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Metaphorical Expression
Lesson Plan
Language Arts
6
50 Minutes
Chelsea Werner

Instructional Unit Content

Standard(s)/Element(s)
Content Area Standard
ELACC6RL3: Describe how a particular storys or dramas plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how
the characters respond or change as the plot moves towards a resolution.
TAG Standard
Creative Thinking & Creative Problem Solving Skills
7. The student uses analogies, metaphors, and/or models to explain complex concepts.
Summary/Overview
The focus of this lesson is to give students the opportunity to develop new insights and provide powerful
explanations of the importance of understanding plot in a short story.

Enduring Understanding(s)
At the end of this lesson the student will understand that
a. Conflict affects plot
b. Growth of a character can be measured against changes in plot
Essential Question(s)
Why is it important to understand patterns in plot?

Evidence of Learning

Revised April 2009

What students should know:

a. Conflict affects plot
b. Every work of literature has a predictable plot map
c. Main characters grow over the course of a story
What students should be able to:
a. Understand plot and how to apply it to a story
Suggested Vocabulary

Exposition
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Resolution

Procedure(s)
Phase 1: Hook
1.

Students will participate in a Carousel Brainstorming Activity. Students will inspect the question posed
at each station, develop/record all ideas, and rotate to expand ideas at another station. Review the
three types of metaphorical expressions experienced by the students: direct analogies, personal
analogies, and compressed conflicts. Explain to the students that today in Language Arts we are going
to learn a new concept using these three types of metaphors.

Phase 2: Examine the Content

Set the Scene: The instructor will ask students to think of a time they heard someone tell a really
terrible, boring story. How did it make you feel? What, specifically, made it bad? Then ask students to
think of a time they told a story that listeners really seemed to enjoy. Why about the story made it
enjoyable? How did it differ from the boring story?
3. Pose the Essential Question. Why is it important to understand patterns in plot? How is our
essential question connected to our discussion about storytelling?
4. Students will work individually to read a description of plot and complete the content organizer. Each
student will pair up with another to compare their answers and verify their understanding of the
concept of plot.
2.

Phase 3: Analogies
Direct Analogy: Students will identify the similarities and differences between a roller coaster and the
stages of plot. In groups of 4 record how they are alike and different using the visual organizer.
6. Personal Analogy: Students will compare their lives to a roller coaster plot diagram. Individually
5.

Revised April 2009

record the answers to the following questions:

How would you describe the exposition of your life?
o What is the setting of your lifes story? Who are the main characters?
What has been the main conflict in your life? Why?
How would you describe some events that take place in the rising action of your life?
Do you believe your life has reached its climax yet? If so, what was it? If not, what do you think the
climax of your life will be?
How do you hope the denouement, or resolution, of your life will look like?
Students will write a paragraph, poem, or song in the first person about the rollercoaster of their life.
What would it feel like? Would there be many ups and downs, or would it be a smooth ride?
7.

Compressed Conflict: Candidates will brainstorm antonyms of the elements of plot/ diagrams in order
to create compressed conflict phrases.

Phase 4: Synthesis Activity

8.

Candidates will generate another direct analogy by completing the following sentence: Plot is like
________. Give at least 5 reasons why plot is like the item in your sentence.

Summarizing Activity

Exit Ticket: Why is it important to understand patterns in plot?

Handouts:
Handout 1:
Handout 2:
Handout 3:
Handout 4:
Handout 5:
Handout 6:
Handout 7:

Mental Stretchers
Plot Content
Content Organizer
Roller Coaster Image
Direct Analogy Organizer
Personal Analogy Organizer
Compressed Conflict Organizer

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Handout 2: Plot Content

PLOT
The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea; It is the sequence
of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a
beginning, middle, and end. The short story usually has one plot so it can be read in one
sitting. There are five essential parts of plot:
a) Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is
revealed. INCITING INCIDENT is the first conflict that starts the rising action.
b) Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the
conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).
c) Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story.
The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?
It is helpful to consider climax as a three-fold phenomenon:
i. the main character receives new information
ii. accepts this information (realizes it but does not necessarily agree
with it)
iii. acts on this information (makes a choice that will determine whether
or not he/she gains his objective).
d) Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The
reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not
(events between climax and denouement).
e) Denouement - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

Revised April 2009

Handout 3
Content to be examined:

What does it look like? (use pictures or words)

What are its parts?

What is its purpose?

How does it operate? (use pictures or words)

How did it originate?

What is it a part of?

What is its importance?

Revised April 2009

Handout 4

Revised April 2009

Handout 5

How is
Plot

Like
a Roller Coaster

How are they not alike?

Handout 6

Revised April 2009

Handout 6
Personal Analogy
Plot and Conflict
Imagine you are viewing your life as you would a work of literature. Answer the following
questions on your own.
How would you describe the
exposition of your life? What is the
setting of your lifes story? Who are
the main characters?

How would you describe some events

that take place in the rising action of
your life?

What has been the main conflict

in your life? Why?

Do you believe your life has reached

its climax yet? If so, what was it? If
not, what do you think the climax of
your life will be?

Write a paragraph, poem, or song in the first person about the rollercoaster of your life.
What would it feel like? Would there be many ups and downs, or would it be a smooth
ride?
.

Revised April 2009