Ninth graders learn the five parts of plot structure — exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution — the classic dramatic arc that shapes nearly every story they read.
Students will be able to…
Nearly every story rises to a peak of tension, then comes back down. That shape has a name and five distinct stages. What are they, and how do authors use them?
Project this and tap each stage of the plot arc. Have students map how a story builds to its climax and resolves!
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Stories rise to a peak, then come back down — what’s that shape called?
Teacher models.
Class uses the Plot Explorer.
Students map a plot.
Students share a plot map.
Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (Grades 9–10).
Analyze how an author’s choices about text structure and order of events create effects.
Analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text.
Determine a theme and analyze its development.
Read and comprehend literature proficiently.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students analyze a story told out of order (with flashbacks or parallel plots) and discuss how the structure affects the reader. A printable plot-structure sheet is in the ELA library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.