THE HARRY POTTER "SORTING HAT" PLOT DIAGRAM
As a twist on Patricia Call's "Witch Hat" Plot Diagram, I've come up with the Harry Potter "Sorting Hat" Plot Diagram. The mere substitution of a witch's hat to the Sorting Hat (which appears in the first book in J.K. Rowling's bestselling book series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) makes the plot graphic organizer more literary. I'm a big proponent of making little details literary, especially in a secondary classroom. And this substitution does just that while integrating popular culture into the classroom and without changing the meaning of Call's original design. When possible, ELA students should be immersed in literature, and not just via the physical aspect of a large in-class library.
GRANT SNIDER'S
"THE STORY COASTER"
With the increasing adolescent interest in graphic novels - and the genre's growing popularity in classrooms as instructional texts due to its researched didactic value - this little, one-panel illustration by cartoonist Grant Snider provides a vibrantly visual and more detailed overview of plot structure that could be engaging for secondary students. With each plot element appropriately and relevantly illustrated, using this in conjunction with the "Witch's Hat" plot diagram would make the lesson appeal more to visual learners. Additionally, due to its more elaborate nature, Snider's cartoon not only extends Call's plot diagram visually, but also in content knowledge and terminology (i.e. prologue, suspended disbelief, etc.).
Snider, G. (2013). The story coaster [Comic]. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/07/14/books/review/12snider.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0