Using Comics and Graphic
Novels to Support Higher
Level Thinking
Maria Selke
West Chester Area S.D.
[email protected]
@mariaselke
Our Comics Life...
Clearing the Air
Comics are for Everyone
● Select titles with your target age in mind
Comics & Graphic Novels win prestigious awards
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Caldecott - illustrations
Newbery - middle grade
Scott O’Dell - historical fiction
Printz - excellence in young adult fiction
Eisner - American comics industry award
Pulitzer (Maus)
Comics are a MEDIUM - not a genre
Language of the Discipline
Sequential Art
● Comic Strip
● Comic Book
○ Trade Paperback
● Graphic Novel
● Hybrid
Language of the Discipline
Structure
● Reading order
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(L->R and Up-> Down IF not manga)
Panels
Gutters
Captions
Balloons
Adventures in Graphica
- chp 4
Understanding Comics - McCloud pg 86
Higher Level Vocabulary Development
“As readers navigate through a
piece of graphica, they are
exposed to a great deal of new
and interesting words. In fact,
some studies suggest that comics
utilize even more rare words
than many forms of traditional
text …” (Thompson, Adventures
in Graphica, 2008)
Zita the Spacegirl - Hatke
Inferencing
In the Gutters...
Understanding Comics - McCloud
Inferencing - Readers as Collaborators
Analysis
Literary Devices ●
How does the creative team show….? (flashbacks,
imagination, personification, imagery)
Compare and Contrast ●
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Same story, different format (e.g., A Wrinkle in Time,
MacBeth, Wizard of Oz)
Same creator/ different book (Nathan Hale)
Same archetypes, different format (Hero’s Journey)
Conventions in graphica vs. other formats
○ “Translate the Transfer” - Comics make it visible
(from Adventures in Graphica)
Evaluation
Creative Team Effectiveness -What helped you construct meaning?
What hindered your understanding?
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Illustrations
Panel styles
Lettering
Coloring
Captions
“Most Important” -->
Adventures in
Graphica Thompson
pg 69
Breaking Norms / Celebrating Diversity
Understanding Comics - McCloud
Introducing and Exposing
History
Classics
Science
Tech
Aug 2016
Feb 2017
Creative Expression
Making their own comics
● Summarizing
● Sharing knowledge across content areas
● Collaborating with a team
Many book resources for guidance
● DC Comics series
● McCloud
Making Comics and Cartoons
Some online tools:
● Pixton http://www.pixton.com/ (adding animation)
● Read-Write-Think (Up to 6 panels, drag and drop style)
http://www.readwritethink.
org/files/resources/interactives/comic/
Help Your
Students Join
the Dance
Understanding Comics - McCloud
Teaching Guides/ Resources
Resources
http://cbldf.org/resources/raising-a-reader/ -- Excellent overall information on using graphic novels, including the
benefits for readers.
http://cbldf.org/2015/06/expand-your-comics-conversation-with-the-comic-book-club-handbook/ -- How to guide for
starting a comic book club!
Teaching Guides
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/guide-using-graphic-novels-children-and-teens (great resource list
and sources, includes activities useful for any comic/gn)
http://www.scholastic.com/graphix/Scholastic_BoneDiscussion.pdf -- overall information including title
recommendations.
http://www.abramsbooks.com/pdfs/academic/GraphicNovels_TeachingGuide.pdf -- another overall guide with many titles.
http://www.abramsbooks.com/pdfs/academic/El_Deafo_TeachingGuide.pdf -- a guide specifically for El Deafo.
Where to Find Great Titles..
The book Adventures in Graphica includes many sites and sources in the appendix.
http://noflyingnotights.com/ -- Frequent reviews of current titles.
http://blogs.slj.com/goodcomicsforkids/ -- School Library Journal reviews
http://www.cybils.com/ Bloggers choose the best titles in various age groups and genres. Go to the right and choose a
year and there will be lists for middle grade and young adult graphic novels.
http://www.txla.org/reading-lists -- Texas started including graphic novels
http://maslmd.org/winners/ Maryland also started including graphic novels
Junior Library Guild - a subscription service, but they also list excellent upcoming and current titles
http://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/books/list?level[]=GE&instockorforthcoming=1 (elementary)
http://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/books/list?level[]=GM&instockorforthcoming=1 (middle school)
Sources
McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics:. New York: HarperPerennial, 1994. Print.
Moye, Kellee. "Amulet Books Graphic Novel Teaching Guide." Unleashing Readers. N.p., 18 Apr. 2014. Web. 07 July 2015.
Thompson, Terry. Adventures in Graphica: Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Teach Comprehension, 2-6. Portland, Me.:
Stenhouse, 2008. Print.
"Getting Graphic: Using Graphic Novels in the Language Arts Classroom." Getting Graphic:
Language Arts Classroom. N.p., 2012. Web. 07 July 2015.
Using Graphic Novels
in the
List of Books I shared (pt 1)
Aguirre, Jorge. Dragons Beware!. First Second, 2015.
Alphona, Adrian, and G. Willow Wilson. Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal.
Marvel, 2014.
Baum, L. Frank, and Eric Shanower. Oz: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Marvel,
2014.
Bell, Cece. El Deafo. Harry N. Abrams, 2014.
Bendis, Brian Michael. Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 1. Marvel, 2012.
