school projects

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!

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.

Would the Real Lex Luthor Please Stand Up? Changing Actors in Comic Book Films

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

One of the few cool facts about my hometown–other than that the Roseanne house is here–is that Lex Luthor comes from here. Not the villain himself, though that would also be neat, but Michael Rosenbaum, who played him in Smallville. I watched that show on the tiny wood-paneled box of a television on my grandparents’ screened-in porch. I though, I want to be as lucky as him.

lex luthor

{Image is a still of Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor in Smallville. He is looking to the left. He is wearing a grey t-shirt under an unbuttoned black shirt. He is bald.}

My talents lie in writing, not acting, and it’s too difficult to maintain a perfectly shaved head, so I don’t think I have a future as Lex Luthor. But many people have played him, each with a different flair. Rosenbaum played young Lex, who starts out as Clark’s friend. Gene Hackman’s Lex wore a hairpiece in the Superman films. And now there’s Jesse Eisenberg, who, to the alarm of some fans, has a full head of hair.

Have you seen the Batman V. Superman trailer? Here:

Before I watched the trailer, I was worried about Eisenberg’s Lex. Now? He and Wonder Woman are tied for the reason I go to see this film. His character’s not the same as other iterations of Lex Luthor, but he’s still terrifying.

In today’s lesson plan, your students will explore different incarnations of the same character.

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

Materials Needed:

  • Computer
  • Projector
  • DVD player
  • DVD copy of Smallville
  • Notebooks/writing utensils
  • Computers for student use with monitored access to YouTube

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.6 Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.
  • 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.
  1. Ask the students to give you an example of a TV or film character they like who has been portrayed by multiple actors. This character does not have to be a superhero. This discussion should take less than five minutes.
  2. Show the class a bit of Smallville with Lex Luthor in it. Your choice if you show them a clip or a whole episode.
  3. Have the students raise their hands and tell the class some of Lex’s character traits as well as physical traits in Smallville.
  4. Show the class the Batman V. Superman trailer.
  5. Have the students raise their hands and tell the class some of Lex’s character traits as well as physical traits in the trailer. How does this Lex differ from Smallville‘s Lex?
  6. Ask the students if any of them noted the differences between the two Superman characterizations.
  7. Tell the students that they will each choose a TV/film character (not necessarily a superhero–think Dumbledore or soap opera characters) who has been portrayed by different actors. They will analyze these different performances and write an essay about their character traits, physical traits, and the overall differences between their films. If the film is based on a novel, they may include the novelization in their analysis. They may also add one paragraph of their own opinion of which actor played the role best, but the paper should mostly be objective analysis.
  8. Allow the students to do some research in class. Make sure to monitor their use of computers, particularly YouTube, as they research. They may finish their papers at home.

 

 

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!

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!

Accessible Comics?

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

grown clint deaf

{Image is a scan of a comic page. The top panel shows adult Clint staring at the reader. The second row of cells is a typed doctor’s note stating that Clint has been deafened. The third panel is an image of the doctor’s office, with Clint sitting on an examination table while his brother talks to the doctor. Their speech bubbles are blank, showing that Clint cannot hear them at all. The bottom row of cells shows Clint’s brother signing at him. Clint is looking down.}

Comics, as an art form, haven’t changed much since their inception. Sure, you can download them onto your computer or tablet now, but much like with other books, there are still paper copies being sold regularly. Comics have cells, panels, line and color art, onomatopoeia, and huge plot arcs with a clearly defined protagonist and antagonist.

Where does this leave would-be comics readers who, for whatever reason, can’t experience comics in their usual incarnation?

You don’t usually think of writing comics for the blind. But that is one idea I’m going to ask you and your students to consider in this post.

