marvel

Book vs. Comic vs. Film: How Do Superheroes Translate Across Media?

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

“Novelizations of films are generally not thought of in artistic terms whatsoever…. If you’re lucky, you get some extra background, a window into the character’s heads. If you’re not lucky, you end up with a movie script punctuated by blocky narrative.” – Emily Asher-Perrin on the Revenge of the Sith novelization

Recently, Marvel released a traditional novel about Miles Morales, a.k.a. Spider-Man. While writing a pictureless book about a comic book character might seem odd, cross-media storytelling isn’t new. Many comic book films have novelizations of their own.

Translating a traditional book to the screen is difficult. What happens when a comic book’s story is retold on film and in a traditional book? What details are lost? In this group presentation, your students will study how certain stories are retold in comics, books, and film.

civil war collage

{Image is a top and bottom comparison of the Civil War comic and the Civil War film. The top half of the image is from the comic, featuring most of the characters involved in the fight. The bottom half of the image is from the film, featuring most of the characters involved in the fight. In both images, the characters are in profile, facing off.}

Students will engage in cooperative learning, visuals, a project, and a presentation.

Materials Needed:

  • Books based on comics or on films (the Marvel Civil War novelization; any of the recent novelizations of Marvel films; the Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith novel)
  • Comics (Marvel Civil War; Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith; The Dark Knight)
  • Films (any of the recent Marvel films; Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith; Batman)
  • Computers with DVD drives so students can watch the films
  • Headphones so students can watch the films
  • Trifold posters (try the Dollar Tree)
  • Markers
  • Printers
  • Glue sticks

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.7 Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
  1. Ask the students to name some books that have been turned into films. Have them describe the differences between the book and the film adaption. Have them wonder what caused those differences. This should only take a few minutes.
  2. Explain to the students that over the course of the next several class days, they divide into groups and study the differences between comic books and their film and book adaptations. They may also study the differences between films and their comic books/novelizations. At the end of the unit, the groups will present their analyses to the class with the help of a trifold poster visual aid.
  3. Divide the students into groups of three. Have these groups pick one story from a series of options. Some good examples of book/film/comic trios include Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Marvel Civil War, and The Dark Knight. Have the groups decide which student in the group will read the book, which student in the group will read the comic, and which student in the group will watch the film. “I Can” Statement: I can work productively with a group to plan a project.
  4. Give the groups time in and out of class to read and watch their books/comics/films. If possible, it may be helpful to your students if you provide movie nights when they can come to school and watch the assigned films. Remind students to watch and read carefully and to take notes. “I Can” Statements: I can read a text carefully and analytically. I can watch a film carefully and analytically.
  5. In class, have the students create a Venn Diagram of what they noticed in the book, the film, and the comics? What similarities were there? What differences? Using this information, the students should come up with a paragraph outlining their plan for their presentation. “I Can” Statement: I can synthesize information using a Venn diagram.

    Books, films, and comics- a study

    {Image is of a multicolored, computer-generated Venn diagram. The entire diagram is entitled: “Books, Films, and Comics: A Study” and subtitled “How do the literary elements of comics translate to other media?” One circle in the diagram is labeled “only the book,” one is labeled “only the film,” one is labeled “only the comic,” and the center is labeled “all three.” The other overlapping parts would correspond to similarities between book and comics, book and film, and film and comics.}

  6. Have each group show you their Venn Diagram and presentation proposal. Discuss their ideas and suggest any necessary improvements. “I Can” Statement: I can use a teacher’s suggestions to revise or redirect my work.
  7. Once you have met with the groups, provide them with a trifold poster and craft supplies. Remind them that this poster should be a good visual aide for their presentation. The poster is a trifold poster because they are discussing three forms of media. If the groups are struggling, describe the process as translating their Venn diagram onto the poster. “I Can” Statement: I can create a neat, informative poster.
  8. Have each group give a 5-to-10-minute presentation about their findings. Their presentation should cover the literary elements of each form of media as well as their personal conclusions: did the story translate well from its original medium to the others? Why or why not? Each person in the group should have equal responsibility for communicating information. “I Can” Statement: I can work collaboratively to present coherent literary analysis to an audience.

