Beyond Plot Summary: The Kite Runner

Curriculum:
ALCOS:
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RL.9-10.1]
3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop
over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the
theme. [RL.9-10.3]
ISTE:
3. Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of
sources and media.

Grade Level: 10

Duration of lesson: 60 minutes

Overview/Purpose: Students will delve into discussion and writing about plot development,
including generating their own reflections, original ideas, and influences on how events interact
and shape character, mood, tone, and conflict

Objective: Using the plot development worksheet and Glogster, students will analyze the plot
development of the novel, The Kite Runner. They will create a visual of plot and character
development over the course of the text through Glogster.

Materials and Resources:

Plot development worksheet

Glogster account

Preparation: Students must be able to identify, explain, and support elements of plot including
exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, and falling action. Students must also be aware of the
Essential Question for the unit or series of lessons, as well as possible themes for the text.

Procedure:

Warm-up (Remembering): Create a brain map on the board or projector. The word
"propel" will be in the middle of the board, and students should be instructed to create
brain map first on their own paper. Students should write whatever comes to mind when
they think of the word "propel." Examples may include the following: propellers, fly,
move, plane, helicopter, boat, etc.

After about 2-3 minutes of brain storming and creating their own word maps, ask
students to Pair and Share their maps with a neighbor. As they pair and share, circulate
around the room and select students to go to the board and add an idea to the word map.

After about two minutes to Pair and Share and after all selected students have added their
ideas to the board, call the class back to attention and discuss their ideas. Ask questions
such as: Using what you see on the board, how would you define "propel?" What does a
propeller do? For a plane? Boat? Helicopter? (Students' responses might include "move,"
"guide," etc.)After a brief discussion of possible meanings of propel, perhaps 2-3 minutes
as a class, draw attention to the student outcome for the day: Today we will be discussing
how events propel the plot, or move it forward.

Lecture (Understanding): Every story has a beginning, middle, and an end.

Additionally, you know that all stories have an exposition, rising action, climax, falling
action, and resolution. A story cannot progress from beginning to end, or from exposition
to resolution, without action or events. It is these events that move a story from beginning
to end and make up the plot, in the same way a propeller moves an aircraft, boat, or
helicopter in the direction it needs to go.
Explain the plot development worksheet. Discuss how an effective written response
analyzing and explaining plot development will include all of the elements listed in the
plot toolkit.

Activities (Applying): In their same Pair and Share groups, students will create an online
poster through Glogster, answering the questions on the plot development worksheet
about the novel, The Kite Runner.

Worksheet questions:
How to Write About Plot Development

Plot Development- How the plot moves from beginning to end, because every story has a
beginning, middle, and end, and exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution
(Freytags pyramid or a plot pyramid). Think of propel as what moves the story, the same way
a propeller moves an airplane, boat, or helicopter. Events are moves the story from beginning to
end. A story cannot progress without action (events).
Questions and writing prompts about plot development are usually worded like this:
What events propel the plot?
How does the plot move forward?
How does the plot develop? How is the plot developed?
How to answer this question in an AP-style response:
Tell about the event(s) or series of events (in chronological order).

Briefly summarize/explain event(s). Avoid falling into total plot summary!!

*Ask yourself what does this do for the character? How does it influence or affect the
character?

*Ask yourself what does this do for the story? Does it establish conflict? Develop
setting? Character? Atmosphere? Tone? Mood? (Create, establish, enhance, highlight,
contrast, build/construct, and develop are good verbs to use here)

Relate it back to the EQ, theme, or prompt, whatever is most appropriate to tie it back to
the big picture/broad application.
*This is where you make an inference or generate a reflection-YOUR OWN
THOUGHTS.
* Write in literary present!

Conclusion: At the end of this activity, students should have a firm grasp on plot
development and how it relates to the theme of a novel. They should be able to support
their claims with strong textual evidence from the text. There will be a formal assessment
of a test after to test their understanding and comprehension gained during this lesson.

Citation: http://alex.state.al.us/lesson_view.php?id=33028

Lesson Plan Commentary:

The main focus of this lesson plan on a basic level is for students to understand plot
development and how it relates to bigger things within the text, such as theme. The students
already know how to identify, explain, and support elements of plot, but through this activity
they will connect those concepts to the greater meaning/theme/essential question of the text.
To gear it toward one of the students, Delmar, I made it a visual project. Delmar is a very artistic
and visual student, so while this project is still fun for other kids, it will also be beneficial for
him to see technology in an artistic way. Delmar has also been teased in school for his cultural
differences, so I chose to center this lesson on the book, The Kite Runner. This book is rich in
plot, so it will be easy for students to point out and it will also offer them perspective on a culture
outside of their own. Hopefully, the change in typical reading material will offer an
understanding of cultural differences and the group work will help with unity within the
classroom. I also kept another student, Rachel in mind. Rachel is still struggling with these key
concepts within texts and a hectic home life with a father being deployed and a sick
grandmother. I thought not only would working in a group help her, but also breaking down the
concept onto a visual medium, such as Glogster, might help her comprehend it better. This way, I
can directly see what Rachel is struggling with by monitoring her interaction in her group. I can
review this further with the class or I can simply offer extra help, handouts, study tools, and
online references to her, or the class as a whole, if I dont want to single her out. This is a general
project that is not so directly targeted at Delmar and Rachel that it does not appeal or include the
other students. The lesson is broken down to appeal to any type learner, including a visual warmup of word mapping, a brief lecture, group work, and visual creation. I altered this lesson plan to
include making an online poster, so that it incorporated technology and a better appeal rather

than just filling out a worksheet. This way, I can assess where the student is from their poster
creation and answers and use this to gauge what students are still struggling with this concept
and where they are struggling the most. I can use this to review with the class before testing them
formally with a test on plot development and The Kite Runner.