Today’s lesson plan is a unit about accessibility in comics. Do comic creators have an obligation to create at least some more accessible comics? What can comic creators do for would-be readers with sensory processing issues or other special needs? How can the traditional comic book format be modified for non-traditional readers?

daredevil-first-season.35411

{Image is a poster for Marvel’s Netflix show Daredevil. Matt Murdock faces the viewer. He has a cut on his forehead, and his knuckles are bloody. He is holding a cane in his left hand and is straightening his tie with his right hand. He is wearing tinted glasses.}

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

Materials Needed:

  • Computer
  • Projector
  • Computers available to students, for research purposes
  • Comics for research (especially comics used previously in class)
  • Comic-related films for research (especially films previously used in class)
  • Blank lined paper
  • Blank white paper
  • Pencils, pens, and other art materials needed for comics
  • A USB headset (I use this one for podcasts, but a gaming headset with a USB plug will do) and corresponding technology (such as Audacity), for any students who wish to work with an auditory medium
  • Whatever other materials students need for their special projects; you will want to touch base with your students throughout the unit to ensure that they have everything they need for their project to work

Standards Met:

  • “CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.”
  • “CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2.A Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.”

DAY ONE

  1. Gather the students together as a class. Ask them if they can think of anything that might hinder someone from reading a comic. If they seem stumped, gently guide them toward the idea of people with special needs, for example by asking a question: “What if Daredevil wanted to read a comic?” Discussion should be brief, maybe five minutes.
  2. Introduce the students to the main idea of this lesson plan: The students will be assigned to groups (or allowed to choose their own, depending on how self-regulatory your students are). Their groups will design a comic for someone with special needs. This comic should be short, the equivalent of a ~5 page comic. (This measurement may not mean a whole lot, especially if the students choose to use a completely foreign medium, such as audio recording. Use your best judgment.)
    1. If the students need inspiration, you can give them a list of people who might need an alternate form of comics: have a comic for the blind that includes 3D art or that is narrated, for example; have a comic with muted colors and a wider spread for someone who has sensory processing issues or other problems with focusing; etc.
    2. This new form of comic may also encompass a group that is not often represented in cape comics: for example, an autistic superhero.
  3. REMIND THE STUDENTS THAT COMICS ARE FUN. THIS PROJECT IS TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE HAVE FUN. FUN IS KEY.
  4. Assign the students to groups (or let them group up). Give them part of the class period (15-20 minutes) to discuss what need they want to fill with their comics. Each group should bring you a paragraph-long proposal detailing what need they wish to fill and how they propose to fulfill it. This proposal does not have to cover all aspects of this issue, but the students should be prepared to keep in touch with you about their project as they work on it over the next few days.
  5. For the remainder of the class period, have the students research the special need that they have chosen. This research should continue outside of class. The students do not have to type a formal report about the need they wish to fill, but they should have printed reliable sources about what resources are used to accommodate the people they wish to accommodate. They should also research the culture of the people they wish to create comics for. If they want to make special comics for Deaf people, they should research Deaf culture. If they are interested in writing comics for Autistic people, they should look into autistic advocacy, particularly that done by autistic teenagers and adults.

DAY TWO

  1. Meet with each group during this class period. Have them describe what information they have uncovered in their research. Ask them how they intend to incorporate that information into their work. Remind them that they should always keep the wants and needs of their audience in mind.
  2. Let the students work on their projects in class. Check in with the groups as they work. Ask what materials they need that you might be able to help them find.

DAY THREE

  1. Students continue to work on their projects in class. Their work should be close to halfway done.
  2. Continue meeting with the groups. See if they have any questions. Provide resources created by the people they are creating their comic for if need be. Also: encourage them! Encouragement is key. Comics are fun.

DAY FOUR

  1. Students continue to work on their projects in class. Their projects should be completed by next time!
  2. Have the groups prepare a short summary of their projects. This summary should be about a page long, single-spaced. It will explain the purpose of their comic, its storyline, and what materials they used to make their comic accessible to a certain group. This summary will be presented along with their finished project.
  3. Remind the students that they need to have all materials needed for someone to experience their comic. If they need a laptop and headphones, they should find one (ask you or a librarian for one, etc). These materials all need to be present in the next class–otherwise their classmates won’t be able to experience their comics!

