Level+2+comics

\ by David Myers
 * Comics for the classroom: VELs level 2 **

 In level 2 we will be developing students reading, writing, speaking and listening skills according to the VELS criteria.

Students working towards level 2 are beginning to have a deeper understanding of the mechanics behind the English language. In particular students will be working towards having a basic awareness of different styles of writing and to be able to identify aspects of writing such as plot and be able to predict to a certain extent the outcomes of selected texts. To get students to these stages of development it is essential that we first instil in students an appreciation of literature and also the different modes of literature.

I think comics are great foir this because they are a bit different from the usual story books that children read at school. Students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. Students can use the comic book format to look stories from different perspectives, "By creating comic strips or cartoon squares featuring characters in books, they're encouraged to think analytically about the characters, events, and themes they've explored in ways that expand their critical thinking by focusing on crystallizing the significant points of the book in a few short scenes". ([])

Comics are a unique learning tool that can help achieve key literacy outcomes. Most children can identify with comics in some way and will hopefully therefore be more readily engaged with the topics. Comics are also a great resources to use with students who are more visually based learners. And they are a great way of weening them on to other forms of literature. 

 Below are a number of comic related activities and their matching VELs progression point.


 * Writing: **

** Activity 1 **** : ****Make your own comic ** 

(VELS 1.25 Writing** : ** // drawings that support the intended meaning of their writing //)

<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt;">Students write their own comic strip with pictures and words. Some ideas: <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Below are some links to help students get their ‘rough’ ideas out. The first is a story train template with a beginning middle and end section for the students to fill in. The second is more complex encouraging the students to include an element of tension in their comics and to provide a resolution to this tension. [|**http://content.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/l/lessonplans_graphicorg_pdfs_storytrain.pdf**]** story train template. ** [|**http://content.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/l/lessonplans_graphicorg_pdfs_problemdiagram.pdf**]** different type of story template, problem focused with resolution. **
 * Set up a template or guidance for the comic i.e. probably limit the comic to four panels to start with.
 * Use comic strips in the Newspaper to give them some ideas for the layout of each str//ip//.
 * Give a topic for the students to base their comic around: for example look at environmentally friendly ways to travel to school; or around the negative effects of bullying in the school yard.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU;">Activity 2: **<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Making comics on the computer <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontsize: 11.0pt; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">(VELS 1.5 writing: combination of writing with drawings or computer graphics to support meaning )

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; msobidifontsize: 11.0pt; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU;">There are many fantastic ‘make your own comic strip’ websites. I have listed a few below that are fairly straightforward and effective. Using these programs gives students a chance to develop their ICT skills and also to express their creative side at the same time. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">Below is an example of a students made up 'comic' from the Charlettes Web 'make your own comic strip' site. The students can choose the background, animals and objects for each panel from a range of images. They can also choose from a range of speech bubbles or narration boxes and insert their own text to make up their own story. With a bit of guidance and supervision this could be an interesting and very fun classroom activity.

[] : Make your own ‘Charlottes web’ comic [] http://www.stripcreator.com/make.php# [] <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"> For further extensions students could look at making their own cartoons: [] Monkey jam: online cartoon maker using stop animation.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">**<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">Activity 3: **<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 9.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Arial Unicode MS';">Create your own super hero <span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 140%; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Arial Unicode MS';"> <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS';">(VELS 1.5 Writing** : ** // sequencing of a small number of ideas in short texts for different purposes and audiences //) <span style="color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS';">

Some ideas for making your own comic strip characters:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;"> <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;">o <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Look at different comic strip heroes. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;"> o <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Get suggestions from the class of names: Superman, Bart Simpson, Asterix, Tin Tin or others. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;"> o <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Describe popular characters for their age range today. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;"> o <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Encourage the students to tell you about local comic book characters. Ask them to describe one character in pairs. <span style="color: #333333; font: 7pt Courier New; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">What makes this character special? What can they do? Have they got special powers? <span style="color: #333333; font: 7pt Courier New; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">What are their weaknesses? What do they look like? What are their special interests or ambitions? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;"> o <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Ask students to work in pairs or groups to invent their own character. If appropriate students can draw the character. Give the character special powers, a name and a special mission. Make a simple situational dialogue which is typical for them. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">o  <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">The final stage would be to get each pair or group to make up an everyday story involving the character. <span style="color: #333333; font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 140%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Arial Unicode MS'; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU;">[] <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"> 7/10/09 <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontsize: 8.5pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Arial Unicode MS'; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU;"> Activity 1: ** Group comic book reading. (VELs 1.25 independent reading of simple print and electronic texts with moderate accuracy and fluency) Some ideas: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore;"> o Try and choose a comic book that will have some sort of appeal to the whole class and not just interest a minority. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore;"> o May be difficult to find a large book that everyone can read as a group. Could use a projector to enlarge the images or get a copy for each child and have them read along together as a class. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore;"> o Use guided reading techniques: begin by showing everyone the front cover and generating a discussion on what everyone thinks the comic will be about. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore;"> o Assign each student to a character in a selected comic book (there may not be enough characters for each student: give everyone a chance by rotating each class). Have the student to read there speech bubble for their character: encourage them to use a voice which they think is appropriate to the character.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Reading **<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 115%;">Activity 2: ** Finish this comic……

