Author: user
Last saved by: Liam
Company: MSVU

0510819

Title: Comic Books Unit, Lesson 1- The Concept Map 

 Grade: 6

Unit Goals:

•	Gain an understanding of the media form of comic books
•	Learn the process behind creating a story from the ground up
•	Learn new ways of organizing information, ideas and communicating them
•	Use both words and pictures to tell a story
•	Learn to work and communicate as a team

Unit Outcomes:

 1.1 contribute thoughts, ideas, and questions to discussion and compare their own ideas with those of peers and others
1.2 ask and respond to questions to seek clarification or explanation of ideas and concepts
1.4 listen critically to others’ ideas or opinions and points of view
2.1 contribute to and respond constructively in conversation, small-group and whole-group discussion
2.2 use word choice and emphasis, making a conscious attempt to produce a desired effect
2.3 give and follow instructions and respond to a variety of questions and instructions
3.3 make a conscious attempt to consider the needs and expectations of their audience
4.4 use and integrate the various cueing systems and a variety of strategies with increasing
independence to construct meaning
8.1 use a range of strategies in writing and other ways of representing to
– frame questions and design investigations to answer their questions
– find topics of personal importance
– record, develop, and reflect on ideas
– compare their own thoughts and beliefs to those of others
– describe feelings, reactions, values, and attitudes
– record and reflect on experiences and their responses to them
– formulate goals for learning
– practise and apply strategies for monitoring learning
8.3 make language choices to enhance meaning and achieve interesting effects in imaginative writing and other ways of representing
9.1 create written and media texts using an increasing variety of forms
– demonstrate understanding that particular forms require the use of specific features, structures,
and patterns
9.2 address the demands of an increasing variety of purposes and audiences
– make informed choices of form, style, and content for specific audiences and purposes
9.3 invite responses to early drafts of their writing/media productions
– use audience reaction to help shape subsequent drafts
– reflect on their final drafts from a reader’s/viewer’s/listener’s point of view
10.1 select from a range of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, and presentation
strategies to develop effective pieces of writing and other representations
10.2 use the conventions of written language in final products
10.4 demonstrate commitment to shaping pieces of writing and other representations

Materials: 

Computer, projector, comic samples, paper, pencils, whiteboard, markers

Time: 1 Hour

Procedure:

1) Have a discussion with the kids about comic books. Find out what they know about them, what comic books they have read and enjoy today. (10 minutes) 

2) Using the computer and projector, display examples of various types of comics (include a wide variety from around the world). Discuss topics such as theme, characters, audience, the partnership of words and pictures together. (10 minutes)  

3) Tell the kids that we will be making our own comic books in this unit. We will be working in pairs which they can choose. Get them to pick their partners and pull their desks together. 

4) Once things have calmed down, explain that for the unit, the pairs will go through the entire process of making a comic. Ask the group what processes they think might go into the making of a comic book. Write down their ideas on the board using a concept map. Explain and model the idea of a concept map as you draw it out. This map will be the lead-in to their first activity. (10 minutes) 

5) Tell the kids they are going to start their comics by building their own concept map using paper and pencils. In it, they should include things like: plot, characters, theme, setting, and audience (write these on the board). Tell them that if it helps them, they can draw pictures next to the concepts in their maps. Get them to find their partners and begin. (15 minutes)

6) Show and share a few examples in front of the class and get the kids to talk about the elements of their concept maps. (15 minutes)   

Assessment: 

The show and share examples in front of the class will be used to assess their learning, as well as group discussion and their concept maps in hard copy. 

Modifications (for ESL students): 

•	To generate more interest in the comic books unit for the ESL kids, you can include comics from their native country (ex: if the student was Japanese, you could include some Manga). 
•	Include pictures of the steps you want your students to take in the lesson. This could be drawings on the board, or images on the projector.   
•	Pair your ESL students with a native English speaker who has strong language skills. Then the buddy system can be used to create more learning for the student. 
•	When it comes time to create the concept map, you could encourage the kids to draw pictures to go along with the writing. 

