Most stories follow a plot structure: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution.
Let's learn
- Exposition: characters, setting and the situation are introduced.
- Rising action: conflict builds through events.
- Climax: the turning point, the moment of highest tension.
- Falling action and resolution: the conflict winds down and is resolved.
Watch out for
- Calling the most exciting scene the climax when it is not the turning point.
Make it fit your reader
- Easier: Map a familiar fairy tale.
- Harder: Map a novel chapter by chapter.
Practice activity
- Plot mountain: draw a plot mountain for a book or film you know.
- Turning point: explain what changes at the climax.
Tip for grown-ups: Keep practice short and cheerful: 10 to 15 minutes is plenty for young readers. Praise effort, let your child point to the words, and stop while it is still fun.