Teaching Intern: Kelly Narowitz

School: Garden City High School

Grade Level: 10-12th grade/Certification of Completion Students

Content Area: Cartooning/Storytelling

Title: Comic Strip Lesson

Time Needed: 3 days/periods

1. Learners & Learning Environment:

     a. Engaging Diverse Learners: The class is all teenagers and they are a part of a track called Certificate of Completion for students who have been evaluated to be below the standard levels of IQ and cognitive function. These students need more support during lessons and more individual attention when relating important information. The students have a hard time focusing on long tedious tasks and easily lose interest when they have to do something multiple times.

          i. This lesson will connect with students by allowing them to tell a story that interests them. Getting these students to buy into a project is difficult, but they enjoy sharing and talking about things they enjoy. That is why this lesson let’s them choose a story or joke that they like to relate in their three panel comic strip.

     b. Materials Needed:

          i. Teacher Materials: Examples of comic strips. Example of project.

          ii. Student Materials: Pencils, colored pencils, black marker, paper 9in x 24in (cut a standard piece of drawing paper in half), manila sketch paper.

2. Outcomes & Assessment:

     a. Standards:

          i. Standard 1: Apply skills and knowledge to perform in the arts. ART.VA.I.HS.1 Apply acquired knowledge and skills to the creative problem solving process.

          ii. Standard 3: Analyze, describe, and evaluate works of art. ART.VA.III.HS.2 Describe how organizational principles are used to elicit emotional responses.

          iii. Standard 5: Recognize, analyze, and describe connections among the arts; between the arts and other disciplines; between the arts and everyday life. ART.VA.V.HS.2 Explore and understand the variety of art and design careers.

     b. Student Outcomes:

          i. The student will create a three panel comic strip with a beginning, middle and end.

          ii. The student will do a sketch of their comic before doing their final version.

          iii. The student will practice good craftsmanship while drawing and coloring their final comic strip.

     c. Assessment: Students will fill out a self-assessment rubric/worksheet once their project is completed. They will turn it in with their work. I will assess the students use of materials and understanding of techniques as we work through the project, stopping and reiterating anything that has been misunderstood.

     d. Evaluation: I will fill out a rubric to evaluate the student’s use of materials and fulfillment of project requirements. We will also do a critique to evaluate the student’s works as a class.

3. Instructional Practices:

     a. Introduction:

          i. Teaser/Hook: Has anyone ever read the Sunday paper? Who likes comics?

          ii. Stated Objective: We are going to be starting a new project where you will be drawing a 3 panel comic strip that tells a story.

          iii. Introduction: I will show examples of comic strips such as Garfield, Peanuts, and Calvin and Hobbes. Then I will ask questions to lead them through discovering a three act structure. Has anyone ever written a story? Do you guys know the basic structure of a story? Whether a story is big or small there are three main parts. The beginning, the middle and the end. Look at our examples, can you find their beginning, middle and end?

          iv. Motivation: You guys are going to write out or sketch your own story or joke that will be put in a three panel comic strip. The first panel will have the beginning of your joke. The second panel the middle and the third panel the punchline or end of your joke. Don’t be afraid to make it personal. Tell a story about things you like, or tell your favorite joke. The subject just has to be school appropriate. The rest is up to you.

          v. Student Work Period: Students will take some manila sketch paper to write out their beginning, middle and end of their story. They will sketch ideas for images to draw in their panels.

     b. Instructional Procedures:

          i. Stated Objective: Today you guys will be working on your final three panel comic strip. I have some nice white paper cut long ways to fit a comic strip. I have some cardboard squares for you guys to trace your three panels on your white paper. Do this in pencil first, then go over the pencil with black marker.

          ii. Modeling: I will demonstrate how to trace their 3 panel squares on to their final paper. After this step you are to fill in your panels with the story and images you sketched out yesterday.

           iii. Student Work Period: Students will work on tracing their panel squares and drawing their images and story into the panels.

          iv. Stated Objective: Today you guys are going to work on coloring in your comic strip. This is the last step, so take your time and use good craftsmanship so it turns out beautiful.

          v. Modeling:  I will model techniques for using colored pencil to color in their comic strip. You want to use even pressure and color in multiple directions so that the color doesn’t look splotchy and scratchy.

          vi. Student Work Period: Students will work on finishing up their comic strip. I will walk around the room and support when needed and make announcements on proper practices and use of tools when I see fit.

5. Technology:

     a. These kids are hyper connected to the computer and it is important to give them time and space away from technology to develop their motor function skills and personal relationship skills.

6. Closure:

     a. Students will read/present their comic strips to the rest of the class. Each will be given time to talk about their work and how they felt it went.

     b. The student’s comic strips will hang in their everyday classroom so that they understand good craftsmanship and work ethic will lead to beneficial outcomes.

7. References:

Charles M. Shultz writer of Peanuts

Jim Davis creators of Garfield

Bill Waterson creator of Calvin & Hobbes

8. Professional Responsibility:

Teacher Reflection can be found here: