Creating a plot diagram not only helps students learn 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. In this activity, students will create a visual plot diagram of major events in Towers Falling. Students should identify major turning points in the novel such as the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Exposition: Deja and her family have recently moved into a homeless shelter. It is the beginning of the school year at Deja’s new school in Brooklyn, and Deja’s fifth grade teacher tells the class that they will be learning about what happened on September 11th. Deja has no idea what happened on that day, and everything changes when she finds out.
Rising Action: Deja and Ben watch a video of the attack on the Twin Towers. Deja cannot believe that she didn’t know about anything that happened, and she decides to go through Pop’s suitcase. The contents of the suitcase suggest that Deja’s father experienced 9/11 first hand.
Climax: Deja and Ben skip school and take the subway to Manhattan. They visit the September 11th Memorial and Deja meets people who are grieving over their lost loved ones.
Falling Action: When Deja gets home, her father isn’t mad. He tells Deja about his September 11th story. He tells her of his guilt and the physical and emotional toll that the event has taken on him. Deja tells Pop that he is a hero. He is her hero.
Resolution: Deja and her family begin forming a more open and honest bond. They will be moving out of the homeless shelter and into subsidized housing. Deja’s eyes have opened to the importance and relevance of history and how it impacts all people in one way or another.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a visual plot diagram of Towers Falling.
Student Instructions:
Ask the students to identify and list the main points of the narrative. Encourage them to concentrate on important scenes, dramatic changes, and important character arcs. Students can analyze each event separately and discuss how each of them had a significant contribution to the narrative and the character arcs.
Talk about the story's themes, which include the effects of the event, empathy, friendship, resiliency, and the strength of shared experiences. Encourage the students to connect the themes with each other and the narrative to get a holistic view of the story.
Analyze the narrative structure, particularly any usage of flashbacks or alternate points of view. Discuss how the reader's comprehension is affected by this arrangement and the structure used by the author. Students can also test their knowledge and try to apply the five act structure or the three act structure to the story.
Students should be asked to consider the story's broader point or lesson. What role do the characters and events have in the larger themes? Encourage the students to have a discussion and summarize all the points that they have learned so far and synthesize the information.
Students can make a chart where they can visually present all aspects of the story and connect them with each other. For instance, one part can present themes, the other can talk about character development or plot structure.
The climax represents the story's height of struggle or tension. In "Towers Falling," the climax most likely happens when the characters go to the 9/11 Memorial after skipping school. This emotionally intense time period is a crucial turning point that helps the characters learn about the significance of the event and how it impacted the people surrounding them.
The conclusion of "Towers Falling" puts an end to the narrative. It includes the protagonists' last thoughts on how they saw 9/11 and their position in the world. It also conveys a spirit of optimism for the future as Deja and her family move out of the shelter home in hopes of a better future.
The rising action of the plot diagram may feature flashbacks to offer background information and context regarding the personal connection of some characters such as Deja’s father with the crash of the towers. The author uses this concept to provide readers with more information and help the development of the characters as well as the plot.