DAY FIVE

  1. PROJECT IS DUE! The students will set up their projects in designated spaces around the classroom. Their projects will be accompanied by their single-spaced summary. All of the students will move from station to station, experiencing each other’s comics.
  2. During the last part of class (20ish minutes), have the students settle into their seats. Have them write a reflection about their project. Why did their group choose to do that certain project? What do they think went well? What would they change if they could repeat the project? Finally, do they plan on giving the project to anyone who might benefit from its accessibility?

What did your students think of this project? Is there any way in which you wish comics were more accessible? Is there any issue that you think this lesson plan could better address? If so, let me know in the comments!

Hawkeye #11: Pizza Is My Business

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

“The worst day in comics is Wednesday, because that’s the day the comics come out and all of your mistakes becomes permanent.” –Matt Fraction

Remember the very first lesson plan posted on this blog, the one about Clint Barton and American Sign Language? In that lesson plan, I briefly mentioned a previous issue of Hawkeye which was told completely from the Hawkeyes’ dog’s point of view. This lesson plan is about that: the adventures of Lucky, the pizza-eating dog.

{Image is a scan of a comic page. In the center of the page, Clint Barton and Kate Bishop are arguing. Their dog stands in between them, his back to the viewer. Their words are represented by squiggles, showing that the dog cannot understand them. To the left of Clint are circles with symbols that the dog uses to represent Clint: an archer, Clint's bandaged face, a pot of coffee, a coffee mug, a hand, a bowl of dog food, and an arrow's fletching, wide end pointed up so it resembles a heart. To the right of Kate are circles with symbols that the dog uses to represent her: an archer, her face with sunglasses, a small mug, a pizza, a flower, a martini class, lips, a question mark, and a heart.}

{Image is a scan of a comic page. In the center of the page, Clint Barton and Kate Bishop are arguing. Their dog stands in between them, his back to the viewer. Their words are represented by squiggles, showing that the dog cannot understand them. To the left of Clint are circles with symbols that the dog uses to represent Clint: an archer, Clint’s bandaged face, a pot of coffee, a coffee mug, a hand, a bowl of dog food, and an arrow’s fletching, wide end pointed up so it resembles a heart. To the right of Kate are circles with symbols that the dog uses to represent her: an archer, her face with sunglasses, a small mug, a pizza, a flower, a martini class, lips, a question mark, and a heart.}

Clint and Kate picked up Lucky when they realized he was being abused by his vaguely menacing (later outright threatening—they’re the ones who injure Clint later) Eastern European owners. He’s a scruffy mutt who sniffs around the Hawkeyes’ apartment complex with his puppy friend. Despite subsisting off of fast food and, you know, being a dog, Lucky’s smart. Hawkeye #11: Pizza Is My Business is all about just how much Pizza Dog knows.

{Image is an overhead view of the black silhouette of a dog and a dead man. The dog is circling the man, leaving a trail of paw prints. The dead man is covered by the comic's title, "Pizza Dog In Pizza Is My Business."}

{Image is an overhead view of the black silhouette of a dog and a dead man. The dog is circling the man, leaving a trail of paw prints. The dead man is covered by the comic’s title, “Pizza Dog In Pizza Is My Business.”}

Hawkeye #11: Pizza Is My Business, Matt Fraction (writer), David Aja and Matt Hollingsworth

Students will engage in lecture, discussion, and a project.

