elementary - high school
Introduction begins with defining comics while looking at ancient examples of illustrated writing using various media. Students discuss panels in a Little Sammy Sneeze comic strip from 1905. They review speech bubbles, captions and play a group activity requiring pencil drawing and organizing panels into stories about three caricatures. Instructions below–
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Lesson plan (click to enlarge) |
Four panels of the above caricatures created and sequenced by elementary to high schoolers–
New characters by 2nd graders

Older students can practice drawing with pencils to express volume through shading while observing personal objects at home or assembling a still life in the classroom. More studies have included self-portraits and perspective drawings from both memory and observation.
My classes look at more illustrated and literary devices from Masters of American Comics before individually storyboarding and final drafting a comic.
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Autobiographical comic, 9th grader |
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"What is evil?" by 10th grader |
Storylines selected from monthly writing prompt lists
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3rd grader |
An assignment to depict a metaphor