Extensions:

•	Get the kids to visit a comic shop 
•	Read comics at home in their newspapers and on the computer 
•	Create their own comics perhaps with a parent or friend.  

Resources:

•	http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v8n2/birbili.html (concept map diagram about trees)
•	http://www.comicartfans.com (Comic artwork)
•	http://comicbooks.about.com/od/creatingcomicbooks/tp/process.htm (comic creation process)

Title: Comic Book Unit: Lesson 2- The Plot 

 Grade: 6

Outcomes: 

1.1 contribute thoughts, ideas, and questions to discussion and compare their own ideas with those of peers and others
1.2 ask and respond to questions to seek clarification or explanation of ideas and concepts
1.4 listen critically to others’ ideas or opinions and points of view
2.1 contribute to and respond constructively in conversation, small-group and whole-group discussion
2.2 use word choice and emphasis, making a conscious attempt to produce a desired effect
2.3 give and follow instructions and respond to a variety of questions and instructions
3.3 make a conscious attempt to consider the needs and expectations of their audience
4.4 use and integrate the various cueing systems and a variety of strategies with increasing
independence to construct meaning
8.1 use a range of strategies in writing and other ways of representing to
– frame questions and design investigations to answer their questions
– find topics of personal importance
– record, develop, and reflect on ideas
– compare their own thoughts and beliefs to those of others
– describe feelings, reactions, values, and attitudes
– record and reflect on experiences and their responses to them
– formulate goals for learning
– practise and apply strategies for monitoring learning
8.3 make language choices to enhance meaning and achieve interesting effects in imaginative writing and other ways of representing
9.1 create written and media texts using an increasing variety of forms
– demonstrate understanding that particular forms require the use of specific features, structures,
and patterns
9.2 address the demands of an increasing variety of purposes and audiences
– make informed choices of form, style, and content for specific audiences and purposes
9.3 invite responses to early drafts of their writing/media productions
– use audience reaction to help shape subsequent drafts
– reflect on their final drafts from a reader’s/viewer’s/listener’s point of view
10.1 select from a range of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, and presentation
strategies to develop effective pieces of writing and other representations
10.2 use the conventions of written language in final products
10.4 demonstrate commitment to shaping pieces of writing and other representations

Materials: Pencils, paper, books, internet, projector, whiteboard, markers

Time: 1 Hour

Procedure: 

1) Explain that now that we have created the concept maps for our comics, now we can use them as a tool to help create the main plot for the book. Have a discussion about what the kids think a book's plot is and what might go into a plot. Write examples on the board. (10 min.)

2) Call a few names of kids in the class. Get them to each grab a book off the shelf and bring them over to their seats. One by one, have them read the plot summaries on the back of their books. Discuss what the purpose of the plot summaries might be. (10 min.)

3) Bring up a picture of the elements of plot (with explanations) on the projector. Call on the kids to read each element out loud one by one and discuss what each means. In addition, get them to give an example of each element from a favourite book/story of theirs. (15 min.) 

4) In their notebooks, ask them to copy down the plot drawing from the projector and a short sentence about each element. (10 min.)  

5) Get the kids to find their partners and bring out the concept maps they did least lesson. Using the maps and plot elements as a guide, ask the class to begin forming a  plot summary (at least a page, aiming for two) for  their comics using their writing notebooks. Make sure that both group members are contributing ideas. (15 min.) 

Assessment: 

The children's notebooks with finished plot summaries will be assessed. Group discussion will also be used to gauge their knowledge.

Modifications for ESL students: 

•	Use visual aids for learning about the elements of plot
•	Ask ESL students to read a plot summary and talk a bit about it to ensure understanding
•	Have a handout printed off with the information in case they need a quick reference
•	Encourage discussion between the ESL student and their partner to aid in comprehension

Extensions:

•	Read and explain the plots of books, movies, video games to friends, family
•	Draw out the plot for a favourite book

Resources: 

•	http://english.learnhub.com/lesson/4579-plot-structure (Elements of Plot)