Comic style stories use drawings, speech bubbles, and/or captions to tell a short story.  Our comics can focus on any topic… a superhero adventure, a favorite animal, a real-life event, etc.

These tiny stories are also a wonderful way for learners to experiment with expressing their story ideas through pictures and starting to add writing to their drawings.  For many learners, this is the first step in story writing.   As learners create their comics, they will think about story sequence, characters, beginnings, and endings which can help them grow into more confident writers, and also supports reading comprehension skills.
  
I start every class by sharing the start of a story. I briefly introduce the weekly topic and we brainstorm ideas together. For the rest of the class, everyone works on their own stories.  Learners can use their own story ideas or continue with an idea brainstormed by the group. As we work, learners can share their ideas and help each other if someone gets stuck.  The goal is not to complete a finished product by the end of the class, but for children to get started on this process together, and to ignite an interest in creating their own comic style stories at home.  

At the end of every week, I follow up with a classroom post. It includes a brief overview of the topic discussed in class along with an optional activity for learners who would like to continue exploring this topic at home.

New learners are welcome to join anytime! No previous experience is required.

Weekly topics - each week we briefly discuss one aspect of making a comic style story such as: story sequence, sound words, creating a character, speech bubbles, choosing the setting.  We rotate through the same topics every 8 weeks.  I adjust the examples and discussion to meet the needs of the learners currently enrolled in the class.  Students are welcome to continue with the class for more than 8 weeks. Additional topics may be discussed in class depending on student needs/interests.

Weekly topics:
Week of September 2nd: Create a character **No Monday class**
Week of September 9th: Speech bubbles
Week of September 16th: What is the setting?
Week of September 23rd: Problems and solutions
Week of September 30th: Sound words
Week of October 7th: What happens next?
Week of October 14th: Simple captions
Week of October 21st: How will the story end?
Week of October 28th: Create a character: 
Week of November 4th: Speech bubbles **No Monday class**
Week of November 11th: What is the setting? **No Monday class**
Week of November 18th: Problems and solutions
Week of November 25th: *** No Classes ***
Week of December 2nd: Sound words
This course is offered year round - dates and topics are updated as the class progresses. 

Wondering if this is the right class for your learner?

This class is designed for children with a range of literacy skills.  The way each child engages with the activities in this class will depend on their stage of literacy development (they may be drawing, writing letters, words, and/or sentences).  If your child is slightly outside of the age range, but you believe they would benefit from this class, feel free to reach out to me to see if it is a match.  I strive to provide an inclusive learning environment and celebrate all levels of literacy development.  

For learners who are ready for more...

Creating Comics Level 1 Ages 7-9: Weekly Workshop
Learners who want to learn all the basic components of creating a comic.  Perfect for kids who are just getting started with creating comics or those who would benefit from a review of the basics.  Also a great class for learners who understand the basics, but need a little extra support/encouragement as they work on their comics. No prior experience is necessary, but it is helpful if the child enjoys looking at or reading comics or graphic novels. 40 minutes long.
https://outschool.com/classes/creating-comics-level-1-weekly-workshop-FDCt5rK8?usid=3CuwGyJY&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

Creating Comics Level 2 Ages 7-10: Weekly Workshop
For learners who have already mastered the basics of creating comics and want to be part of a community of young comic creators as they continue to build new skills.  This class works well for learners who can start a comic independently, enjoy sharing their ideas or like seeing examples of comics made by other students their age. 40 minutes long.
https://outschool.com/classes/creating-comics-weekly-workshop-s5HxRw2y?sectionUid=13ab888a-a862-4747-9fb8-d8d0688e6519&showDetails=true

If you have questions about which class would be the best fit for your learner, feel free to send me a message.  

I hope to see your young comic creator in class soon!