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
•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
•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.
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
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