This is suitable for 5th and 6th graders.

1. WHAT IS PLOT?
6/12/2016

2. WHAT IS PLOT?
The series of
related events
that make up the
story.

3. WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A PLOT?
Basic Situation (exposition)
Conflict
Complications
Climax
Resolution
Setting

4. BASIC SITUATION (EXPOSITION)
It the beginning of the story. In this part the following
questions are answered:
1. Who is the main character?
2. What does the main character want?
3. What stands in the character’s way? What kind of
conflicts does he/she face?
4. Where are the events taking place?

5. WHAT IS CONFLICT?
Conflict is the struggle that makes a story
interesting and keeps you reading. Conflict are
the problems that the characters face
throughout the story and try to overcome.

6. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
CONFLICT?

7. Internal Conflict
External Conflict
Struggle within one's self.
Struggle with a force outside one's self.
• Character vs. Character - Struggles against other people.
• Character vs. Nature - Struggles against animals, weather, e
• Character vs. Society - Struggles against ideas, practices, or

8. WHAT ARE COMPLICATIONS?
They are additional problems that arise and
prevent the main character from resolving the
conflict; this may lead to the appearance of
suspense*.
*suspense: a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty
about what may happen:

9. Can you think of an example of a complication in any
story that you have read?

10. WHAT IS THE CLIMAX?
It is the most exciting part of the story. In it you find out how the
problem will be resolved. It is characterized by 3 things:
• Main character receives new information.
• Main character accepts this information (realizes it but does not
necessarily agree with it).
• Main character acts on this information which will lead to the
story’s problem being resolved (falling action).

11. WHAT IS THE RESOLUTION?
It is the most exciting
part of the story. In the
climax you find out how
the conflict will be
resolved or worked out.