Jennifer, I LOVED your idea of using comics in the classroom. I am always searching for new projects that I can write a grant for, and implement the project in my classroom. I also teach 3rd grade. I would love to see your unit that was written for this project. I didn't see it on the websites you listed. Would you mind sharing the uint? I would like to see what all ideas you had on this.
Thanks Elisa Kifer On Sat, Sep 13, 2008 at 7:13 AM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Elisa > Thank you for your review. I can't wait to read this book. Here in > Maryland, > our State Department of Education in partnership with Diamond Comics and > Disney Comics have an initiative called Maryland Comics in the > Classroom.(_ > http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/recognition-partnerships/md-comic- > book_ > ( > http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/recognition-partnerships/md-comic-book) > ) I was one of several writers who created a unit for > use in third grade classrooms. A few years back, a couple of colleagues > and I, > along with our state superintendent, presented our initiative at IRA in > San > Antonio. Since then, I have had the opportunity to field test the unit in > my > own school. > > As some of you might remember, I am a reading specialist and I coteach > with > regular classroom teachers. We regroup based on reading needs and I was > working in a comprehension group last year where we used comics in the > month of > May. I have to tell you, that one day we set the kids loose on a Disney > comic. > They were spread around the room reading silently when the giggles started. > Next thing we knew, the kids were all laughing outloud! AND they kept > reading > eagerly to see what else Donald Duck would do! We were thrilled that the > kids > were enjoying themselves so much that these normally reluctant readers > didn't > want to quit reading to pack up and go home for the day. > We also had the kids create their own comics (which by the way, was a GREAT > way to help them internalize narrative story structure) and bound them into > a > book and then invited parents in to celebrate. The kids absolutely loved > the > whole unit and spent the summer reading and writing comics (and other > things) themselves. It was a great deal of fun and a lot of learning went > on. > So...this is my own personal testimony. Comics work! > Jennifer > In a message dated 9/12/2008 7:54:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > Dear List, > This is the first post from the Mosaic Professional Book Review Team on > the > book "Adventures in Graphics" by Terry Thompson Campbell published by > Stenhouse: http://www.stenhouse.com/0712.asp. > > Adventures in Graphica by Terry Thompson offers practical lessons for > teachers who are interested in doing a full blown graphica study or just > want to find engaging ways to hook challenging readers. Since we all have > reluctant or struggling readers in our classrooms, this is a must have > book. > In addition, there are many examples of how comics can be used as a more > accessible "bridge" into conventional texts for children. In my opinion, > this is where this book's real strength lies. > > Terry Thompson calls this "bridging" into conventional text "translating > the > transfer". First, he describes the conventions of comics and how comics > can > be used to teach the various comprehension strategies. Then, he gives many > examples of how comics can serve as a bridge into traditional text forms. > He > makes a convincing claim that reluctant and more visual learners benefit > from exposure to and working with graphica because the various conventions > of comics are mirrored in traditional texts but in more appealing ways. > These conventions are panels for paragraphs, speech bubbles for dialogue, > narrative boxes for the narrator, different and/or unusual lettering that > signal a variety of feelings and intonation (not usually found in > traditional text in the same way but there nonetheless), directionality > for > left to right, up and down. And, last but not least, we cannot deny the > important role that illustrations play in the reader's understanding and > appreciation of individual comics. While some traditional text may not > rely > heavily on pictures, except perhaps in picture books or wordless books, > they > are still important in developing a reader's appreciation and > understanding > of text. > > We can help children ease into traditional texts by demonstrating how > these > conventions work in conventional texts. In this way, we can help them to > make sense of books that may not be accessible at the present time. The > visual attraction of comics coupled with short text appeals to reluctant > readers. Therefore, if we can make them see how these same conventions > work > in traditional text we will be able to facilitate their transition into > more > traditional text. > > In the chapter titled 'In the Mind's Eye', Thompson talks about teaching > mental images and inferring. He gives examples of graphic organizers that > can help students organize what a character does, says, and thinks as a > way > to determine (infer) character traits. This would be an example of > translating the transfer. One three-column graphic organizer designed for > this purpose has the following headings: said, thought, and did inside > different bubbles that exemplify whether the character is speaking, > thinking > or doing something. Comic book readers will easily recognize these > different > bubble types. Then, children write down what the character said, did, or > thought under the appropriate columns. By doing this, the reader can begin > to infer and make judgments about a character in a comic or in a > traditional > piece of text. > > As a grade two teacher I appreciated the examples Thompson gives that can > easily apply to my grade level. For example, on p. 84 he describes how > wordless books and the conventions of graphica can be used to enhance > readers' comprehension. For example, using the book "Pancakes for > Breakfast", students can create panels, narrative boxes, and speech > bubbles > and then use these to write the story in a traditional format. I am going > to > try this with my grade two students. In fact, I have already started a > collection of wordless books for this purpose. > > I highly recommend "Adventures in Graphica" to all elementary teachers. It > is full of ideas that can be used in the classroom right away. The > descriptions are clear and can be adapted to individual groups of > students. > This is a very readable book that will convince even the most skeptical > teachers of the value of using comics in the classroom. Happy reading! > Elisa > > Elisa Waingort > > > > > > > **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, > plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. > (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014) > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > -- Elisa M. Kifer Third Grade Literacy Teacher Fox Meadow Elementary "Love of reading and writing is not taught, it is created. Love of reading and writing is not required, it is inspired. Love of reading and writing is not demanded, it is exemplified. Love of reading and writing, is not exacted, it is quickened. Love of reading and writing is not solicited, it is activated." -Russell Stauffer, 1980 _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