Materials Needed:

  • Copies of Hawkeye #11
  • Notebook paper
  • White paper
  • Pencils, pens, colored pencils, markers, and other art supplies
  • Access to computers/printers outside of class in order to write a paper

Standards Met:

  • “CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.6 Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.”
  • “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. Remind the students of the first Hawkeye issue they read. Ask them what details of that issue made it different from other issues they have read since then. This should take five minutes.
  2. Optional step: Don’t tell the students the premise of Hawkeye #11. I’m curious about what their reactions to the dog might be.
  3. Divide the children into groups and give each group a copy of the comic to read. I advise this just because single issues of comics can be so expensive. The Kindle edition of Hawkeye #11 is $1.99, which may be the cheapest option if your school has e-readers. You may also be able to find a copy of this issue online, though it doesn’t seem to currently be available on the Marvel site. This should take ten minutes.
  4. Pass out notebook paper and pencils. Have each individual student create a short outline, script, or plan for a comic told from an unusual character’s point of view. This may be an animal, similar to Lucky the Pizza Dog, or maybe a child—someone or something who would usually be relegated to a secondary character spot. This should take ten minutes.
  5. Pass out the white paper and art supplies. Have the students sketch out their short comics. This should take the rest of the class time.
  6. The students may finish their comics outside of class if they wish. Additionally, have the students write a short paper, a page and a half to two pages (yes, size twelve Times New Roman and normal margins—this would be a maximum of five hundred words), explaining the premise of their comics. Why did they choose that particular character? What writing or art techniques did they use to convey their message—especially if their main character is non-verbal? Did they borrow any techniques from the Hawkeye comic? If so, which ones did they borrow and why?

What did your students think of Pizza Dog? What did they write about in their comics? As usual, if you use this lesson plan or any of the other lesson plans from this blog, tell me about it in the comments!

Captain America and Propaganda: A Four-Day Unit

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

“Captain America is among the truest of superheroes. He was born out of something very real and immediate. We were on the cusp of entering World War II and he stood as an answer to the fears of many American children.” –John Cassaday

All superheroes have been criticized for being one-dimensional, but Captain America gets the worst rap. His single-minded obsession with justice seems like an obvious choice for a guy prancing around draped in an American flag. In his most recent incarnations, Steve Rogers has felt more well-rounded: When he is asked in the film Captain America: The First Avenger if he wants to kill Nazis, he says, “I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t like bullies. I don’t care where they’re from.”

(This is, for the record, my favorite superhero quote. I have it, along with Cap’s shield, tattooed on my shoulder.)

But Captain America began as nationalistic propaganda. Obviously he started out as a specifically anti-Nazi character. In more recent years, he’s been pro-American in different ways. The most blatant use of Cap as propaganda within the past fifteen years came just after 9/11.

{Image is a scan of a comic book cover. Captain America's shield takes up most of the page. Faces of various men and women are in the background. Gold script at the top of the page reads,

{Image is a scan of a comic book cover. Captain America’s shield takes up most of the page. Faces of various men and women are in the background. Gold script at the top of the page reads, “Captain America.” Gold print at the bottom of the page reads, “Honor Them.”

Today’s lesson plan is a four-day unit about Captain America and propaganda in the 1940s and early 2000s. The unit’s plan assumes that your classroom runs on block scheduling with 90-minute classes. If you have shorter class periods, you can definitely amend the unit to match your time constraints.

Captain America: The First Avenger (film), dir. Joe Johnston, screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely

Captain America: Honor Them (#5), John Ney Rieber (writer) and John Cassaday (artist)

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

Materials Needed:

  • Copies of Captain America: Honor Them
  • DVD copy of Captain America: The First Avenger
  • DVD player and projector
  • Poster board
  • Computers for research
  • Markers, glue, and other art supplies

Standards Met:

  • “CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.6 Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.”
  • “CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.6 Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.”

DAY ONE

  1. Have the students define propaganda. This should take less than five minutes.
  2. Show the students propaganda from World War II. Compare this to Captain America propaganda of the same time period. Have the students point out similarities and differences. This should take ten to fifteen minutes.

captain america 1

{Image is of an old Captain America comic. It shows Captain America punching Hitler in the face.}

{Image is of an old Captain America comic. It shows Captain America punching Hitler in the face.}

{Image is a World War II propaganda poster. A Nazi soldier is in the foreground with a bayonet pointed at his neck. He is holding his hands up in surrender. A German WWI soldier is in the background, mirroring this position. The text reads,

{Image is a World War II propaganda poster. A Nazi soldier is in the foreground with a bayonet pointed at his neck. He is holding his hands up in surrender. A German WWI soldier is in the background, mirroring this position. The text reads, “We beat ’em before..we’ll beat ’em again!”

