These lesson plans are inspired by www.comicbookproject.org
If you work at a Title 1 school or want more information please visit their website. They will print your graphic novels for you if you are Title 1 and supply information on software to create graphic novels and examples of previous themes that have been used.
These 3 graphic novel lessons are designed to build off each other and can be considered a unit of lessons.
At this age it is important to catch students' interest in both art and reading. Students are becoming fluent readers who are able to read for enjoyment. They may be loosing interest in “childrens” books that are illustrated, but comic books/graphic novels are always cool, for all age levels. Students should be able to look at a piece of artwork and pick out symbolic elements within the comics and draw greater meaning than they might from the text alone. By catching them at this age we hope solidify their love of art.
The theme “I am a Super Hero” appeals to students’ fantasy lives and desire to express ideas about themselves. A brief history of comic books
This lesson builds off of the previous graphic novel lesson. Follow the link below to view a PowerPoint presentation discussing current artists who are both comic 2-D artists and sculptors.
This lesson is the preview to the sculpting lesson. Be sure to discuss the use of gesture in both comic drawings and sculpture of a given artist. Have students act out what they are seeing. This will appeal to the kinesthetic learner and keep students who are prone to sleeping during discussions involved.
This lesson uses gesture drawings that the students model for to create a 3-D Sculpture. Then using the final sculpture as a model, students will do new gesture drawing from angles they may not have previously been able to see on the live model. Students will then brainstorm new ideas for a final cover and then render it.
Here are teacher examples of what the student work might look like for this project.