Writing your own Digital Comic Strip
Grade Level:
This language arts and technology lesson is intended for fourth grade elementary students, but the project could be adapted for fifth grade, middle school, and even high school depending on the length of the project, and content of the assignment.
GLCEs:
W.GN.04.01 write a cohesive narrative piece such as a myth, legend, fantasy, or adventure creating relationships among setting, characters, theme, and plot
W.PR.04.02 apply a variety of pre-writing strategies for both narrative and informational writing (e.g., graphic organizers such as maps, webs, Venn diagrams) in order to generate, sequence, and structure ideas (e.g., plot, setting, conflicts/resolutions,
definition/description, or chronological sequence)
W.PR.04.05 proofread and edit writing using appropriate resources (e.g., dictionary, spell check, grammar check, grammar references, writing references) and grade-level checklists both individually and in groups.
W.PS.04.01 exhibit personal style and voice to enhance the written message (e.g., in narrative text: strong verbs, figurative language, sensory images; in informational text: precision, established importance, transitions).
MDEs:
3-5.CI.1. produce a media-rich digital project aligned to state curriculum standards (e.g., fable, folk tale, mystery, tall tale, historical fiction).
3-5.CI.2. use a variety of technology tools and applications to demonstrate his/her creativity by creating or modifying works of art, music, movies, or presentations.
3-5-2.CC.3. use a variety of media and formats to create and edit products (e.g., presentations, newsletters, brochures, web pages) to communicate information and ideas to various audiences.
3-5.TC.5. know how to exchange files with other students using technology (e.g., network file sharing, flash drives).
Objective:
Students will create digital comic strips, from the free comic strip website Pixton, of a story they have previously written out on Googledocs. Students will create their own characters including the character’s appearance and actions, the backgrounds for each panel of the strip, and the characters’ conversation bubbles, props, and interactions for each panel. Students will ultimately be able to put an original narrative story into the digital media format of an online comic strip, and will be able to share the digital comic strips publicly so that others (such as classmates and the teacher) can view the comic strip from the Pixton website.
The Lesson:
Time Needed:
8 days – 1 hour per day in the school's computer lab
Materials Needed:
Parent signed permission slips, computer lab access for one hour for eight days, Googledocs, all students having a Gmail accounts, Youtube website, Pixton digital comic strip website, student’s all signed up to Pixton with login names and passwords written down by the teacher (so student’s don’t forget their login names or passwords for Googledocs or Pixton).
Lesson Outline:
Day 1: Students will be given the assignment and will be taken to the computer lab. Students will watch a GoogleDocs Youtube tutorial on how to use GoogleDocs, and then will get setup with Gmail and Pixton accounts/usernames.
Day 2: In the school’s computer lab student’s will watch this Flocabulary Rap Youtube Video to help them understand the five elements of a short story before they begin typing up their own short story. Students will compile a narrative story using GoogleDocs to type up the story. The story must include these five basic short story elements:
Day 3: In the school’s computer lab, students will open their saved short story projects from Google Docs and will continue to develop and finish typing up their short story. When the short story is finished the students will digitally share their story with the teacher (who also has a Gmail account) so that he/she can edit in the Googledoc. The teacher will edit the story for mechanics, and will then write in the Google doc suggestions to revise the story to make sure that the student’s work has the five basic short story elements. After the teacher is done giving feedback, the student will re-open their Googledoc and use the revision history button to see the changes made to the story, and will complete the final version of their short story.
Day 4: In the school’s computer lab the students will watch the introduction video on the Pixton website. Students will then watch Pixton Youtube tutorials to find out how Pixton works, how to make panels, how to make characters, and how to make prop sets and custom backgrounds. Students will then log into the Pixton website and begin their work on their digital comic strips.
**Students do not have to watch all of the Pixton Youtube videos in order, or in full length. Depending on the student's prior knowledge of Pixton and/or their personal learning style, students may choose to watch all of the tutorials, or may choose to go straight to the Pixton website to begin using Pixton in a trial and error process, to create their digital comic strip. The teacher will make this known at the beginning of day 4.**
Days 5-8: In the school's computer lab students will open up and continue, or begin to make their digital comic strip on the Pixton website. The students will develop their own characters including the character’s appearance and actions, the backgrounds for each panel of the strip, and the characters’ conversation bubbles, props, actions, and interactions for each panel. When the students are finished with their digital comic strip, they will share the digital comic so that it is public on the Pixton website, and will then e-mail the link to the teacher so that the teacher can find the comic strip easily.
Presentation Day and Assessment: In the classroom, the students will present their finished comic strips on the classroom's SMART board for the entire class to see. As each student is presenting, the teacher will be filling out a checklist assessment that the students will receive at the conclusion of their lesson. The assessment checklist will look like this:
Example Pixton I made in 5 minutes **Please note! This example is just to show how fast a Pixton digital comic strip can be made by a beginner, and is not at all a remarkable example.**
Grade Level:
This language arts and technology lesson is intended for fourth grade elementary students, but the project could be adapted for fifth grade, middle school, and even high school depending on the length of the project, and content of the assignment.
GLCEs:
W.GN.04.01 write a cohesive narrative piece such as a myth, legend, fantasy, or adventure creating relationships among setting, characters, theme, and plot
W.PR.04.02 apply a variety of pre-writing strategies for both narrative and informational writing (e.g., graphic organizers such as maps, webs, Venn diagrams) in order to generate, sequence, and structure ideas (e.g., plot, setting, conflicts/resolutions,
definition/description, or chronological sequence)
W.PR.04.05 proofread and edit writing using appropriate resources (e.g., dictionary, spell check, grammar check, grammar references, writing references) and grade-level checklists both individually and in groups.