{Image is a World War II propaganda poster. A dead soldier lies across a barbed wire fence. The text reads,

{Image is a World War II propaganda poster. A dead soldier lies across a barbed wire fence. The text reads, “You talk of sacrifice…he knew the meaning of sacrifice!”}

{Image is of Rosie the Riveter in her traditional

{Image is of Rosie the Riveter in her traditional “We Can Do It!” pose.}

  1. Begin watching Captain America: The First Avenger. Have the students keep an eye out for any propaganda in the film. For example, how does Steve Rogers react to propaganda? How is he used as propaganda?

DAY TWO

  1. Continue watching Captain America: The First Avenger. (The film is 124 minutes long.)

DAY THREE

  1. Have the students recap Captain America: The First Avenger. What propaganda did they notice? How was that propaganda similar to what they saw of the original comics/the other 1940s propaganda? What did the students think of the film overall? This discussion should take 5-10 minutes.
  2. Remind the students of the events surrounding 9/11. Discuss America’s mood directly after 9/11. What do the students already know? What gaps need to be filled? This discussion should take 5-10 minutes.
  3. Show the students this image of Cap from the Ultimate Comics directly after 9/11, when some Americans were angry with the French for not supporting the War on Terror:
{Image is a scan of a comic. It is a close-up of Captain America's face. He is pointing at the A on his cowl and yelling,

{Image is a scan of a comic. It is a close-up of Captain America’s face. He is pointing at the A on his cowl and yelling, “You think this letter on my head stands for France?”}

  1. Divide the students into groups and give each group a copy of the comic to read. I advise this just because single issues of comics, especially older comics, can be so expensive. Captain America: Honor Them is available on Amazon for $2.97.
  2. Pass out poster boards to each student. Have the students design posters explaining Captain America’s role as propaganda. They can refer to the notes they took on The First Avenger as well as any notes they took on Honor Them. How is Steve affected by propaganda? How is he used as propaganda? How does the effectiveness of this propaganda change over time—is it effective now? Would it have been effective when it was first published? This project may be completed outside of class.

DAY FOUR

  1. Hang up the posters around the classroom. Give the students about ten minutes (can be more or less depending on how the class is acting) to study their classmates’ posters.
  2. Have the students discuss elements of each other’s posters. What seems to be the overall consensus about Captain America and propaganda? What do the students like about Captain America? Do they prefer him as propaganda? What do they think makes comics fun?

As usual, if you use this lesson plan or any of the other lesson plans from this blog, tell me about it in the comments!

Kamala Khan: Ms. Marvel #1

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

“She’s awkward and unsure in terms of where she fits in and what she wants and who to believe about who she is. I think those are conflicts that we can all connect with and we continue to connect with whether we’re teenagers, adults – just kind of figuring out where we are in the world and what our place is and where we want to be.”– Sana Amanat, editor of Ms. Marvel

{Image is of 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. She is holding up her fists.}

{Image is of 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. She is holding up her fists.}

Kamala Khan’s a pretty average teenage girl: In the first issue of Ms. Marvel, we see her ignoring her grousing mother in order to post her brand-new Avengers fanfiction. (This, despite the fact that she lives in the same universe as the Avengers.) She struggles to avoid rolling her eyes at her father. She sneaks out to go to a party.

