Name: Brandy Cunningham

Lesson Planner
Subject: Grade 6 ELA

Section: 3,5

Topic: Comics as literature (2 day plan, day 1)

Standards: Reading 1&6, Listening and Speaking 1
Mastery/Thinking Objectives: (What will students know and be able to do?)

Students will critically analyze excerpts from culturally diverse graphic novels
Students will discuss how the protagonists are portrayed and why the author chose the graphic novel media.

Outcomes/Assessments: (What product will students complete to demonstrate theyve met todays
objectives?)
Students will practice identifying different uses of tones, themes, and perspectives in culturally diverse graphic
novels
Student will leave class with an outline of their own autobiographic or culturally relevant comic or text

Instructional Strategies: (Identify instructional strategies for the lesson)

I will model to students how to critically analyze choices the author makes in the first three section of the
prepared packet. Students will be expected to analyze similar choices from a second excerpt of the same graphic
novel.

Activities:
Preview/Do Now (What will you do to activate or build students background knowledge?)

What do you think when you hear comics or graphic novel? Do you think these are an acceptable form of
literature?

Direct Instruction and Modeling/Class Notes: (How will you introduce new content?)

Read a Calvin and Hobbes strip what is the point? Is the author just making jokes or trying to say something?
Redirect the students back to WWII and read the excerpt from Maus. On their own paper, write why the author
might have chosen animals for the story. Discuss in small groups, then with the class.

Guided Practice & Independent Work :( How will you promote a high level of inquiry, engagement,
and accountable talk?)

1. Students will read the next three excerpts on their own. They will look at the tone is it funny? Serious? Etc,
What are some things about the comic that really stood out? Could everything in the comic be conveyed through
text only? Why or why not?
2. Students will then divide into groups based on which comic theyd like to discuss. As a group, they will analyze
the text and discuss what they thought about the comic, and the answers to the above questions. They will then
report back to the class about their excerpt.

Closure: Sharing/Debriefing/Assessment: (What will students, and you, do to summarize and

assess whats been learned?)

Using the questions and discussions from class, they will begin working on their own comic that either tells a
personal or culturally relevant story. They will need to complete a minimum of six-panel story and then explain why
they made certain choices. Alternately, they could write a story with explanation of why it would not make a good
comic.

Homework:

Begin working on comic strip or story, which will be shared with class!

Materials:

Packet that includes excerpts from the following graphic novels: Maus, Persepols, Latino US.A. A Cartoon History,
Calvin and Hobbes, American Born Chinese, Trickster, Strange Fruit; blank, unlined paper for their own comic

Topic: Comics as literature (2 day plan, day 2)

Standards: Reading 1&6, Listening and Speaking 1, and Writing 2,4

Name: Brandy Cunningham

Lesson Planner
Subject: Grade 6 ELA

Section: 3,5

Mastery/Thinking Objectives: (What will students know and be able to do?)

Students will critically analyze excerpts from culturally diverse graphic novels
Students will discuss why the author chose the graphic novel media and how it differs from written
text or movies.
Students will discuss cultural perceptions and bias in the stories.
Outcomes/Assessments: (What product will students complete to demonstrate theyve met todays
objectives?)
Students will continue to practice identifying different uses of tones, themes, and perspectives in
culturally diverse graphic novels with attention to cultural differences.
Student will leave class with more of their own autobiographic or culturally relevant comic or text
completed.
Instructional Strategies: (Identify instructional strategies for the lesson)
I will model to students how to critically analyze choices the author makes in the last three sections of
the prepared packet. Students will be expected to analyze similar choices from a second excerpt of
the same graphic novel.
Activities:
Preview/Do Now (What will you do to activate or build students background knowledge?)
Read the comic on the board and write a couple sentence reaction.
Direct Instruction and Modeling/Class Notes: (How will you introduce new content?)
Redirect the students back to the packet and read the excerpt from Persepolis. Look for cultural
perspectives/differences/similarities. Discuss in small groups, then with the class.
Guided Practice & Independent Work :( How will you promote a high level of inquiry, engagement,
and accountable talk?)
1. Students will read the last three excerpts on their own. They will look at the tone is it funny?
Serious? Etc, What are some things about the comic that really stood out? Could everything in the
comic be conveyed through text only? Why or why not? Do you see cultural stereotypes?
2. Students will then divide into groups based on which comic theyd like to discuss. As a group, they
will analyze the text and discuss what they thought about the comic, and the answers to the above
questions. They will then report back to the class about their excerpt.
Closure: Sharing/Debriefing/Assessment: (What will students, and you, do to summarize and
assess whats been learned?)
Using the questions and discussions from the previous and current class, they will continue working on
their own comic that either tells a personal or culturally relevant story. They will need to complete a
minimum of six-panel story and then explain why they made certain choices. Alternately, they could
write a story with explanation of why it would not make a good comic.
Homework:
Finish comic strip or story and the explanation of why you chose your media.
Materials:

Packet that includes excerpts from the following graphic novels: Maus, Persepols, Latino US.A. A Cartoon
History, Calvin and Hobbes, American Born Chinese, Trickster, Strange Fruit; blank, unlined paper for their own
comic