(VELs 1.5 prediction of what might happen next in a story read independently) Some ideas:

<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; msoansilanguage: EN-AU; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: ZH-CN; msonoproof: yes;"> <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 115%;">Activity 3: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 115%;"> **<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Punctuate this! ** (VELS 1.75 Reading ** : **// self-correction, and use of punctuation to contribute to meaning when reading aloud; for example, recognition of quotation marks to identify a speaker’s words // ) Some ideas:
 * Start with a short comic strip.
 * Leave out the speech bubbles or text in the last panel and have the students predict what words should be in there.
 * Read a comic as a class that has a ‘to be continued….’ At the end. Have the students predict and discuss what they think the next story will be about.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt;">

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 115%;"> **<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">What do you know about comics? and ‘Individual comic book presentations.’ ** (VELS 1.25 Speaking and Listening: // recount and description of familiar personal experiences when participating in discussions //)
 * Have a range of different font and punctuation marks in a range of different comic strips.
 * Have the students read these then have a group discussion on what they think each punctuation mark signifies or font or type of speech bubble means.
 * Have group and individual reading sessions: encourage students to vary voice according to the punctuation.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Speaking and Listening ****<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">: **<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">

Some ideas:


 * Open up a class discussion on the students own personal experiences of comics.
 * Set up a respectful speaking circle where everyone gets an equal chance to have a say.
 * Have a show and tell session where children are asked to buy a comic, read it, and then bring it to class and show and tell their comic to the class. Have a question and answer time after each student. This activity would probably run too long for one class so you could just have one or two students present their comic each week.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">Activity 2: ** Comic books on tapes: //an exercise in concentration and listening.//

(VELs 1.5 recall of what others say and answers to questions about details of what has been said)

**Activity 3:** **<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Turning comics into drama: ** (VELS 1.75 Speaking and Listening** : ** // modification of tone and pace of speaking when communicating with others // )
 * Play a comic book reading on tape or CD (could follow reading with looking at comic simultaneously).
 * Have a ‘test’, a question and answer sheet for example, about the comic book reading, to ascertain the listening and remembering ability of each student.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore;">o Choose a comic strip or book to turn into a short play or drama. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore;"> o Explain to students that they are going to be working in groups and they will have to work co-operatively to come up with a entertaining play. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore;"> o Give students a template for how they could to the comic into a real life drama: <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">1. Assign each student to a character: get students to research each character to be able to ‘play them’ better. <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">2. Explain to students the idea of the narrator and how the ‘narrated’ words could be incorporated into the play. <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">3. Give students some costumes and props, or have them make their own in Art class to use for their performances. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore;"> o Students perform in front of class members or in assembly: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Courier New'; msolist: Ignore;"> o Group and individual reflection of each performance. Activity 4: ** Watch a movie or cartoon that is based on a comic book.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">

This activity would relate to the previous activity and build on skills learnt previously. Students could first read the comic book and then watch the movie or cartoon. Have a discussion on the difference between the two. Did they like the comic better or the cartoon or movie? Do they think they characters were accurately portrayed in the cartoon or movie? What comics would you like to see turned into cartoons? This could be also just a fun end of term celebration where the students are still engaging and exploring ideas related to comics but just in a more relaxed informal kind of way.


 * Have fun!

References:**

VELS: http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ [] : Fill in the blank comic book lesson plan. [] : Lesson plan for comic making [] <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">[] <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"> http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=195 http://www.stripcreator.com/make.php# <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">http://www.adrianbruce.com/homework/language/comic_strip/funny_jokes.htm [] cartoon yourself! []