What's included
4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentClass Experience
Beginner Level
Comic strip stories use drawings, speech bubbles, and captions to tell a short story. They 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 adding writing to their drawings. For many learners, this is the first step in story writing. In this class, as learners create their comic strips, there will be opportunities to think about story sequence, characters, beginnings, and endings which can help them grow into more confident writers as well as support reading comprehension skills. This class is taught entirely through videos, so you can complete it on your own time and at your own pace. One of the great things about the class is that you can pause or repeat the videos as needed. Each video lesson will explore one element of a comic strip story. In the video, I will share a comic I am working on, explain my process of adding to a comic strip, and present open ended questions to get learners thinking about the topic. Then learners will be invited to make a comic strip of their own. See the syllabus below for info on what is included in each lesson. The overall goal of this course is to ignite an interest in creating comic strip stories at home as a fun and low pressure way to use their developing literacy skills. Self paced learners can share their comics with me or ask me questions. Learners will interact with me by by uploading a photo, writing a comment, or using the Outschool platform to record a video message. Twice a week, I will respond to work submitted in the classroom and will reply with a written response or a video message. 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). I strive to provide an inclusive learning environment and celebrate all levels of literacy development. If you would like a live version of this class, I also offer several similar live classes, such as my once a week ongoing comic strip story classes: Ages (5-7): https://outschool.com/classes/comic-strip-stories-weekly-workshop-3dlkfdjc?usid=3CuwGyJY&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link Creating Comics Level 1 Ages 7-9: Weekly Workshop Learners 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-ages-7-9-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 Still have questions? Feel free to send me a message. I hope to see your comic creator in class soon!
Learning Goals
The overarching goal of this class is to spark children's excitement for using their current literacy skills in playful and meaningful ways both in class and afterward at home. I believe that learning to read and write is a process that develops gradually with support, time, and authentic opportunities to use their developing skills. The class is designed to support the child in their current stage of development, to inspire them to use their current skills in new ways and to help them to try out new ways to expressing story ideas through drawing and/or writing.
Syllabus
4 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
Favorite story characters & introduction to making a comic strip
I will share a comic strip featuring one of my favorite comic strip characters and go over the basics of getting started on making a comic strip. Everyone will be invited to make a comic strip using their favorite characters.
Lesson 2:
What are the characters saying? What are they thinking?
We will look at a comic strip with no words and then explore ways of adding speech bubbles and thought bubbles to help tell the story. Learners will look for ways to add speech and/or thought bubbles to their comic strips.
Lesson 3:
What will happen next?
We will look at the beginning of a comic strip and explore different directions the story can take. This will help us think about the story sequence and which parts of the story to include in a comic strip. We will also notice how captions can help us understand story sequence. Learners will work on the sequence of events in their comic strip stories and think about captions to go with their story.
Lesson 4:
Sound Effects & Action
We will end our class with a "bang!" as we explore sound effect words to add to comic strips and think of ways we can use our drawings to show action. In the final lesson video I will model turning several comic strips into a simple comic book.
Other Details
Learning Needs
This class is designed for children with a wide range of literacy skills. Learners will choose their own topics for their stories and can decide how much writing/drawing to include. All levels of literacy are celebrated in this class!
Supply List
For each class you will need paper and something to draw/write with (any of the following: pencils, crayons, markers).
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in Education from Portland State University
I have a Master's degree in early childhood and inclusive education with an emphasis on literacy. I have been an educator for over 20 years and am passionate about teaching literacy skills that support a lifelong love of reading and writing. I am also a storyteller and comic creator myself and love to encourage children to explore different ways to share stories of their own. I see all children as capable individuals who are motivated to learn when their interests are honored and they are encouraged to make their own discoveries.
Reviews
Self-Paced Class
$10
weekly or $40 for all content4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks of teacher support
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Completed by 70 learners
Choose your start date
Ages: 5-9