{Image is a scan of a comic page. The first cell shows a teenage girl at a computer. Her mother stands in the doorway with a soup spoon in hand. The girl says, "One minute, Ammi...there is epic stuff happening on the Internet." Her mother says, "What?" The girl says, "My Avengers fanfic has almost 1,000 upvotes on freakingcool.com." The second cell shows the girl closing her computer in the foreground while her mother waits in the background. Her mother says, "I didn't understand one single word of that sentence." The girl says, "Okay. Okay. Never mind." The third cell shows the girl following her mother down the stairs. Her mother says, "Fan feek...what is fan feek?! I thought you were up there doing homework." The girl says, "It's Friday night, Ammi."}

{Image is a scan of a comic page. The first cell shows a teenage girl at a computer. Her mother stands in the doorway with a soup spoon in hand. The girl says, “One minute, Ammi…there is epic stuff happening on the Internet.” Her mother says, “What?” The girl says, “My Avengers fanfic has almost 1,000 upvotes on freakingcool.com.”
The second cell shows the girl closing her computer in the foreground while her mother waits in the background. Her mother says, “I didn’t understand one single word of that sentence.” The girl says, “Okay. Okay. Never mind.”
The third cell shows the girl following her mother down the stairs. Her mother says, “Fan feek…what is fan feek?! I thought you were up there doing homework.” The girl says, “It’s Friday night, Ammi.”}

Kamala is a Pakistani-American Muslim, so she deals with other issues too, such as her lust for meat that she is not permitted to eat. She worries about living up to her parents’ standards. At the same time, she longs to be like her non-Muslim peers. She has absorbed the stereotype of the perfect American girl, pale and blonde. In her mind, the ultimate form of this perfect woman is Carol Danvers, also known as Captain Marvel.

When Kamala is struck by magic and turned into superhero, it’s no surprise that she morphs into Carol’s blonde-and-blue-eyed doppelganger.

{Image is of Kamala, now blonde and pale and wearing Captain Marvel's typical blue-and-red uniform with a yellow lightning bolt across the chest. Kamala is saying, "Ummm...is it too late to change my mind?"}

{Image is of Kamala, now blonde and pale and wearing Captain Marvel’s typical blue-and-red uniform with a yellow lightning bolt across the chest. Kamala is saying, “Ummm…is it too late to change my mind?”}

Immediately, though, Kamala regrets her choice of ultimate form. She says, “Is it too late to change my mind?” Her struggle to maintain a cultural identity while finding a place in society follows her into her new superhero life as Ms. Marvel. In later issues of Ms. Marvel, Kamala retains her regular appearance, instead using her morphing powers to give herself Hulk-worthy fists.

Like Miles, Kamala is a refreshing addition to a roster of superheroes that is primarily white, male, and Judeo-Christian. I love her because she’s someone that teenage me would have wanted to hang around—or at least someone whose fanfiction teenage me would have reviewed. She’s curious and excitable and just plain fun.

The following is a lesson plan based on the first issue of Kamala Khan’s run as Ms. Marvel. Unlike previous lesson plans on this blog, this plan is a unit that runs over the course of several class days.

Ms. Marvel #1, G. Willow Wilson (writer) and Adrian Alphona (artist)

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

Materials Needed:

  • Copies of Ms. Marvel #1
  • Map of the world/globe
  • White paper, pencils, and other art supplies

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.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.”
  1. Show the students where Pakistan is on a map. Ask them what they think they know about Pakistan and Pakistani immigrants. Then give them a brief overview of Pakistani culture. Discussion/lecture should last 15-20 minutes.
  2. Divide the students into groups and give each group a copy of the comic to read. I advise this just because single issues of comics can be so expensive. If you have a marvel.com “Marvel Unlimited” subscription, you can access all of the Kamala Khan comics as well as thousands of other comics for $9.99 a month, which is significantly cheaper if your school provides tablets or computers and you plan on using multiple comics for various lessons. Ms. Marvel #1 is $1.99 in the Kindle Store if your school provides e-readers.
  3. Have the students discuss the comic. How were the cultural aspects of the story similar to their assumptions? How were they different? What did they think of Kamala? Discussion should last 5-10 minutes.
  4. Have the students outline a comic about a superhero that is set in their own neighborhood/faith community/ethnic group. Over the course of the next few class periods, have them draw this comic.

What do your students think about Kamala Khan? What do their comics look like? If they have any work they would like to showcase, link me to it in the comments!