Connect Across the Curriculum

Literary Analysis: Analyze Text Structure: Plot
Academic Vocabulary

  • • identify (ī-den-tu-fī) verb When you identify something, you name it or tell what it is.

What Makes a Story? A story’s plot can be divided into parts:

  • • The conflict is the problem to be solved.

  • • Complications are events that make the conflict worse.

  • • The climax is the turning point of the story.

  • • The complications that lead to the climax are called the rising action.

  • • The events that happen after the climax are called the falling action.

  • • The resolution is the way the conflict ends.

Learn About Story Maps When you read a story, identify events that determine the plot. You can use a Story Map to record these events and identify the plot.

Story Map

Story Map

Practice Together

Start the Story Map Read the following passage with your class. What complications, or events, do you notice? How do they affect the conflict?

ANYWAY, first day of school, Miss Pringle … says, “Class, this is Arthur Rodriguez.” Probably to make things easier on herself. Without asking. Ya estuvo. Like a used-up word on the chalkboard, Arturo’s erased.

Try It!

Complete the Story Map Copy the Story Map. Complete it with events in the story. Use the map to discuss this question with a partner: What lesson does Arturo learn?