. This can be done through turn-and-talk, think-pair-share, or as a whole group. 

The terms included are:

  1. Characters
  2. Protagonist
  3. Antagonist
  4. Setting
  5. Exposition
  6. Characterization
  7. Direct Characterization
  8. Indirect Characterization
  9. Plot
  10. Conflict
  11. External Conflict
  12. Internal Conflict
  13. Inciting Incident
  14. Rising Action
  15. Complication
  16. Climax
  17. Falling Action
  18. Resolution

After reviewing & discussing the terms in the slideshow, students can utilize this Quizlet Flashcard Set for Plot to review the terms.  With these flashcards, students can also play a matching game. The teacher can also assist students in playing an interactive team-based game called Quizlet Live.

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will listen as students make suggestions for examples of the terms to ensure they understand the concept behind each term. 

The teacher will review students' scores on the Quizlet matching game or Quizlet Live to see who is struggling. The students struggling may need to be pulled into small groups and retaught the lesson.

Variation Tips

The teacher can ask students to fill in these terms on a blank plot diagram. 

The teacher can show a short video (Pixar shorts are good for this and can be found on YouTube) and ask students to identify the elements they see.

Students can write down their own examples.

Background / Preparation

The teacher will need to preview the slide show.

The teacher will need to decide if he/she wants students to take notes of the slides or if the notes will be printed out as handouts for the students to paste into notebooks. The teacher can also provide them with a digital copy of the slideshow.

The students can play with Quizlet flashcards individually, in pairs, or as a station activity.

Total Duration

16 to 30 Minutes

Learning Activity (After)

ALSDE LOGO