Cartooning and Graphic Novels

There are several tasks to complete for the lesson:
Online video: Are Comic Books Considered Literature?
Online video: Are Graphic Novels Good Enough for School?
Online article: "Are Comics Literature?"
Online article "Reading Comics May Help Students Do Better in School"
Online article: "History of Comics in Education"
Online article "What is a Graphic Novel?"
Online article "The Pictures! The Stories! The Partnerships!"
Complete online quizzes
Discussion Board #4: Due Oct. 24th by 11:59pm

 

For the discussion board posts, there are 1/5 marks for incorporating the course content- connect the discussion topic to content in the lesson and within the Sawyer textbook. Some of you are receiving 4/5 because of this piece that is missing within your posts. Incorporate the material throughout the post and use in-text citations.

 

Cartooning and Graphic Novels

Introduction
Keep looking up… that’s the secret of life.” Peanuts – Charles M. Schultz
This module considers two genres of children’s literature that are very popular with children and young adults: cartoons and graphic novels. Although these two types of writing have not always been associated with the idea of literature, they continue to gain increasing popularity with children’s audiences
and are thus a valuable medium through which to entertain and communicate with kids. 

 

Module Content
Readings
Online article: Are Comics Literature?
Online article: Reading Comics May Help Students Do Better in School
Online article: History of Comics in Education
Online article: Graphic Novel
Online article: The Pictures! The Stories! The Partnerships!

 

Module Notes
What is a Cartoon?
Cartoon strips, or comics, are usually presented to readers as panels of drawings presented in sequence. They are often humourous, but they do not necessarily have to be. The contents of a cartoon or comic strip panel are chiefly colourful pictures with brief text often appearing in bubbles above or below the picture presented. While any age group could appreciate cartoons, they are popular with children due to their bright colours and entertaining characters.

What is a Graphic Novel?

 

Graphic novels are similar in that they are typically presented as panels of drawings presented in a sequence; however, they are geared toward an older audience, typically young adults or adults.

Can They Be Considered Literature?

 

As you’ve learned, cartoons and graphic novels share many qualities, both relying chiefly on illustrations and less on text to tell a story. Because they typically contain less written language than other books geared for the same age groups, can they be said to have less value to children and young adults? The place of cartoons and graphic novels in children’s literature, and the question of whether they possess any educational value, has long been debated. The online articles below respectively provide you with a history of cartoons or comics in the curriculum in the United States and argue the value of cartoons to children’s development.

 

Read: Online article History of Comics in Education
Read: Online article Are Comics Literature?
Read: Online article Reading Comics May Help Students Do Better in School

The following videos further comment on the role of comics and graphic novels in children’s literature:
WATCH: Online video https://youtu.be/QygxEVbOr4M
Read: Online article Are Graphic Novels Good Enough for the classroom?

 

Using Cartoons in the Classroom
The article below considers how numerous topics, including those that some children may find less interesting or those that educators may find more challenging to cover, such as historical events, cultural diversity, science concepts, and so on, can be broached with both reading and generating comics and graphic novels.

 

Read: Online article The Pictures! The Stories! The Partnerships!

 

Learning Activities
Complete online quizzes: Assorted TV Trivia; The Cartoon Character Quiz Visit blog and contribute to online discussion: The Difference Between Comic Books and Graphic Novels

 

Assignment
Participate in Discussion Board #4 (5%)  – this includes submitting your post and responding to at least two other classmates by the due date. Please consult the course calendar for the specific due date.

 

1)Discuss how can educators effectively use cartoons and graphic novels for literacy development?
Respond to at least two other posts.