tap into the world of comics primary school version

Tap Into the

World of Comics

Strategies for using Comics in the Classroom

Fun

Entertaining Humour Characters

Action and

Adventure

http://www.toondoo.com/

The comic making process itself offers

many learning opportunities and with the incorporation of

content delivery, comics can provide an effective teaching and

learning tool.

Comics

Literacy Skills

Design Elements

Creativity

Decision Making

Sequencing

Storytelling

Problem Solving

Create a setting for a

story

Develop Computer

Skills

Develop Characters

Online

comic

creators

Online

Character

creators

GamesOnline

Drawing

tools

Software

Images

http://www.toondoo.com/

Here are a few of the best online comic creators available for students. They offer characters and design options for students.

My Sims

http://www.toondoo.com/

•Register to use

•Create your own one to three panel comic strips

• Simple drag and drop tools

•Has a good range of characters, settings and objects

•Change characters emotions and posture

• add speech bubbles

•Upload your own photos using the ImaginR

•Create your own characters using the TraitR

•Use book maker

•Draw your own images using DoodleR

•Save to Toondoo account or print

•Private or public option.

•No registration

•Make 1, 2, 3 or 6 panel comics

•Line drawings with no colour

•Easy to use great for younger students

•Select setting, characters, speech bubbles and objects

•Focus on a panel at a time

•No save option

•Print from the site

By read write think

•You can use without registration

•Must register to save

•Can export as PDF, email and

embed

•Many design option

•Make a comic book, Graphic

novel, comic strip of presentation

•Easy to use

•Print from the site

•No registration

•Make a comic strip 1 or 3 panels

•Choose from Garfield characters

•Easy to use

•No save option

•Print from the site

Garfield’s Comic Creator

•No registration

•Make a comic strip 2, 3 or 4

panels

•Characters have emotion settings

•Easy to use

•Black and white images with a

block colour background

•No save option

•Print or email

•You can use without registration

•Must register to save

•Can register the school

•Create 10 panels per chapter, up

to 10 Chapters

•Based on Myths and legends

from history

•Provides a large range of images

•Easy to use

•Print from the site

•No registration needed

•Create up to 6 panels

•Give advice to characters first on

how to deal with everyday issues

•Images are limited

•No save option

•Print from the site

•Must register to use

•Create 1 – 10 rows

•A range of design options

•Is more suited for older students

•Alter pose and emotions

•Print from the site

•Must register to use

•Create many panels

•Large range of design options

placed in themes

•Drag and drop tools

•Save to account

•Print from the site

The following Comic Creators are blank and allow you to add your own images

•Create a virtual poster

•Create a free teacher account

and create accounts for students

•Make comics using your own

images

•Or a method to display finished

comics

•Can give permission for public to

see

•Students can comment give

feedback

You can create comics using PowerPoint. You change the page size to A4 so you can print it out if you wish. Add the images and put a black line around the images. You

can insert shapes. There are a few comic bubbles to choose from.

Comic Life is a great program which you can purchase over the internet. It

provides many options to develop you creativity.

Students can create their own designs to create their comics using online drawing tools

These drawing can then be added to comic creators Or used in Power Point.

Students can learn

new processes and

skills by creating an

instruction manual.

My Sims

This could be used for activities which involve building, safety,

cooking, science, craft making and any other practical activity.

This site provides many comics which provide instructions.

Computer Games contain

some of the most

spectacular graphics

available, so why not utilise

this resource.

My Sims

Students could do screen

captures of scenes from their

games and create a comic

strip. This could be done

using software or online

applications.

.

Some games allow you to design your

own characters

Some great ones are My Sims, World of Zoo, Zoo Tycoon 2, Moshi Monsters, but you could really use

any game.

Sims 3

There are also games which allow you to take screenshots

within the game, you can even change camera angles.

Wow, there is no end to how creative you

can be!

Moshi Monsters

Create a comic using images from a game using PowerPoint, Comic life or sites such as Pikikids.

There is a great Online Comic Creator based on

the Spore game.

http://www.mashon.com/spore/creator/

•You can use without

registration

•Must register to save

•Can export as PDF, email

and embed

•Excellent graphics based

on the Spore game

•Make a comic book

•Easy to use

•Print from the site

Comics are often

associated with

Superheroes

Explore the theme of

Superheroes and create your own comics

http://superherosquad.marvel.com/create_your_own_comic

This site allows you to

create a comic strip

Or a comic Book up to 22 pages

long. You can even download as .pdf Choose from

Marvel Comic Characters

http://superherosquad.marvel.com/create_your_own_comic

DC Comics

http://superherosquad.marvel.com/comics/

http://www.dccomics.com/dckids/?action=stuff

Marvel KidsMarvel Comicshttp://marvelkids.marvel.com/comicshttp://marvel.com/digitalcomics/free/

Create your own superheroes to use in comics using these Superhero creators

Hero Factory

Hero Machine

Marvel Super Hero Creator

Students can combine images with text in a comic strip

using information from a research task.

Created using Zoo Tycoon 2

How could you create an interview in a comic?

The teacher could provide the questions

or students can devise their own.

