Writing about content learned is an important element for every class and grade level. No matter whether it is in math, science, language arts, social studies, art, music, or physical education, teachers should have students writing about their learning. This process helps the brain sort and organize information learned so the student may better conceptualize and comprehend it. For example, when a student is able to write out the process and meaning behind the equation 2 x 3 = 6, they show comprehension of the concept of multiplication. Not every student thinks about multiplication the same way, which means you will see several different ways of explaining this process. However, a student who is unable to write down the procedure for solving this type of problem using words alone may not fully comprehend the concept of multiplication.

While journaling is a wonderful way to get students writing in class, it may not be the most motivating activity for students. Another strategy that engages students and combines both verbal and visual skills is the comic strip. The beauty of the comic strip is that it requires a message to be presented using both words and pictures in a very short and concise manner. This activity can provide a challenge to students with either visual or verbal talents. Those who are good with words, but not with pictures will find it challenging to draw characters and a background that reveals the visual part of their message. Those who are good with visualization but not words will find it challenging to use the right words to present their message.

How might you use the comic strip strategy in your classroom? Below are a few ideas:

·         Explain a concept recently learned – this can be done either in the middle of the unit or near the end and used as part of the assessment

·         Describe or promote a book read

·         Demonstrate a cause and effect sequence for an event being studied

·         Show sequencing for an event being studied

·         Describe or show the characteristics of a famous person

·         Compare and contrast two topics, people, events, or concepts

·         Summarize a story read

·         Support or criticize a decision made in history or from current events

·         Create a story starter (have students switch and use the comic to start a narrative piece)

·         Summarize a plot, describe a theme, mood, or climax point of a novel

·         Interpret the results of an experiment or lab activity

·         Primary students could use a very short one to three frame comic to explore writing

These are just a few ideas of how you could utilize the comic strip as a writing activity in your classroom. If at a loss of how you might use the comic strip activity in your own class, take a look at your Bloom’s keywords to help you get started (hint – many of the activities listed above start with keywords from Bloom’s Taxonomy).

Be sure to take some time to model and teach the purpose of the comic strip to your students. If you simply give students the assignment without any guidance you will not see the level of thought and writing that will allow you to assess student learning. Create a comic strip together as a class with a specific purpose, perhaps to compare and contrast a previous topic with the current topic of study. This will allow students to see how you expect the visual and verbal elements to work together to express a well thought out message. This also encourages students to draw no matter what their artistic ability. Stick figures work just as well as cartoon figures. Model for your students how to plot each panel so the message shows progression from one square to the next culminating with the last. Allow students to create a comic strip in partners or as a group before asking them to create individual comic strips. As with any strategy, students must be taught your expectations, provided structure, and then given time to practice.

This does not mean you should introduce, model, have students create one strip as a group and then immediately create another themselves. Introduce the strategy and model it by creating one as a class one day. In the next couple of days, while the idea is still fresh, ask students to create a strip as a group. The next day or in a few more days, whenever it works with your unit of study, have students work on this activity with a partner. Near or at the end of your unit have students create a comic strip individually. This allows for the modeling and practicing process without over using the activity. To create a comic strip every day for a week would be overkill and would make the activity seem more drudgery than fun.

While there are many books on how to create a comic strip using specific artistic elements, you may want to keep it simple (unless you are an art teacher) and have students divide a page into two, three, four, or six segments. Each segment becomes a square (or panel) in the comic strip. Students must plot out the message so that it progresses from one panel to the next through the strip. This is another excellent writing and thinking skill put into action.

If you are short on time and want to use this activity without students drawing their own pictures, below are two resources you may find helpful.

www.makebeliefscomix.com

This website is the creation of Bill Zimmerman, author of the book Make Beliefs. On this website students can create their own comic strip using one to four panels. Students choose from different characters which can then be flipped or moved around within the panel. Students can also choose background colors for each panel, speech bubbles, and panel prompts. Images can be scaled up or down, flipped, moved, and deleted as needed. Students click within the speech bubble to add words to their comic. Writing prompts are also included on the website for creative writing. The drawings and layout of this site make it perfect for young writers.

A nice feature to this website is the section labeled “printables.” Teachers can choose a pre-drawn comic strip to print and hand out to students in class. While it does limit the visual creativity, students can write in their own words on the page within the speech bubbles. The printables section also includes one page drawings with writing prompts and space for students to write freely.

ReadWriteThink – www.readwritethink.org/MATERIALS/COMIC

This website offers a plethora of wonderful lesson plans and ideas for reading and writing. This particular page is a comic strip generator. Students can choose one to six panels for their comic strip. The generator includes people, speech bubbles, props, backgrounds for exterior and interior scenes, and exclamations including Thud, Thunk, Shh!, Zzzz, Crash, and more. Again, students click on the speech bubble to add text.

This generator takes a little exploration in order to fully utilize all of the features and may be too sophisticated for younger students. Older students will find more variety of choices and it may offer wider flexibility for their own creativity. ReadWriteThink also has a lesson plan for using comics as an introduction to narrative structure, which teachers of writing and literature may find helpful.

            Whether you have students draw their own or use an online comic generator, the comic strip is a fun and motivating way to get students writing in ALL subject areas. It promotes logical reasoning, assesses student learning, and encourages concise writing skills. As you use this activity in your class you’ll see that the comic strip is not just for the Sunday paper anymore.