Hynes Charter School 1st grade, Visual Art & ESL Ms. Andrea / Ms. Cunningham
In Ms. Cunningham’s class we wanted to write narratives in which students recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure. What better way for the students to demonstrate their understanding of these objectives than through the art of comics?
First we learned a little bit about comics: it’s a sequential art form in which image after image (or panel after panel, in comics) tells a story. We read a Peanuts four-panel comic strip, and a longer story called Tippy and the Night Parade by Lilli Carré. Then we set out to tell our own stories in comics; our theme: favorite winter activity. We sketched panels on index cards; starting with four, though we could add more if we needed to.
Next we took a closer look at sequence. We read another four-panel Snoopy comic, but this time the story didn’t make too much sense. The panels were out of order! The panel where Charlie Brown tells Snoopy he has a phone call should go after, not before, the panel showing the phone ringing. We looked at the panels we drew and sequenced them so our stories made sense. We took care to add dialog, thought bubbles, and onomatopoeia to help readers understand our stories.
With our panels in order, we set about inking them. We looked at examples of how comics artists trace lines and fill in shapes to add texture and shade. We also looked at ways to arrange our panels on our paper, or compose our comics page.
Lastly we shared our work, looking forward more than ever to winter fun with our families! Creative learning at Hynes is supported by the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust.