What differences did your students notice in their literary analysis? If you and your class are doing something super, please let me know in the comments!

 

 

This Summer In Review: A Comics Retrospective Presented By Your Students

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

 

“I retire for what, like, five minutes, and it all goes to shit.” -Clint Barton/Hawkeye, Captain America: Civil War

Summer break is long and short at the same time: long enough for the kids to miss their friends and drive their parents/grandparents/babysitters/siblings nuts, short enough for it to feel, one week into school, as if they’d never left in the first place.

A lot happened in the superhero world in just a few short months. Captain America: Civil War, the comic event Civil War II, Batman: The Killing Joke, Suicide Squad, and of course San Diego Comic-Con. There have been Doctor Strange trailers and Punisher teasers, and both Tom Hiddleston and Mark Ruffalo posted great photos from the set of Ragnarok.

mark_ruffalo_twitter_h_2016

{Image is a photograph of Mark Ruffalo on the set of Thor: Ragnarok. He is wearing massive Hulk fists and punching towards the camera.}

What was your class’s favorite comic event of the summer? This week’s lesson plan is an essay that answers this question.

Students will engage in whole group instruction, discussion, peer tutoring, and a project.

Materials Needed:

  • Notebooks and black pens/pencils for first drafts
  • Red pens for revisions
  • Computers for student use with access to the Internet for research + with Microsoft Word for final drafts

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2.D Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.
  1. Ask the students what important comic-related events happened over the summer. This can include films, comic books, graphic novels, Comic Con panels, and etc. Discuss. This should take five to ten minutes.
  2. Tell the students that they will be researching and writing a one-and-a-half to two-page essay about what they think was the most important comic event of the summer. Tell them again that this can include live action films (such as Civil War, Suicide Squad), animated films (such as the Batman: The Killing Joke adaption), comic books (such as Civil War II), graphic novels, Comic Con panels, and etc.
  3. Have the students raise their hands and remind you of the steps of the writing process (planning/outline, the draft and revision cycle, peer editing, and the requirements of a final copy). This should take five minutes.
  4. Have the students make a plan or outline of their essay on notebook paper. If they need ideas, they may look up comic book news articles on the computer.
  5. For the rest of the class period, have students write their rough draft on notebook paper. Have them double-space so that they will have room for edits.
  6. During the next class period, pair up the students and have them peer edit each other’s papers. Students may use the rest of that class period to work on a final draft of their paper.
  7. A final typed and double-spaced draft of the essay will be due at the beginning of the third class period. Have students volunteer to present their papers to the class, either by summarizing their ideas or reading the essay in its entirety.

What was the most important comic event of your summer? What issues did your class discuss during the essay-writing process? As always, let me know what you thought about this lesson plan in the comments!

Surprise! I’m Still Here!

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

“When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree by the river of truth, and tell the whole world “No, you move.”  -Steve Rogers

It’s been a long few months filled with all kinds of pain and trauma. Yes, I am talking about Captain America: Civil War. Hello, everyone, and welcome back to SuperLessons. I apologize for being MIA. All Cap 3 jokes aside, I’ve had an incredibly busy semester that culminated in my graduation:

IMG_20160507_160851

{Image is a photograph of two graduation caps. The one on the left is my graduation cap. It has Cap’s shield painted on it, encircled by the words “Write like you’re running out of time.” The cap on the right is my fiancee’s graduation cap. It has a teacher’s apple sticker on the top, followed by the words “Going with all the light you can manage try to grab them.”}

I saw Civil War:

civil war faces blurred

{Image is a photograph of my friends and me at the midnight–well, 7 PM–opening night showing of Civil War. All faces but mine and my fiancee’s are blurred to protect privacy. I am holding Cap’s shield.}

And I’m currently spending my morning going on a Twitter rant about the twist at the end of the new Captain America comic (click for spoilers). The Steve Rogers rage is real.

