Tap Into the

World of Comics

Strategies for using Comics in the Classroom

Comics have always been associated with fun and creativity.

With the help of many online applications and

resources, there are some great ways to tap into the excitement of comics to help engage students in learning.

The comic making process itself offers many learning opportunities and with the

incorporation of content delivery, comics can provide an effective tool for teaching and

learning.

The next slide outlines some possible learning outcomes from making

comics.

Sims 3

Comics

Literacy Skills

Design Elements

Creativity

Decision Making

Sequencing

Storytelling

Problem Solving

Create a setting for a

story

Develop Computer

Skills

Develop Characters

Here are some online

comic creators you may wish to

use.

They range in creativity levels, graphics availability and age suitability. You will have to decide which site is best suited for your students and the proposed

activity.

My Sims

For more information on comic creators go tohttp://www.slideshare.net/

shend5/online-comic-creators

Students can learn new processes and skills by creating an instruction

manual.

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

craft making and any other practical activity.

My Sims

http://www.howtoons.com/

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, Sims,

Spore and The Movies, but you could really use any game.

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!

Sims 3

You can also add your own images to

For some inspiration here is a great site based

on the Spore game.

This site does require

registration.

It allows you to design your own comic book

using images provided.

You can print, save, email and embed the

finished results.

There is also an option to add your own images

There are many games which use comics at the beginning to

explain the plot.http://chogger.com/create

http://comiqs.com/editor/

Youda Sushi Chef

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

Simple drag and drop with great graphics

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

Downloadable Graphic Novels based on Heroes TV showMarvel Comics

DC ComicsMarvel Kids

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

There are many comic creators which may

have images relating to the research task or

students can add their own.

Students can combine images with text in a

comic strip using information from a

research task.

Muggins

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.

Muggins

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.

Students could select from classic

tales or contemporary

novels.

Doll Divine AZDressup

A great example is creating a comic based on a Shakespeare play

or using a Shakespearean phrase as a starting point.

Great idea! Here are some examples to use

for inspiration.

My Sims

This site offers Shakespearean Classics as Graphic Novels.

There are free teacher resource downloads and previews.

It offers Shakespearean script or plain English versions.

Here is another example of using

Shakespeare inspired comics.

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.

Doll Divine Doll Divine

You might choose a theme to work from and select a comic creator which works around a

theme, such as:

http://www.creaza.com/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/comicmaker/create/

Doll Divine

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.

COMICS

Current Affair Items can be great topics to explore

Students can use comics to investigate and respond to social and

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

Characters can discuss the unit of work they

just did

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

A great site for this is

You can upload your own images

and then save them to file or embed them

http://www.comeeko.com/

This may help with

inspiration for subjects and

camera angles

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

The Movies

Try using Song Lyrics as

inspiration for a comic

Hmm…

This will allow

students to

understand the use of symbolic images

and develop their

ability to interpret.

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.

Or..You

could write your own poem

Yeah! Using comics

The Movies

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/

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/

http://mashon.com/holidays/http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/index.html

http://www.garfield.com/fungames/comiccreator.htmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/comicmaker/create/

http://www.toondoo.com/http://www.mashon.com/

http://pixton.com/uk/http://www.bam.gov/sub_yourLife/yourlife_comiccreator.html

http://myths.e2bn.org/story_creator/http://boyslife.org/games/online-games/235/comic-creator/

http://www.creaza.com/http://www.bitstrips.com/

http://www.zamsquest.com/kids_place.phphttp://stripgenerator.com/create/

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/http://www.professorgarfield.org/comics_lab_extreme/

http://yogabbagabba.com/http://www.clickwheel.net/

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

http://superherosquad.marvel.com/cyoc/http://www.comeeko.com/

Screencaptures taken using http://greenshot.sourceforge.net/

Sims 3 http://www.thesims3.com/My Sims http://mysimskingdom.com/pc/

Youda Sushi Chef http://www.youdagames.com/Youda-Sushi-Chef-game-info-3401Ashes Cricket 2009 http://www.playashes.com/

The Movies http://www.lionhead.com/themovies/

http://www1.uk.mypersonalexpression.com/muggins/index.pdhttp://www.ugo.com/channels/comics/heromachine2/heroMachine2.asp

http://marvel.com/create_your_own_superherohttp://www.cpbintegrated.com/theherofactory/

http://ammotu.deviantart.com/art/Super-Character-Creator-Female-66610994http://ammotu.deviantart.com/art/Super-Character-Creator-Male-67189399

http://www.dolldivine.com/http://goanimate.com/

http://www.azdressup.com/fantasy-dress-up/alice-in-wonderland.html

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

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

http://marvel.com/digitalcomics/free/http://www.nbc.com/heroes/novels/novels_library.shtml

http://www.classicalcomics.com/index.htmlhttp://www.stickfigurehamlet.com/act1/scene1/page01.html

http://www.rabbitandbearpaws.com/gnovel.phphttp://www.thedreamlandchronicles.com/

http://www.runemasterstudios.com/literacy1.phphttp://www.harptoons.com/

http://www.donteatanybugs.net/books/cup2.htmlhttp://www.zeros2heroes.com/property/hero-high

http://www.andyrunton.com/comics.htmlhttp://zipandbit.com/upsidedownme/

http://www.ellieconnelly.com/http://www.nbc.com/chuck/exclusives/novel/

http://www.kidjutsu.com/browsehttp://www.kelvi.net/books/comics/

http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/manga/index.htmlhttp://www.shonenjump.com/e/mangaonline/index.html

http://anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/comic/index.htmlhttp://cindispace.utdallas.edu/education/cindi_comic.html

http://www.sciencecomics.uwe.ac.uk/index.phphttp://www.grammarmancomic.com/comicsgman.html

http://www.kinsa.net/Programs/Category/Program/?contentId=136http://www.microsoft.com/protect/comics.aspx