Plot Summary for Towers Falling

Creating a plot diagram not only helps students learn the parts of the plot, but it reinforces major events and helps students develop greater understanding of literary structures. Students can create a storyboard capturing the narrative arc in a work with a six-cell storyboard containing the major parts of the plot diagram. In this activity, students will create a visual plot diagram of major events in Towers Falling. Students should identify major turning points in the novel such as the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.

Towers Falling Plot Diagram Example

Exposition: Deja and her family have recently moved into a homeless shelter. It is the beginning of the school year at Deja’s new school in Brooklyn, and Deja’s fifth grade teacher tells the class that they will be learning about what happened on September 11th. Deja has no idea what happened on that day, and everything changes when she finds out.

Rising Action: Deja and Ben watch a video of the attack on the Twin Towers. Deja cannot believe that she didn’t know about anything that happened, and she decides to go through Pop’s suitcase. The contents of the suitcase suggest that Deja’s father experienced 9/11 first hand.

Climax: Deja and Ben skip school and take the subway to Manhattan. They visit the September 11th Memorial and Deja meets people who are grieving over their lost loved ones.

Falling Action: When Deja gets home, her father isn’t mad. He tells Deja about his September 11th story. He tells her of his guilt and the physical and emotional toll that the event has taken on him. Deja tells Pop that he is a hero. He is her hero.

Resolution: Deja and her family begin forming a more open and honest bond. They will be moving out of the homeless shelter and into subsidized housing. Deja’s eyes have opened to the importance and relevance of history and how it impacts all people in one way or another.