This document provides instructions for students to create a comic strip summarizing a scene from a play. It explains that the comic should have 3-6 panels and include the important plot elements of Freytag's pyramid, such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. Examples are given of online tools that can be used to create the comic. Students are told to think about genre conventions like frames, speech bubbles and caricatures when designing their comic. They also must write a short analysis explaining why they visually represented certain plot elements and characters in their comic the way they did. The document encourages working in pairs and positive behavior.

1. Create a Comic! Creating a comic strip of a scene in the play

2. How can we remember what “plot” is? Freytag’s elements:

3. Or….. Something a bit cooler…. <iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/c6I24S72Jps?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

4. Task Products: Comic strip (3-6 panels) Analysis Embedded in edmodo Collated: An online comic to help people reading or studying the play understand the plot. Pressure’s on!

5. Task Activity 1: Create a comic strip representing plot of the play in a different form What do we mean by representing? Taking the ideas of a text in one form and using another form to present these ideas

6. Task: activity 1 What are the essential elements to include? • 3 – 6 panels • pairs – points for appropriate water hole behaviour! • 1 scene • pick out the IMPORTANT elements • what elements of plot are in your scene?

7. Task: Activity 1 What to use? Up to you! ReadWriteThink Comic Creator: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/ ToonDoo: www.toondoo.com Just make sure you can save it or print it to a file somehow!

8. Task: Activity 1 What do we need to think about when we make a comic? Generic conventions: The features which are common to the comic book genre: block colours, caricature drawings, lack of detail, speech bubbles, frames, sequence. Important elements of the plot: Freytag’s descriptors – how do we create tension? how do we convey the mood? how do we show conflict? how can we demonstrate a resolution? So, consider how you will use the generic conventions to demonstrate these important elements of plot!

9. Activity 2 Analysis: For 3 elements: why did you choose this visual feature to represent that element of the play’s plot? Guidelines on handout and edmodo

10. Activity 2 Analysis: Visual feature? Classroom backdrop. Why this particular visual representation? Working class, simplicity, inadequacy? 3. Generic conventions? Lines, frame, caricature, colour 4. Element of plot? Exposition: introduction to the demographic and attitudes of Blackrock 5. Representation in drama? Stage directions

11. Activity 2 Example: Scene 1 Visual element chosen: Classroom backdrop Generic convention COLOUR: Grey, black, brown. Contributes to classroom looking drab- indicates working class school. Introducing us to the demographic.

12. Visual Element: Classroom Backdrop Genreic Convention FRAME: lets us know that there is a powerful and short scene or event which introduces the play. Generic Convention CARICATURE: Contributes to our introduction to characters-we get the sense that characters and attitudes are as stereotypical as the figures.

13. Pairs and Scenes: REMEMBER! Bonus points for positive water hole behaviour!