Brown, Don. The Great American Dust Bowl. HMH Books for Young Readers,
2013.
Brown, Jeffrey. The Phantom Bully. Scholastic Inc., 2015.
Brown, Jeffrey. Star Wars: Jedi Academy. Scholastic Inc., 2013.
Burks, James. Bird & Squirrel on the Run. GRAPHIX, 2012.
Camper, Cathy. Lowriders in Space. Chronicle Books, 2014.
Cloonan, Becky, and Brendan Fletcher. Gotham Academy Vol. 1: Welcome to
Gotham Academy. DC Comics, 2015.
Davis, Eleanor. The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook.
Bloomsbury USA Childrens, 2009.
Deconnick, Kelly Sue. Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: In Pursuit of Flight. Marvel,
2013.
Deutsch, Barry. Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword. Amulet Paperbacks,
2012.
Deutsch, Barry. Hereville: How Mirka Met a Meteorite. Harry N. Abrams,
2012.
Fletcher, Brenden, and Cameron Stewart. Batgirl Vol. 1: The Batgirl of
Burnside. DC Comics, 2015.
Hale, Nathan. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Big Bad Ironclad!. Harry N.
Abrams, 2012.
Hale, Nathan. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy. Harry N.
Abrams, 2012.
Hale, Nathan. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor.
Harry N. Abrams, 2015.
Hale, Nathan. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Treaties, Trenches, Mud,
and Blood. Harry N. Abrams, 2014.
Hale, Shannon, and Dean Hale. Rapunzel's Revenge. Bloomsbury USA
Childrens, 2008.
Hatke, Ben. The Return of Zita the Spacegirl. First Second, 2014.
Hatke, Ben. Zita the Spacegirl. First Second, 2011.
Hennessey, Jonathan, and Aaron McConnell. The Gettysburg Address: A
Graphic Adaptation. William Morrow Paperbacks, 2013.
List of Books (pt 2)
Hinds, Gareth. Macbeth. Candlewick, 2015.
Maihack, Mike. Target Practice. GRAPHIX, 2014.
Holm, Jennifer L., and Matthew Holm. Babymouse #12: Burns Rubber.
Random House Books for Young Readers, 2010.
Maihack, Mike. The Thief and the Sword. GRAPHIX, 2015.
Holm, Jennifer L., and Matthew Holm. Squish #1: Super Amoeba. Random
House Books for Young Readers, 2011.
Jamieson, Victoria. Roller Girl. Dial Books, 2015.
Kibuishi, Kazu. The Stonekeeper. GRAPHIX, 2008.
Krosoczka, Jarrett J. Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute: Lunch Lady #1.
Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2009.
L'Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel. Farrar, Straus and
Giroux (BYR), 2012.
Lendler, Ian. The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth. First
Second, 2014.
Lendler, Ian. The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Romeo and Juliet.
First Second, 2015.
Martin, Emily, and Jeremy Whitley. Princeless, Book 2: Get Over Yourself.
Action Lab Entertainment, 2013.
McCloud, Scott. Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and
Graphic Novels. William Morrow Paperbacks, 2006.
McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. William Morrow
Paperbacks, 1994.
O'Connor, George. Aphrodite: Goddess of Love. First Second, 2013.
O'Connor, George. Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess. First Second, 2014.
O'Connor, George. Hades: Lord of the Dead. First Second, 2012.
O'Connor, George. Hera: The Goddess and her Glory. First Second, 2011.
O'Connor, George. Poseidon: Earth Shaker. First Second, 2013.
O'Connor, George. Zeus: King of the Gods. First Second, 2010.
Lewis, John, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. March: Book One. Top Shelf
Productions, 2013.
O'Neil, Dennis. The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics. Watson-Guptill,
2001.
Lewis, John, and Andrew Aydin. March: Book Two. Top Shelf Productions,
2015.
Ottaviani, Jim. Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian
Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas. First Second, 2013.
List of Books (pt 3)
Phelan, Matt. The Storm in the Barn. Candlewick, 2011.
Runton, Andy, Chris Staros, and Robert Venditti. Owly, Vol. 3: Flying
Lessons. Top Shelf Productions, 2006.
Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. Pantheon, 2004.
Shanower, Eric, and L. Frank Baum. Oz: Ozma of Oz. Marvel, 2012.
Spiegelman, Art. Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began.
Pantheon, 1992.
Spires, Ashley. Binky the Space Cat. Kids Can Press, 2009.
Spires, Ashley. Binky Under Pressure. Kids Can Press, 2011.
Tamaki, Mariko. This One Summer. First Second, 2014.
Telgemeier, Raina. Drama. GRAPHIX, 2012.
Telgemeier, Raina. Sisters. GRAPHIX, 2014.
Telgemeier, Raina. Smile. Graphix, 2010.
Thompson, Terry. Adventures in Graphica. Stenhouse Publishers, 2008.
Watterson, Bill. Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons.
Andrews McMeel Publishing, 1992.
Whitley, Jeremy, and David Dwonch. Princeless Book 1: Save Yourself. Action
Lab Entertainment, Inc., 2012.
Zahler, Thomas F. Love and Capes, Vol. 1. IDW Publishing, 2008.
Remember - this is just a sampling. I tried to
include titles from a variety of genres and target
age ranges.