Plotting the Story: A Lesson on Identifying Literary Elements

Plotting the Story: A Lesson on Identifying Literary Elements

Ten Fantastical Quests for a Ranger-Mage

Here is a simulated Dungeon Master introduction and dialogue for 4 female adventurer characters based on the 10 writing prompts:

Dungeon Master: Welcome brave heroes to the realm of Eldaria. I am Arlendor, your guide for the adventures ahead. We have Emma the elven ranger-mage, Opal the human fighter, Willa the halfling rogue, and Evangeline the dragonborn sorceress. Together you will undertake fantastical quests! 

Emma is keen eyed with a bow and casts elemental magic. Opal wears heavy armor and wields a greatsword in battle. Willa is incredibly quick and carries daggers and poison vials. Evangeline has dragon magic within her and uses spells of fire and flight.

Emma: It is an honor to adventure with you all. With my forest skills and spells, I will serve our party well. 

Opal: Evil shall fear the might of my blade! Together there is no foe we cannot vanquish!

Willa: The shadows are my friend. I look forward to testing my cunning against any monster we face.

Evangeline: My fire knows no equal - we will be victorious so long as we stand united. Onwards to glory!

Dungeon Master: Your first quest will take you to the Temple of Doom where the hags threaten the land with their vile curses. Are you ready? What supplies will you need for the journey ahead? How will you prepare? Adventure awaits!

Here are bios and background information for the 4 characters:

Emma - Wood Elf Ranger/Mage

- Grew up among the forests of the High Elves

- Expert archer and capable of elemental magic like sparks of lightning

- Wears studded leather armor (AC 14)

- Has 40 hit points

- Carries a longbow, quiver of arrows, and a staff of storms

Opal - Human Fighter 

- Born in the northern mountain villages 

- Trained from a young age as a swordswoman

- Wears plate armor (AC 18) 

- Has 60 hit points

- Wields a greatsword and shield

Willa - Halfling Rogue

- An orphan who grew up on the city streets getting into trouble

- Extremely stealthy and charismatic

- Wears leather armor (AC 15)

- Has 35 hit points 

- Carries a short sword and daggers coated in poison

Evangeline - Dragonborn Sorceress

- Hatched from an egg in the Dragonborn capital city

- Has innate dragon magic at her command 

- Wears no armor but uses mage armor spell (AC 13+Dex)

- Has 45 hit points

- Wields a staff of fire and knows many spells

Synopsis:

This lesson provides students with definitions and examples of key literary elements related to plot structure, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Using creative writing prompts, students will practice identifying these elements in example stories and mapping out the plot structure. The lesson includes guided practice, independent practice, and an assessment activity to apply skills to a new short story. Plot structure analysis is an important reading comprehension skill featured on the NWEA test at the 220 RIT level. This lesson builds the critical analysis skills students will need to succeed on fiction reading sections. With focused practice plotting out exposition through resolution, students will gain experience breaking down story development and structure.

Here is a comprehensive lesson plan on literary elements and plot structure using the 10 writing prompts, aimed at preparing students at a 220 RIT level for fiction reading on the NWEA test:

Plot Structure Glossary:

Exposition - background information needed to understand the story, introduces characters, setting, and conflict

Rising Action - events that build up to the climax, conflicts become more complicated, tension rises 

Climax - the peak moment of conflict and tension in the story

Falling Action - events that lead to the resolution after the climax, loose ends are tied up

Resolution - the conclusion of the story's events, the result of the rising action and climax

Lesson Plan:

Objective: Students will identify and analyze elements of plot structure, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. 

1. Introduce the elements of plot structure using the glossary terms.

2. Provide examples for each element using simple story summaries. Have students identify where each element occurs.

3. Share the 10 writing prompts. Have students work in pairs to map out the plot structure, labeling exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. 

4. Bring the class back together to share their labeled plot structures for each prompt. Provide corrective feedback as needed.

5. Practice: Give students short story summaries and have them label the plot elements. Start with more guided practice then move to independent practice.  

6. Assessment: Have students read a new short story and write a paragraph analyzing its plot structure using the glossary terms. Assess their ability to correctly identify and explain each element.

