This definitive book presents the newest research linking graphic narratives and literacy learning, as well as the tools teachers will need to make comic book projects a success in their classrooms. The Comic Book Project (www.comicbookproject.org) is an internationally celebrated initiative where children plan, write, design, and publish original graphic narratives in diverse media and formats. In one accessible resource, Bitz presents a comprehensive program that is just as fun for teachers as it is for students. Teachers will learn how to incorporate socially relevant materials and instruction into daily activities, how to differentiate instruction across the K–12 curriculum, and much more. This informative, hands-on book:
- Advances a creative approach to teaching core literacy skills, including narrative construction, spelling, publication, and assessment.
- Includes adaptable lesson plans and examples of professionally published and student-created comics.
- Details classroom applications and resources to help teachers launch their own comic book clubs.
Table of Contents
Jim Davis: Foreword: A Comic Artist on Literacy (ix) James Bucky Carter: Foreword: A Literacy Educator on Comics (xi) Acknowledgments (xiii)
Introduction: Comic Books in Education (1) – Why Comic Books, and Why Now? (2) – Introducing the Comic Book Project (5) – About This Book (6)
1. What Are Comics? (9) – A Note About Terms (9) – Introducing Sequential Artistic-Written Narratives (aka Comics) (10) – Connections to Classroom Literacy (14) – Lessons from the Comic Book Project (22) – Student Comic Book Selection (24) – Classroom Application (28) – Classroom Resources (30)
2. Scaffolding for Reading (31) – Skills of Sequencing (31) – Story Grammars and Storyboards (37) – Reading Comics as Literature (39) – Lessons from the Comic Book Project (40)
– Student Comic Book Selection (44) – Classroom Application (48) – Classroom Resources (50)
3. Scaffolding for Writing (51) – The Writing Scaffold (53) – Finishing the Product: Revising, Inking, and Coloring (59) – Lessons from the Comic Book Project (60) – Student Comic Book Selection (62) – Classroom Application (67) – Classroom Resources (69)
4. Collaborating for Success (71) – Keys to Successful Collaborations (73) – Collaborative Art Making (75) – Lessons from the Comic Book Project (79) – Student Comic Book Selection (81) – Classroom Application (85) – Classroom Resources (87)
5. Teaching Comics, Learning Life (88) – The Foundations of Learning (92) – Tackling Life Issues (94) – Breaking Language Barriers (95) – Lessons from the Comic Book Project (97) – Student Comic Book Selection (98) – Classroom Application (103) – Classroom Resources (105)
6. Publishing and Presenting (106) – Models of Publication (107) – Presenting and Exhibiting (112) – Lessons from the Comic Book Project (115) – Student Comic Book Selection (117) – Classroom Application (121) – Classroom Resources (123)
7. Classrooms, Communities, and Comics (124) – Getting the Community Involved (126) – Thinking About Community (128) – Working with Themes (129) – Lessons from the Comic Book Project (131) – Student Comic Book Selection (132) – Classroom Application (137) – Classroom Resources (139)
8. Launching a Comic Book Club (140) – In-School Models (140) – Out-of-School Models (144) – Assessment (147) – Lessons from the Comic Book Project (149) – Student Comic Book Selection (151) – Classroom Application (155) – Classroom Resources (156)
Conclusion: Beyond the Words and Art (158) – Three Things to Remember (159)
References (161) Index (169) About the Author (177)
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