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5th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 1 of 11

Plot and Conflict

How stories rise and fall

What your child practices

The five parts of a plot, types of conflict (person vs. person, nature or self), and telling first-, second- and third-person point of view apart.

Maine Learning Results learning standard: Reading 8 · plot structure and conflict

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. A plot has five parts: exposition (who and where), rising action, climax (the most exciting turning point), falling action and resolution.
  2. Conflict is the struggle: person vs. person, person vs. nature or person vs. self.
  3. First person uses I, second person uses you, third person uses he, she or they.

Example: “In the last second, Kenji dives and stops the final shot.” Which part of the plot is this? It is the most tense moment, when the game is decided. After this, things wind down. Answer: climax

Plot and Conflict in Maine

In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 1 of 11 in 5th grade English Language Arts, before Figurative Language.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Maine Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Put the events of “The New Player” in order, from the exposition to the resolution.

    • Maya starts a chess club, and soon it has twelve members.
    • The other players crowd around and ask her how she planned her moves.
    • She asks to join the lunchtime chess games, but the players tell her the boards are full.
    • At the school chess tournament, Maya faces the best player in the final game and wins.
    • Maya has just moved to a new town and doesn't know anyone at her school.

  2. Question 2

    Which part of the plot is this event? “One morning, dark clouds roll in while they're far from shore, and the motor won't start.”

    Leo loves fishing on the lake with his aunt every Saturday.

    One morning, dark clouds roll in while they're far from shore, and the motor won't start.

    Leo grabs the oars and rows with all his strength as the waves grow bigger.

    At last, the boat bumps against the dock, and his aunt ties it up tight.

    That night, Leo decides to learn how to read the weather before every trip.

    • exposition
    • falling action
    • resolution
    • rising action

  3. Question 3

    Which part of the plot is this event? “Leo loves fishing on the lake with his aunt every Saturday.”

    Leo loves fishing on the lake with his aunt every Saturday.

    One morning, dark clouds roll in while they're far from shore, and the motor won't start.

    Leo grabs the oars and rows with all his strength as the waves grow bigger.

    At last, the boat bumps against the dock, and his aunt ties it up tight.

    That night, Leo decides to learn how to read the weather before every trip.

    • rising action
    • exposition
    • climax
    • falling action

  4. Question 4

    In “The Shootout,” which event is the climax?

    • Kenji realizes he can be brave even when he feels nervous.
    • His teammates cheer and lift him onto their shoulders.
    • In the shootout, Kenji dives and stops the very last shot.
    • Kenji is the goalie for his soccer team, and penalty shots make him nervous.

  5. Question 5

    What type of conflict is this?

    Maya wants to try out for the play, but she's afraid of forgetting her lines.

    • person vs. nature
    • person vs. person
    • person vs. self

  6. Question 6

    From which point of view is this sentence told?

    They set up their tent just as the sun went down.

    • first person
    • third person

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