Characters can ask each other questions. The questions can explore a topic.

Engage students’ interest in stories by asking them to convert a novel,

fable, fairy tale or play into comic

form.

They could keep to the setting of the story or add a

modern twist to it.

Doll Divine

Students could select from classic

tales or contemporary

novels.

AZDressup

These classics are available free

online

http://www.kelvi.net/books/comics/

Charlotte’s Web

My Sims

Creating comics is a great method to help students learn how to

develop a story.

It allows them to create a sequence, explore

storylines and understand the use of

characters, settings and dialogue.

Choose a theme or create

characters for

inspiration

http://www.buildyourwildself.com/

Here is an example, create a

story about a dog using

A Dog’s Life

Here are some examples of Web Comics also referred to as Graphic Novels.They are comics which can be read online and in some cases can be downloaded.

Please check age suitability before using them.

Rabbit and Bear Paws Dreamland Chronicles

Current Affair

Items can be great topics to explore

Students can use comics to investigate and

respond to social or political issues.

Ashes Cricket 2009

Howzat!

Due to the dialogue aspect of comics, they

are perfect for learning languages.

Characters can speak to each using a

different language.

http://www.dolldivine.com/kimono.swf

Students can also add aspects of the cultural traditions from the country.

http://www.dolldivine.com/kimono.swf

Comic books in other languages are also useful

It is a fun way to develop

reading skills.

ToonDoo

Comics are a great tool for students to use when

reflecting on a task.

It could be represented as an

interview or discussion

Comics Lab Extreme

Students can make judgments and give their opinion on how they did and

what they learnt.

You could even use comics to reflect

on an excursion or a camp

ToonDoo

•The task for this unit was ……..

•I got my ideas for this task from…………

•Problems I came across were……………..

•I solved them by …………………

•The new skills and knowledge I learnt from this task were……

•Skills I would like to develop

further are …….

•What I like most about my work

is …………..

•If I were to do this task again

I would change …………..

Here is a list of

prompts to help with reflection.

Comics are divided into frames and sequences

This allows you to explore order

placement

You could make a comic by deliberately

putting frames in the wrong

order

And students can place them

into their correct order.

Sims 3

As an activity at the

beginning of the school year, students can make a comic which provides information about them.

It could be set in their

favourite place and reflect on an event in their life

These could be printed to create a class comic

book.

or simply communicate information about their

interests and hobbies.

ToonDoo

http://goanimate.com/

Comic creators

can provide a great tool

to help create a

story board for a film or activity.

Comics provide

sequence placement and offer

inspiration.

Hmm..Some great sites to use are:

Read Write Think and Myths and Legends

Allow students to develop their

creativity

Provide a comic with empty

speech bubbles and students can fill them in. This could be a great group activity.

Sims 3

Doll Divine

Develop Photography skills by planning a comic and create it using your own

digital photography

This may help with

inspiration for subjects and camera angles

Upload the images to an Online Comic

Creator or software

You don’t have to use your own images you can get them from

flickr.

This site will do it for you, type in a tag to search, select an image and add the

speech bubble

Students can use comics in comprehension

exercises.

Use any of the webcomics or graphic

novels already mentioned

Sims 3

Check for

understanding by

allowing students

to revise new

knowledge.

This can be done by

asking students to

create a comic using

the new content they

have learnt.

The teacher

could also use

comics to

deliver content.

ToonDoo

Students can learn new words by applying them in the correct context in a

comic.

A good activity is to provide 5

words which must be used in a

comic.

http://www.mashon.com/spore/

Comics can be used to

give directions.

This can be used by teachers

or students.

Try creating a scavenger hunt using a comic strip

to deliver the clues.

My Sims

Try using Song Lyrics as

inspiration for a comic

This will allow students to

understand the use of symbolic

images and develop their

ability to interpret

Comics Lab Extreme

Students can extend their

knowledge of a poem by

interpreting it into visual form using a comic.

Ballads, in particular, can be very successful in

this task.

Comics Lab Extreme

Students can explore events

from history and adapt them into

comic form.

This can be done using relevant images

or using a comic creator which offers

graphics which are needed

Such as

http://www.creaza.com/

http://www.creaza.com/

Comics are a

great way to

create interest to

a boring page.

Teachers can use comics

to add interest to

worksheets, hand outs,

professional development

activities, add to a virtual

classroom or deliver

content using comics.

My Sims

Here are some examples which are also great teaching

tools.

Students can learn about internet safety

and demonstrate their knowledge by creating a comic which explores

internet safety rules.

http://pixton.com/uk/

Comics about Internet Safety

http://superherosquad.marvel.com/create_your_own_comic

Why not take advantage of the great graphics

available in many of the online comic creators and

use them to create designs.

Design a Poster, Title Page, Invitation,

Magazine Cover, Title for a Slideshow Presentation

Why not use comics to write reports or reviews.

Yeah! That will make it fun and engaging for students.

Students can still develop literacy skills

And develop their

creativity

Hmm…That’s logical, Captain!

http://goanimate.com/

For more ideas on how to integrate technology into the classroom go to

http://digitaltoolsforteachers.blogspot.com/World of Zoo