In this unit, students will choose an animal to research and produce a comic book (using ToonDoo, Comic Life, or a similar program) about the animal, incorporating information about its characteristics, habitat, diet, behavior, and role in the environment. This unit will combine science, writing, and study of literary genres and conventions.

adapted from a lesson by Melissa Thibaut, found at http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/rethinking-reports/714

Goal 1: Students will learn about the research process, including:

• finding nonfiction books in the catalog and on the shelf;
• using indices;
• notetaking;
• using online resources to locate pictures;
• citations
  

Goal 2: Students will learn about conventions of mythology, superhero stories, and pourquoi tales.

 

Goal 3: Students will gain proficiency with writing dialogue and incorporating research into their writing.

 

Goal 4: Students will learn to use the comic-making software.

Materials for research:

• the school's nonfiction and reference collection
• online resources, including databases and websites
• Folk tales, comic books, pourquoi stories, clip from movie Microcosmos
  

Materials for comic production:

• ToonDoo (free download), Comic Life or other comic-making software.
  

Day 1: Teacher and librarian will introduce unit by giving a broad outline of the unit, their expectations of the students, and the timeline of the project. The teacher will then talk about the animal research aspect, including what information the students need to gather (students will have a packet with worksheets and templates for notetaking, citations, etc.). The librarian will talk about the final product, the comic book.

 

Day 2: In the library, the librarian will review how to use the library catalog and find books on the shelf as well as how to use indices. Once students locate books, the teacher will go over notetaking skills. 

 

Days 3 and 4: Students will work in the library on their research. Once they have completed research with print sources, they will move to online sources. Librarian will review use of online resources and direct students to a pathfinder for the project.

 

Day 5: Online research.

 

Day 6: Librarian will talk about folktales, comic books, superhero stories, and pourquoi tales. She will read an assortment of stories, including an Anansi story, an excerpt from Kipling's Just So Stories, Joseph Bruchac's Native American Animal Stories, FolkTails: Animal Legends from Around The World by Jan Thornhill,  Surf War! A Tale from the Marshall Islands by Margaret MacDonald, and Jay Hosler's Clan Apis.  Students will then generate a list of characteristics and conventions of these stories.

 

Day 7: Teacher and librarian will talk about requirements of the comic book: number of pictures, how to construct a story, how to write dialogue and incorporate animal research.

 

Day 8: Librarian will teach students to use comic-making software. 

 

Days 9, 10, 11, 12: Students will write their comic books, print them, and assemble them.

 

Day 13: There will be a class comic book fair where they will share their work. Other classes may be invited in as well.

Teacher and librarian will construct a rubric for evaluation.The final work product will be evaluated for use of research and quality of writing.

LMS and 3rd or 4th grade classroom teacher