Now what? Well, it’s summer, which means that I get my classroom back! This summer, I’m working with the “bigs” classroom, which this year includes fifteen 4th-8th graders. I’m looking forward to science projects, field trips to the library, and, of course, our annual Superhero Week.

This summer, this blog will be a repository for superhero-related summer activities. There’ll probably be a series of anecdotes about my kids as well.

Happy summer! (Unless you’re Steve Rogers. Sorry, Steve.)

Superhero Mock Elections

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

shield your vote

Cruz. Rubio. Trump. Fiorina. Carson. O’Malley. Clinton. Sanders–tonight’s a whirlwind of presidential candidates at the Iowa Caucus. But what exactly is a caucus? How does it work? What does it have to do with the real presidential election, anyway?

Today’s lesson plan is a multi-day unit: a mock election with superheroes as candidates. Links to more detailed explanations of terms will be provided as necessary.

Students will engage in lecture, whole group instruction, cooperative learning, hands-on activities, and discussion.

Materials Needed:

  • Poster board
  • Markers, glitter glue, Elmer’s glue, pens, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, and other art materials that can be used on poster board
  • Printer paper
  • Computers for student use with access to Power Point, Google Image Search, and a printer
  • Computer/Projector
  • Laser pointer (optional; don’t perform Lasik surgery on each other, kids)

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

PART ONE: THE PRIMARY

  1. Ask your students if they have been paying attention to the presidential election. If they say yes, ask them if they paid attention to the Iowa Caucus (did they watch it on Snapchat?). Then ask them if they know what a caucus is.
  2. Define caucus for the students. A caucus is a meeting of members of a political party. In the Iowa Caucus, Iowans meet up at local voting precincts and choose which delegates from their political party will represent them in county conventions. These county conventions vote for delegates for Iowa’s state political party conventions, who choose delegates for presidential nominating conventions.
    1. Tell your students that a primary election is one in which members of each political party choose which candidate they want to run for President. Right now, there are many Republican candidates and more than one Democratic candidate. Once people have voted in primaries across the country, the candidate with the most votes will continue running for President. So, while right now the race is Trump vs. Rubio vs. Cruz VERSUS Clinton vs. Sanders, etc., after the primaries, it’ll be narrowed down to ONE Republican vs. ONE Democrat.
  3. Explain to your students that people put so much importance on the Iowa Caucus because it’s a fairly successful (47%) predictor of who will be in the presidential election. Whichever Republican wins the Caucus has a pretty good chance of going on to run against whichever Democrat wins the Caucus.
  4. Tell the students that as a class, you are going to run a mock primary election using superhero candidates. Tell them that they will be separated into two equivalent groups. (Don’t name these groups Democrats and Republicans. I can see the bloodshed already. Name them the Marvels and the DCs.) Then, within those two groups, three people will run for president in-character as superheroes. They will advertise; they will debate; they will give speeches. They will do everything they can to gain supporters within their own party. Then, in a primary election, people within their party will vote for a candidate to go on to the main election.
    1. It’s important to note to the students that political parties in real life aren’t restricted to only having three candidates for the primary. Point out how many Republican candidates there are. The students are limited to three candidates because otherwise the vote could easily be split. You have a class of 30ish people, not thousands.
  5. Divide the students into Marvels and DCs. Within these groups, YOU pick the three who want to run for office.
  6. Give the candidates time outside of class to think of their superhero personas. Have them come up with a vague outline of their political platforms. These can be real–healthcare, immigration, etc.–or imagined–superhero registration! Batman v. Superman! They should have a small speech (it can be as simple as “Vote Cap. FOR JUSTICE!” Or it can be more involved) and some debate points prepared. They should present their persona and platforms to you at the beginning of the next class.
  7. The next class period should be campaign time. Set up six stations for the students, half for the Marvels and half for the DCs:
    1. Speech area #1 in front of the projector–for candidates with (pre-approved) PowerPoints or images to be displayed behind them
    2. Poster station #1–with poster boards, art supplies, etc. to make banners
    3. Handshake station #1–for candidates to speak with their voters
    4. Speech area #2
    5. Poster station #2
    6. Handshake station #2
  8. Optional step: debates. Debates work well if you have a mature class and moderators. They work even better if you have covered speech and debate in your class before. No matter how immature the current US Presidential candidates act, we need to raise a generation that knows how to behave in a debate.
  9. Remind the students that the next class day will be primary election day!
  10. Primary Election Day. Before class begins, set up two closed-off, private areas where students from each party can fill out their ballots.
  11. When students come into the classroom, have them line up in front of their respective ballot boxes. Display the image at the beginning of this post prominently. Remind them frequently that their ballots are secret. In real life, they cannot take a picture of their ballot! They can, however, post about their favorite candidate just as much as they want.
  12. Once the voting is over, tell the students that their ballots, like many ballots in Iowa, will be hand-counted. This may be done by you or by some volunteers from another class.