7. Expand on conflict types, story development, pacing, etc to delve deeper into reading comprehension skills featured on the NWEA at the 220 RIT level.

This lesson plan incorporates multiple exercises for identifying plot structure, provides definitions and examples, includes application to new stories, and builds the analysis skills needed for the NWEA through increasing rigor. The plot structure foundation helps set students up for success with fiction reading comprehension.Here are 

10 out-of-the-box story prompt ideas for a female fighter/ranger/magic user D&D-type character:

1. Exposition: The ranger has been tasked with protecting a magical artifact from falling into the wrong hands. As she camps in the wilderness, she is ambushed by a band of orcs who have been tracking her.

Climax: A fierce battle ensues between the ranger and the orcs. She fights valiantly but is outnumbered. Just as she thinks all is lost, her magic abilities manifest for the first time and she is able to defeat the orcs.

Resolution: With her newfound magic powers, the ranger brings the artifact safely to its destination. She begins training to control her abilities.

2. Exposition: The fighter comes across a village that has been raided by gnolls. The remaining villagers beg her to track down the gnolls and rescue their kidnapped kin.

Climax: The fighter corners the gnolls in their lair and sees the villagers chained up. She challenges the gnoll leader to single combat with the prisoners' freedom at stake.

Resolution: The fighter defeats the gnoll leader and frees the villagers, becoming a celebrated hero.

3. Exposition: While exploring some ancient elven ruins, the magic user accidentally activates a teleportation circle. She is whisked away to a strange new land.

Climax: The magic user finds herself in the Feywild realm of the elves. The dark elf queen who rules kidnaps her, seeking to exploit her magic.

Resolution: After the magic user outwits the dark elf queen, she is able to reactivate the teleportation circle and return home.

4. Exposition: The ranger discovers a wounded griffin with a broken wing in the wilderness. Though timid, she approaches and heals the creature.

Climax: A group of poachers arrives, intent on capturing the griffin. The ranger defends the griffin against the encroaching poachers.

Resolution: The griffin recovers and becomes the ranger's loyal companion, now willing to defend her in return.

5. Exposition: The fighter is hired to rescue the prince of a kingdom who was kidnapped by bandits. She tracks them to their forest hideout.

Climax: After stealthily infiltrating the hideout, the fighter finds the prince. When the bandits realize he is missing, they attack the fighter en masse.

Resolution: The fighter slays the bandit leader in an epic duel, then escorts the grateful prince home safely.

6. Exposition: A coven of hags has cursed the magic user's village with blight and famine. She sets out to break the curse.

Climax: The magic user bargains with the hags and agrees to a ritual contest of magical strength.

Resolution: Drawing on her inner power, the magic user prevails over the lead hag, breaking the curse on her village.

7. Exposition: The ranger pursues a bounty on a dangerous owlbear that has been menacing a nearby town. She tracks it to its lair.

Climax: The owlbear springs out, forcing the ranger to utilize all her skills to avoid its claws and beak.

Resolution: With precise archery and clever traps, the ranger slays the owlbear and returns victoriously with proof of the feat.

8. Exposition: The fighter is waylaid by a necromancer who seeks to add her to his undead army. She is forced to fight his skeleton warriors.

Climax: The necromancer transforms into a liche, wielding terrible magic. The fighter must resist his spells while attacking.

Resolution: Digging deep, the fighter slays the liche and puts an end to his evil plans, saving the land.

9. Exposition: The magic user is summoned by a council of high elves to help select the next archmage from among their graduates.

Climax: One graduate is revealed to have cheating by using banned magic. The magic user must expose the truth.

Resolution: Using a spell of revelation, the magic user proves the graduate's deception, allowing the rightful new archmage to ascend.

10. Exposition: A young copper dragon befriends the ranger and asks for help driving off some orc raiders from its territory.

Climax: The ranger and dragon sneak into the orc camp but are discovered. A battle breaks out against the orc chieftain.

Resolution: Working together, the ranger and dragon defeat the orc band, forging a lasting friendship.