Tap into the World of Comics Primary School version

Tap Into
the
World of
Comics

Strategies for using Comics in
the Classroom

Entertaining Humour Characters

Action and
Fun 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.

Literacy
Skills
Develop Design
Characters Elements

Develop
Computer Creativity
Skills

Comics
Create a
Decision
setting for a
Making
story

Problem
Sequencing
Solving

Storytelling

Online Online
Games
Character Drawing
creators tools

Online Software
comic
creators
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.

By read write think

•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

•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

•No registration
•Make a comic strip 1 or 3 panels
•Choose from Garfield characters
•Easy to use
•No save option
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
•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

•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

•Must register to use
•Create 1 – 10 rows
•A range of design options
•Is more suited for older students
•Alter pose and emotions

•Must register to use
•Create many panels
•Large range of design options
placed in themes
•Drag and drop tools
•Save to account

The following Comic Creators are blank and allow you to add your own images

•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.

This site provides many comics which provide instructions.

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 Some great ones are
allow you to My Sims, World of
design your Zoo, Zoo Tycoon 2,
own
Moshi Monsters, but
characters
you could really use
any game.

Sims 3

There are also games Wow, there is no end
which allow you to to how creative you
take screenshots can be!
within the game, you
can even change
camera angles.

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
•Can export as PDF, email
and embed
•Excellent graphics based
on the Spore game
•Make a comic book
•Easy to use

Explore the
Comics are theme of
often Superheroes
associated and create
with your own
Superheroes comics

http://superherosquad.marvel.com/create_your_own_comic


This site Or a comic
allows you to Book up
to 22
create a
pages
comic strip long. You
can even
download
as .pdf Choose from
Marvel Comic
Characters

http://superherosquad.marvel.com/comics/

http://www.dccomics.com/dckids/?action=stuff

DC Comics

Marvel Comics Marvel Kids
http://marvel.com/digitalcomics/free/ http://marvelkids.marvel.com/comics

Create your own
superheroes to use in
comics using these
Superhero creators

Hero Machine

Marvel Super Hero Creator Hero Factory

Students can
combine images
with text in a
comic strip
using
information from
a research task.

Created using Zoo Tycoon 2

How could Characters can
The teacher could
you create ask each other
provide the questions
an interview questions. The
or students can
in a comic? questions can
devise their own.
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.

These classics are
available free
online
http://www.kelvi.net
AZDressup /books/comics/

Creating comics is a It allows them to create
great method to help a sequence, explore
students learn how to storylines and
develop a story. understand the use of
characters, settings and
dialogue.

My Sims

Choose a
theme or
create
characters
for
inspiration

Here is an
example, create a
story about a
dog using
A Dog’s Life
http://www.buildyourwildself.com/

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

Students can
use comics to
investigate and
respond to
Current social or
Affair political
Items can issues.
be great
topics to
explore

Howzat!

Ashes Cricket 2009

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

Comic books in
other languages
are also useful

Students
can also add
aspects of
the cultural It is a fun
traditions way to
from the develop
country. reading skills.

http://www.dolldivine.com/kimono.swf ToonDoo

It could be
Comics are a great tool represented as an
for students to use when interview or
reflecting on a task. 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…………
Here is a
•Problems I came across were…………….. list of
•I solved them by ………………… prompts to
help with
•The new skills and knowledge I learnt from this task were…… reflection.
•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 …………..

Comics are This allows you
divided into to explore order
frames and placement
sequences

You could make And students
a comic by can place them
deliberately into their
putting frames correct order.
in the wrong
order

Sims 3

As an activity
at the
beginning of
the school year, It could be set
students can in their
make a comic favourite place
which provides and reflect on
information an event in
about them. their life

or simply
communicate These could be
information printed to create
about their a class comic
interests and book.
hobbies.
ToonDoo

Comic
creators
can Comics
provide a provide
great tool sequence
to help placement
create a and offer
story inspiration.
board for
a film or
activity.

Some great sites to use are:
Hmm.. Read Write Think and Myths and Legends

http://goanimate.com/

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

This may help
with
Develop Photography skills inspiration for
by planning a comic and subjects and
create it using your own camera angles
digital photography

Upload the
images to
an Online
Comic
Creator or
software

Doll Divine

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

Use any of the
Students can webcomics or graphic
use comics in novels already
comprehension mentioned
exercises.

Sims 3

Check for
understanding by
allowing students
to revise new
knowledge.

This can be done by
The teacher
asking students to
could also use
create a comic using
comics to
the new content they
deliver content.
have learnt.
ToonDoo

Students can learn new A good activity is to provide 5
words by applying them in
the correct context in a words which must be used in a
comic. comic.

http://www.mashon.com/spore/

Comics can This can
be used to be used by
give teachers
directions. or
students.

Try creating
a scavenger
hunt using a
comic strip
to deliver the
clues.
My Sims

Try using Song
Lyrics as This will allow
students to
inspiration for a
understand the
comic use of symbolic
images and
develop their
ability to
interpret

Comics Lab Extreme

Students can
extend their Ballads, in
knowledge of a particular, can be
poem by very successful in
interpreting it this task.
into visual form
using a comic.

Comics Lab Extreme

This can be
or using a
done using
comic creator
relevant
which offers Such as
images
Students can graphics
explore events which are http://www.creaza.com/
from history and needed
adapt them into
comic form.

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

Students can learn
about internet safety
and demonstrate
their knowledge by
creating a comic
which explores
internet safety rules.

Here are some
examples which are
also great teaching
tools.

http://pixton.com/uk/

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
Yeah! That will make it fun
reviews.
and engaging for students.

Students And Hmm…
can still develop That’s
develop their logical,
literacy creativity Captain!
skills

http://goanimate.com/

For more ideas on how to integrate technology
into the classroom go to
World of Zoo http://digitaltoolsforteachers.blogspot.com/

Tap into the World of Comics Primary School version

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