PART TWO: THE ELECTION

  1. In the next class, reveal the winners of the primary. Have them both come up and make a quick speech.
  2. Tell the class that for the general election, they may cross party lines. You may vote for the DC candidate even if you’re a registered Marvel voter. In fact, this is encouraged. Listen carefully to each candidate.
  3. Campaign time, part two! Set up your stations again. Allow the students to move freely around the classroom. The candidates can make speeches and shake hands; the voters can make posters, listen, and ask questions.
  4. Optional step: debates.
  5. Remind the students that the next class day will be Election Day.
  6. Election Day: same procedure as Primary Election Day.
  7. Count ballots. Find appropriately-designed celebratory material. Decorate your classroom in those colors/designs before the students come in. Allow for celebration and consolation.
  8. Once the students have recovered from the shock/rage/glee, bring them back together. Tell them that the election process does not always go smoothly. For example:

There are many painful, convoluted aspects of the election process. Your classroom’s version was a streamlined procedure.

 

What did your students think of the mock election? Who won? Who will win the real election? As always, leave your thoughts in the comments.

What (Not?) To Wear: Analyzing Heroes’ Costumes

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

“Of the people in this room, which one is A – wearing a spangly outfit and B – not of use?” -Tony Stark, The Avengers (2012)

As your students may have already realized in earlier lessons, one of the most important parts of designing a superhero is settling on a costume. The best artists consider multiple elements while creating a costume: practicality, flashiness, and continuity with comics canon, for example. They might also consider cultural elements:

kamala khan

{Image is of Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, a young Pakistani-American woman with dark hair. She is wearing a black mask and a uniform that consists of a blue-and-red top with a yellow lightning bolt on it and a red cape. Her top includes a red turtleneck. She is holding up her fists.}

But even characters whose costumes seem straightforward, such as Iron Man or Captain America, experience evolution.

jack kirby original iron man

{Image is Jack Kirby’s original concept art for Iron Man. Iron Man’s suit is entirely silver. Each piece of the armor is blocky; his helmet is almost square. He looks heavy.}

iron man 1980s

{Image is an Iron Man comic cover from the 1980s. The subtitle reads, “An Iron Man You’ve Never Seen Before!” Iron Man stands in front of glass cases filled with previous Iron Man suits. Iron Man himself is lifting off his helmet. His face is in shadow. His suit is contoured to his muscles, particularly his biceps and abs.}

iron man films

{Image is Iron Man as he appears in the films. His armor is sleek red-and-gold chrome. The armor has distinct pieces that are sleek and seem to be close to his body, but his muscles are not visible.}

Why do heroes wear what they wear? In today’s lesson plan, your students will complete a formal artistic analysis of superhero costumes. Your students will learn the definition of formal analysis and be able to write an essay examining the formal elements of art as they are represented in superhero costumes.

Students will engage in visuals, lecture, discussion, group work, whole group instruction, and a project.

