As I observed in ELA classrooms these past few weeks there has been a focus on plot and how it develops. I heard great discussions about this topic. In one classroom the teacher was making connections to movies the students had seen. Of course, the movies they had seen were all scary and I had not seen any of them (not a scary movie fan!) The students were very involved in the discussion and really started to understand the concepts of climax, resolution, etc. from making real life connections. Real life connections whether they are text to text, text to self, or text to world are very important. It gives the students something to "hang their hat on" and they can relate to what's happened in their lives. Connections stimulate their background knowledge and enhance comprehension. Connections are not just for ELA. When a student can make a real-life connection in math, science, social studies, and any other subject area it helps them understand the importance of what they are learning as well as helps them comprehend the topic. As teachers, try to help students activate these connections at every opportunity.
Plot is a very hard concept to teach and I have included two YouTube videos that help explain plot in a fun way.
I hope you have a wonderful week with lots of connections!
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