W.PS.04.01 exhibit personal style and voice to enhance the written message (e.g., in narrative text: strong verbs, figurative language, sensory images; in informational text: precision, established importance, transitions).
MDEs:
3-5.CI.1. produce a media-rich digital project aligned to state curriculum standards (e.g., fable, folk tale, mystery, tall tale, historical fiction).
3-5.CI.2. use a variety of technology tools and applications to demonstrate his/her creativity by creating or modifying works of art, music, movies, or presentations.
3-5-2.CC.3. use a variety of media and formats to create and edit products (e.g., presentations, newsletters, brochures, web pages) to communicate information and ideas to various audiences.
3-5.TC.5. know how to exchange files with other students using technology (e.g., network file sharing, flash drives).
Objective:
Students will create digital comic strips, from the free comic strip website Pixton, of a story they have previously written out on Googledocs. Students will create their own characters including the character’s appearance and actions, the backgrounds for each panel of the strip, and the characters’ conversation bubbles, props, and interactions for each panel. Students will ultimately be able to put an original narrative story into the digital media format of an online comic strip, and will be able to share the digital comic strips publicly so that others (such as classmates and the teacher) can view the comic strip from the Pixton website.
The Lesson:
Time Needed:
8 days – 1 hour per day in the school's computer lab
- 1 day in the computer lab for the students to set up their Gmail, Googledocs, and Pixton accounts.
- 2 days in the computer lab for the students to watch the Googledocs tutorials, to type up their short stories, to get feedback from the teacher, and to revise the outline of the story in Googledocs.
- 5 days in the computer lab for the students to watch tutorials on Pixton, and for work sessions on the Pixton website to make the actual comic strip. The students will spend their first day of these five days, watching Youtube video tutorials on how to use and create on Pixton.
Materials Needed:
Parent signed permission slips, computer lab access for one hour for eight days, Googledocs, all students having a Gmail accounts, Youtube website, Pixton digital comic strip website, student’s all signed up to Pixton with login names and passwords written down by the teacher (so student’s don’t forget their login names or passwords for Googledocs or Pixton).
Lesson Outline:
Day 1: Students will be given the assignment and will be taken to the computer lab. Students will watch a GoogleDocs Youtube tutorial on how to use GoogleDocs, and then will get setup with Gmail and Pixton accounts/usernames.
Day 2: In the school’s computer lab student’s will watch this Flocabulary Rap Youtube Video to help them understand the five elements of a short story before they begin typing up their own short story. Students will compile a narrative story using GoogleDocs to type up the story. The story must include these five basic short story elements:
- Setting –
the time and place
- A well developed main character and one or more (up to three) supporting/antagonizing character(s)
- A problem or conflict
- Plot – rising action, climax, falling action, and an ending or resolution
- A theme or moral
Day 3: In the school’s computer lab, students will open their saved short story projects from Google Docs and will continue to develop and finish typing up their short story. When the short story is finished the students will digitally share their story with the teacher (who also has a Gmail account) so that he/she can edit in the Googledoc. The teacher will edit the story for mechanics, and will then write in the Google doc suggestions to revise the story to make sure that the student’s work has the five basic short story elements. After the teacher is done giving feedback, the student will re-open their Googledoc and use the revision history button to see the changes made to the story, and will complete the final version of their short story.
Day 4: In the school’s computer lab the students will watch the introduction video on the Pixton website. Students will then watch Pixton Youtube tutorials to find out how Pixton works, how to make panels, how to make characters, and how to make prop sets and custom backgrounds. Students will then log into the Pixton website and begin their work on their digital comic strips.
**Students do not have to watch all of the Pixton Youtube videos in order, or in full length. Depending on the student's prior knowledge of Pixton and/or their personal learning style, students may choose to watch all of the tutorials, or may choose to go straight to the Pixton website to begin using Pixton in a trial and error process, to create their digital comic strip. The teacher will make this known at the beginning of day 4.**
Days 5-8: In the school's computer lab students will open up and continue, or begin to make their digital comic strip on the Pixton website. The students will develop their own characters including the character’s appearance and actions, the backgrounds for each panel of the strip, and the characters’ conversation bubbles, props, actions, and interactions for each panel. When the students are finished with their digital comic strip, they will share the digital comic so that it is public on the Pixton website, and will then e-mail the link to the teacher so that the teacher can find the comic strip easily.
Presentation Day and Assessment: In the classroom, the students will present their finished comic strips on the classroom's SMART board for the entire class to see. As each student is presenting, the teacher will be filling out a checklist assessment that the students will receive at the conclusion of their lesson. The assessment checklist will look like this:
- ____ Does the student's comic strip short story follow the five basic elements of a short story
- ____ Does the student have more than two panels with detailed backgrounds in their comic strip
- ____ Does the student have more than character in their comic strip
- ____ Does the student's character(s) have actions, emotions, interactions, conversation bubbles, and props
- ____ Is the student's comic strip creative and original
Example Pixton I made in 5 minutes **Please note! This example is just to show how fast a Pixton digital comic strip can be made by a beginner, and is not at all a remarkable example.**