Materials Needed:

  • Computer
  • Projector
  • Notebooks/writing utensils
  • Various comics from a wide range of time periods so that students can see how certain characters’ costumes change over time

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2.D Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.
  1. Begin class by showing your students the above pictures of Iron Man. If you have more pictures of Iron Man handy, show them. Especially original Iron Man. He’s hilarious. Like the Tin Man’s chubby cousin. This should take five minutes.
  2. Once your students have settled down, ask them why they think the original Iron Man was designed the way he was. Then ask them why you think those specific changes were made to his costume in the 80s and 2000s. What changes did they particularly notice?
  3. Define formal analysis for your students. According to the University of Texas at Austin, “Formal analysis is…an analysis of the forms utilized in the work of art: …color, shape, line, mass, and space. The formal analysis moves beyond simple description in that it connects the elements of the work to the effects they have on the viewer.”
    1. This webpage includes definitions of each of the formal elements, as well as a student-friendly handout about them.
  4. Divide your students into groups. Pull up the Iron Man images on your projector screen again. Have each group analyze these images of Iron Man using their knowledge of formal analysis.
    1. Make sure to remind your students that they have just now learned how to use formal analysis! Encourage them to ask each other for help (NOT to gossip, I see those kids’ minds churning, too) as well as to consult their worksheet.
  5. Bring the class back together. Have each group briefly discuss what formal elements they discovered: color, line, etc.
    1. What effect do those formal elements have on your students? For example, the use of line varies greatly between the original Iron Man and the 1980s Iron Man. What adjectives would your students use to describe these costumes? Comical? Imposing?
    2. If the students struggle, encourage them. Have more examples ready to go over in class. Captain America in the films is a pretty good example of variation in costumes. See today’s opening quote: in Avengers, he’s wearing a skin-tight spangly suit (thanks, Coulson) that’s a lot more similar to his “dancing monkey” chorus outfit in the early scenes of Captain America than it is to his battle uniform in Captain America. By the time we see him in Cap 2, he’s wearing a suit with muted colors (since he’s working in covert ops); even his shield seems dimmer. In Avengers 2, though, his costume seems to have come full circle to his original battle uniform from the first Captain America film.
  6. For homework, your students will write a three-to-four-page formal analysis/compare-contrast essay about superhero costumes. Each student will choose a specific hero. They should have two examples of this hero’s costume, which preferably do not look much alike. They should compare the color, line, space, etc. of these two costumes. In their essay, they should also briefly address the setting and action of the comic their images appear in. Why do your students think that the artist dressed this hero this way at this time? Your students should finish their essay with a paragraph detailing their personal thoughts about both costumes. Which one do they prefer? Why? They should reference formal elements in order to back up their preference.

How did your students handle this lesson? What did they think of the original Iron Man? As always, if you have any ideas, or if you and your class are doing something super, please let me know in the comments!

New Year Resolutions for the Superhero Teacher

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

As you’ve probably already noticed due to the horde of screaming students that re-entered your school this morning, it’s a new year. I’m fantastically excited for this year: I’m getting my degree and getting married. More importantly, a whole slew of superhero films comes out this year.

Deadpool.

deadpool poster

{Image is a poster for the Deadpool film. Deadpool stands in front of a plain black background. The poster says “Deadpool” and the release date, 2-6-16.}

X-Men: Apocalypse.

x_men__apocalypse__2016____poster_by_camw1n-d91s5x4

(Image is an X-Men: Apocalypse poster. The poster shows Apocalypse standing the background. Professor X stands in the foreground (and James McAvoy is bald for the role!). Behind Professor X and to the viewer’s left is Psylocke. Behind him and to the viewer’s right is Magneto. The bottom of the poster lists the release date, 5/27/16.}

Batman V. Superman.

Batman-v-Superman

{Image is a cast poster for Batman V. Superman. From left to right: Batman, looking down and to the left; Superman, looking at the viewer dead on; and Wonder Woman, holding her sword (!!!), looking to the right and slightly down.}

CIVIL WAR!

civil war

{Image is a poster for Captain America: Civil War. Red words at the top of the poster say “Words Are Over.” Beneath those words, Iron Man’s gauntlet holds Captain America’s cowl. The gauntlet is torn up, exposing Iron Man’s thumb and ring finger. Captain America’s cowl is stained. The bottom of the poster has the release date, 5.6.16.}

This year will be such a good year. I can feel it.

