Comic Strip Book Report

Author

Sarah Brown

Grade Level

4th grade

Integrated
disciplines
Content
Standards

Writing, Reading, Visual Arts

Content Area: Reading, Writing, and Communicating
Standard: 1. Oral Expression and Listening
1. A clear communication plan is necessary to effectively deliver and
receive information
Content Area: Reading, Writing, and Communicating
Standard: 2. Reading for All Purposes
1. Comprehension and fluency matter when reading literary texts in a
fluent way

Writing
Standards

NETS-S

Objectives:

Content Area: Visual Arts

Standard: 3. Invent and Discover to Create
1. Use media to express and communicate ideas about an issue of
personal interest
2.
Content Area: Reading, Writing, and Communicating
Standard: 3. Writing and Composition
2. Informational and persuasive texts use the recursive writing
process
Content Area: Reading, Writing, and Communicating
Standard: 3. Writing and Composition
3. Correct sentence formation, grammar, punctuation, capitalization,
and spelling are applied to make the meaning clear to the reader
1. Creativity and innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and
develop innovative products and processes using technology.
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products,
or processes
b. Create original works as a means of personal or group
expression
c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems
and issues
d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities
Students will be able to master content by:

read and analyze a text independently and as a group.

identify story elements directly from a text.

create a six-frame story comic strip illustrating five story elements

using Comic Creator.

respond individually to the text through reflection and rethinking of

the text.

Assessment:
Teacher will assess students knowledge gained by:

Planning sheet and comic strips should be collected as evidence of

student's understanding of story elements. Also note student
participation in guided discussions, student response and reflection to
the texts, as well as whether students answer questions and providing
information about story elements.

Teacher observation during discussion to determine whether students

can think critically about story elements. In particular, you can focus
on these key questions.

Materials:

Does it seem like the child understood the story?

Does is seem like the student understood the five elements?

Teacher interviews with students as they work or in response to

finished comics can also pinpoint comprehension and areas which
need more work. The following questions can work well to guide
these conversations.
o

What is the setting of your story?

Who are the characters of your story?

What is the problem/solution in your story?

What are the events of your story?

What are you adding in the sixth frame?

News paper comics

Comic books
Computers access

Anticipatory
Set:
Technology
Integration

Procedures
and Learning
Activities

Picture book or completed class novels

Story Elements Comic Strip Planning Sheet.
Provide students with age appropriate comic strip from the new paper, comic
books or off the internet. Ask students the previous day if they know what
comic strip are? Do not give any information away; if they know what it is
ask them to bring in an example of one to show other students the next day.
The Comic Creator invites students to compose their own comic strips for a
variety of contexts (prewriting, pre- and post reading activities, response to
literature, and so on).

Students:
To make comic strips as well as to
demonstrate the process, have your
students follow these basic steps,
referring to their planning sheet as
they work in the Bitstrips.com

For the comic title, name the

story that will be depicted.

For the comic subtitle, name

the elements you'll focus on,
or allow students to write an
original subtitle based on
their reflection and response
to the text.

Include your name or the

names of the members of
your group as the authors of
this comic strip.

Choose the six-frame comic

strip.

The first frame of the comic

can be used as a title frame.
Students can create an
original book cover or write
a summary of the story.

In each of the remaining five

frames of the comic strip,
students should create a

Teacher:
When you are confident that the
students are comfortable with the
five story elements, provide students
the opportunity to use the
Bitstrips.com to map the story
elements for a book they have read.
Example of Where the Wild thing
are: http://bitstrips.com/r/C2CCZ
Distribute the Story Elements Comic
Strip Planning Sheet.
While students work, encourage
them to interact with one another, to
share and receive feedback on their
comic strips.
As students finish, ask them to turn
in two copies of the comic strip (one
for you to respond to and one for
display in the classroom or a school
bulletin board-the third copy is for
the students to keep and share with
others).

caption for the frame with

the appropriate story element
(Setting, Character, and so
forth) as well as the
supporting details from the
story. They can add
backgrounds, characters, and
dialogue that relate to the
information represented in
the frame.

Print at least three copies of

the finished comic strip.

As students finish, ask them to turn

in two copies of the comic strip (one
for you to respond to and one for
display in the classroom or a school
bulletin board-the third copy is for
the students to keep and share with
others).
Differentiatio
n

Higher ability learners: Have them create more details of the story by adding
more sides.
Learners with disabilities: Have the students work in pairs. One student
works the computer the other student gives verbal directions.

Closure

Bring the lesson full circle to allow students to reflect on their learning and
acknowledge meeting of the objectives by having them display their work
on the bulletin board and also turn in a list of 7 things they learned
throughout this lesson.
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lessonplans/book-report-alternative-examining-236.html?
tab=4#tabs

References:

Story Elements Comic Strip Planning Sheet.

http://bitstrips.com/print_strip.php?comic_id=8309942