Here are some basic literary concepts I am teaching my students. We are taking cornell notes and learning gestures for each one. As soon as I figure out how to get pictures of the gestures on here I will do so.

Literature= put palms of hands together flat and open as a book
Character= point to yourself and then act as if you are petting an animal because a character is a person or animal in a story
Major Character= frame your face to show you are the star
Minor Character= take flat palm and act like you are patting the tops of little heads (point out to students that these are not little people, just less important people in the story who have a smaller part)
Round/Dynamic Character= make hands into round shape as if holding a ball
Flat/Static Character= slap palms together to show flatness
Protagonist= make hands into a fist and stretch arm out in a superman motion
Antagonist= make two fists as if ready to fight
Setting= point to your watch and then spread hands flat and move in a circle as if over a surface to show time and place
Plot= pretend hand is a roller coaster car and go up an incline and then down a decline like a plot diagram
Conflict= both hands in fists and pound knuckles together
Internal Conflict= Same as conflict but point to self first
External Conflict= Same as conflict but point to side first
Rising Action= incline raising on plot roller coaster
Climax= top of plot roller coaster
Falling Action= decline part of plot roller coaster
Resolution= end of plot roller coaster that swoops back flat (see a plot diagram shape)
Foreshadowing= put one hand on forehead and stretch out the other to make a "seeing the future" type gesture
Dialogue= make both hands talk to each other as puppets would
Theme= (The Huge Essential Meaning Explained) stretch arms out wide for huge, put praying hands together to beg for essential, point to brain with both index fingers for meaning, point out with both index fingers from brain to show explaining something

I have gestures for the parts of speech, genres and the 5 w's and the h. The students help to make the gestures. For example, the gesture for the 5w's and the h is a dance move (students choice but it has to be appropriate. You can't dance at the party unless you know the 5W's and the H of the party-who is having the party, what kind of party, where is the party, when is the party, why are they are having a party, and how do I get there?

Awesome! Can you describe the gestures you use for parts of speech and the Ws and H? This way we can utilize your brilliance in our own classes.