As usual, I’m also nervous coming into the New Year. I want to grow as a teacher. I want to always be patient with them. At the beginning of the year, I make resolutions. I promise that I’ll be gentler with my kids. That I’ll always give them as much time as they need to follow their own curiosities, whether those curiosities are the books they’re reading or the sounds the heater in the bathroom makes. That I’ll be patient when they’re frustrated and lashing out, especially because I spent so much of my childhood lashing out due to my frustration. That I’ll give 100% of myself 100% of the time.

I won’t. I can’t. I’ll have days when I’m feverish, or when my anxiety’s acting up, or when I’m just not up for the challenge. My kids will scream at me. They’ll hit each other. They’ll talk through lessons. And, patient as I want to be, sometimes I don’t have twenty minutes to spare with that kid who’s so fascinated by the heater in the bathroom.

I will fail.

Part of being a superhero is failure. The comics we’ve read together on this blog prove that. Heck, the films coming out this year prove that. Iron Man and Captain America have a disagreement so violent that the crossfire kills other heroes. No matter how good people are, they fail. What makes someone a superhero is continuing to try to be good even when they’ve failed.

Resolutions aren’t rules that you have to keep every minute of every day. They’re more like guideposts. A general direction for the year.

With that in mind, here are my resolutions for the coming year:

  1. I will support and promote comics and graphic novels in the classroom.
  2. I will encourage students to create their own imaginative stories.
  3. I will be open to change and willing to follow students’ natural curiosities as much as I can.
  4. I will be as patient as possible with anyone who frustrates me….
  5. But I will also do what I can to take care of myself, mentally, physically, and emotionally–I will recognize that, just like any other superhero, the first person I have to help before saving anyone else is myself.

Happy New Year, other heroes. It’s going to be a good one.

Good luck.

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

good luck

{Image is a photoset. The title: “Studying for Finals.” The first picture is a still from The Avengers. Maria Hill stands with her arms crossed. She says, “When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?” The second image is a still of Tony Stark. He says, “Last night.”}

Trailer Techniques

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

Unless you’ve been shot into space, possessed by Loki, or frozen by Hydra in the past week, you’ve probably already seen the Captain America: Civil War trailer. If you’re me, you’ve seen it so many times that you have it memorized. (“He’s my friend.” “So was I.” Cue continuous pained sobbing.) Bucky remembers Steve stuffing his shoes with newspapers. Tony wants to punch Steve in his perfect teeth. Sam Wilson is worried that he’ll be caught in the crossfire, and STEVE ROGERS CAN HOLD DOWN AN ENTIRE HELICOPTER WITH THE FORCE OF HIS RAGE. Oh, yeah, and Steve and Bucky apparently find the time to practice throwing the shield back and forth like a Frisbee just so they can beat the holy hell out of Iron Man. Fun times all around.

If you’re me, you like watching trailers repetitively for a variety of reasons: spoiler-hunting, character analyzing, or something in between. Trailers are addicting–that’s why they’re such good marketing tools. If a trailer makes you stare at your computer screen while emitting high-pitched shrieks of glee, it’s doing its job.

How do trailers convince us to buy movie tickets half a year in advance? How much of the film’s plot do they reveal anyway? With this week’s lesson plan, your students will analyze trailers for plot, character, and theme, and then compare their analysis to the plot, character, and theme of the film itself. They will also discuss which marketing techniques work on them and which don’t.

Students will engage in visuals, lecture, whole group instruction, discussion, and a project.

Materials Needed:

  • Computer
  • Projector
  • Computers available for student use, with (monitored) access to YouTube

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.
  1. Tell the students that they will primarily be watching trailers today. Give them a moment to process this and then calm down. Remind them of the rules for watching films in class (be quiet, pay attention, etc.).
  2. Play the Civil War trailer for the students. Once the trailer is finished, ask them what film techniques they noticed in the trailer. What colors did they notice? Was the trailer dark or light visually? What was the mood of the trailer? What does the film’s plot seem to be from the trailer? Did they notice any spoilers or easter eggs? This discussion should last five to ten minutes.
  3. Tell the students that this trailer analysis is the basis for their large project. In class, they will watch two trailers of their choice, one for a film they have not seen and one for a film they are familiar with. These trailers do not have to be superhero-themed, but they may be, as this is a superhero-themed unit.* They will analyze both trailers as stand-alone pieces of work; they will write a short description of both discussing the visual and plot elements of the trailers. Their short description will conclude with a few sentences describing what they expect the plot arc of the film to be, based on the trailer. Then, for the trailer of the film they have seen, the students will write an additional paragraph discussing what actually occurs in the film. How is it different from the trailer? Is the mood different? Is the plot substantially different from what they see represented in the film? With all of these issues considered, do your students think that this trailer accurately represents the film?
    1. The students will have time to type up this short analysis as homework.
  4. When the students turn in their analyses, have them discuss what they found. Overall, did they find that trailers were true to the films, or did they seem to be false advertising? With what they have discovered in mind, do they think that the Civil War trailer accurately portrays what will occur in the film? What sort of important parts of the film do you think the trailers’ makers purposely left out?
  5. Conclude class by watching another trailer. Or rewatch Civil War. Rewatching Civil War is always an option.

*Here are a bunch of links to superhero film trailers!

What did your students think of the Civil War trailer? What do you think? As always, if you use this lesson plan or any of the others in your classroom, let me know in the comments!

Thanksgiving

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

  1. I am thankful for this two-day week and five-day weekend. At this point in the semester, this is my face:
    no

    {Image is of me, a blonde-haired white person with wire-rimmed glasses. I am wearing a red sweater and headphones. I am holding a thick textbook over my head and glaring at the camera.}

    But I am still here, alive, mostly healthy, and far more educated than I was at the beginning of the school year. I’ve learned so much from my professors and from my students. I’m getting better at debating and listening productively and respectfully. I’ve learned to blog and to put together a podcast. I’ve learned more about who I am as a person and how strongly I believe in what I believe in. I am incredibly grateful for my education, and I am wonderfully blessed to be able to help educate the kids I work with. They make all this end-of-semester exhaustion worth it.

  2. I am thankful for Captain America and the people who write his comics. Steve Rogers is the standard of morality that I hold myself to. He doesn’t like bullies. He defends what’s right, not just what’s stereotypically “American.” He listens to people carefully, and he befriends people based on how good they are, not based on their culture, race, sexuality, or gender. When written well, he represents not necessarily the US as it is but the US as it should be–fair, just, righteous, and open.

    captain america

    {Image is a scan of a comic cell. Captain America is facing the reader with his right hand outstretched. He is saying: “Well, I say America is nothing! Without its ideals–its commitment to the freedom of all men, America is a piece of trash! A nation is nothing! A flag is a piece of cloth!!”}

  3. I’m thankful for Iron Man, too, even when he’s a jerk. He makes me laugh when I feel like doing anything but laughing.

    tony

    {Image is a scan of a comic cell. Iron Man is in the center of the cell with his back to the reader. He is saying, “My name is Tony Stark. And Captain America dances in his underwear to the Andrews Sisters.}

  4. I am thankful for my fiancée. She’s the Bucky to my Steve–which, if you know anything about fandom, probably sounds tacky or cheesy or ridiculous. But it’s true. She encourages my writing, even when I’m moaning about how I feel stuck in a rut. She wrestles with me in the snow and reads me the lesson plans she writes for her third graders. She shares every single one of these lesson plans on her social media. She makes me feel safe and smart and listened to. Those aren’t words I historically would have applied to myself. But with her, they’re true.
thanksgiving 1

{Image is a photograph of my fiancée and me from this Halloween. We are standing outside by some orange leaves. She is in costume as the Winter Soldier. I am in costume as Captain America. She is holding Captain America’s shield over our heads to protect us from the rain.}

And I’m thankful for you, person who is reading my blog. Thank you for reading my lesson plans. Thank you for engaging with comics on a meaningful level. Thank you for embracing your geekery and your students’ geekery. Thank you for sharing these plans on social media and for trying them out in the classroom.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Watch the Macy’s Parade and the dog show. Eat until somebody has to roll you out to your car. Curl up with the people you love, whether they’re family by blood or by choice, and let them know that you love them.

Enjoy the break! I’ll be back with your regularly scheduled lesson plans on Monday.

(No word on how coherent said lesson plans will be. The post-turkey coma is rough.)

Writing Stan Lee-Worthy Comics

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

“I don’t think anything can really beat the pure fun and pleasure of holding a magazine in your hand, reading the story on paper, being able to roll it up and put it in your pocket, reread again later, show it to a friend….I think young people have always loved that. I think they always will.” —Stan Lee

EXCELSIOR!

One of the most gleeful moments as a Marvel fan is spotting the latest Stan Lee cameo. He’s ridiculous and funny, kind of like your grandpa when he gets a little tipsy at Christmas dinner.

He’s also a writing god. Stan Lee, Jack Kirby–everyone who’s come after them has had to fight to live up to the standards they set. Jack Kirby passed away (before I was born, which is a damn shame. I’d like to take that up with whoever’s running this whole universe show). But Stan Lee’s still around, drinking too much Asgardian mead, being oblivious to Spider-Man, and dispensing advice to wannabe comic writers.

Recently, Buzzfeed interviewed Stan Lee. Out of this interview came five pieces of advice for people who want to create superheroes.

This week’s lesson plan is a unit on creating heroes based on Stan Lee’s advice.

Writing Stan Lee-Worthy Comics

Students will engage in lecture, whole group instruction, discussion, and a project.

Materials Needed:

  • Loose leaf lined paper
  • Blank white sheets of paper
  • Pencils, pencil sharpeners, rulers, pens, markers, and other art supplies for drawing comics
  • A computer
  • A projector and whiteboard/something to project onto
  • Optional: copies of comics previously used in the classroom

Standards Met

  • “CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.”
  • “CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.A Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.”
  1. Have the students take out a loose leaf sheet of lined paper. On one side of this sheet, have them list each superhero they have studied so far in class. Make sure they leave a few lines between each name. Then have them describe each hero’s character traits in the space by each character’s name. This should take about ten minutes.
  2. Have the students flip over their sheet of paper. On this blank side, have them expand on the character traits of one superhero. Why does this hero have these traits? How are these traits shown in the comic–through dialogue? Through art? This should take about ten to fifteen minutes.
  3. Pull up the Stan Lee interview linked above on the whiteboard. Go through his advice with your students. This should take about ten minutes.
  4. Introduce them to the main project by telling them that they are going to use Stan Lee’s guidelines, as well as their own observations about superheroes, to create a short (one-to-three-page, not including a cover) comic about their own original superhero. This comic should reveal the hero’s character. The first draft will be sketched. Then, after a peer review and revisions, a full-color or fully-inked comic will be submitted for a final grade.
  5. For the rest of the class period, have the students map out a plan for their superhero. Who are they? What do they look like? Where are they from? What are their powers? What is their family/their friends like? If the students finish this task early, they may get a blank piece of white paper to start sketching their comic’s cover.
  6. Over the next few class periods, and/or outside of class, depending on time constraints, your students should continue to work on their comic. Remind them that, as a first draft, their comic does not have to be colored or ink. Keep Stan Lee’s interview pulled up on the whiteboard so the students can review his advice.
  7. When the students turn in their first drafts, have them exchange these drafts with another student. Provide them with a checklist for peer review: Does the comic fit the required structure of a cover and one-to-three pages of actual comic? Does the other student seem to have used Stan Lee’s advice? Is the superhero’s character obvious through action and dialogue? What doesn’t make sense? What does? Remind your students that this review is meant to be constructive.
  8. Have your students revise their comics while bearing in mind their peers’ advice as well as your own advice. Remind them frequently that their final draft should be colored or inked.
  9. Enjoy reading all of their comics!

What superheroes did your students create? What heroes have you created? If you use this or any other lesson plan in your classroom, please let me know in the comments!