Comics

Guide for Teachers

 Comics
The use of comic books in the classroom can be an interesting tool to stimulate
students in the teaching of General History and Biblical History.

Contents
1. What are comics? ......................................... 3
Exposure: ............................................................................................................................................3

2. Structure .................................................. 4
Characters..........................................................................................................................................4
Scenarios ............................................................................................................................................4
Speech Balloons ................................................................................................................................7
Movements .........................................................................................................................................8
Onomatopoeia ....................................................................................................................................9

3. Creating my Comics ....................................... 11

 1. What are comics?
Comic strip is the name given to the art of storytelling through drawings and texts
arranged in sequence, usually horizontally.

The artists use several graphic resources in this textual genre in order to bring
the reader "inside" the story told. For example, to communicate the characters'
speeches, balloons with written texts are used. The shape of these balloons also
conveys different intentions.

Exposure:
- Have a few more copies, ensuring that each student has a magazine / paper in
hand;

- Research current news related to the universe of comics to add to the classes,
especially any type of graphic representation in the Asian context. It is always
interesting that the options are updated;
- Organize the class in pairs and ask them to exchange any comics they have,
copies borrowed from the teacher or the library;

- Let students handle the publications that interest them most and read some of
the stories;

- Organize a conversation circle and ask some students to tell in their own words
one of the stories they liked best;

2. Structure
You can create your lesson plans based on these activities.

Characters
 Ask students to analyze each characteristic of each character;
 Leave a specific character on display and ask students to draw, each in their
own way, that same character in their notebooks;
 Change characters and continue with this exercise;
 Ask them to create characters based on their own classmates;
 Give them the opportunity to create their own characters now, with many
colors and shapes.

Scenarios
 Look for examples of landscapes and ask students to describe what they see
in these images. You can also ask them to draw these same examples on the
whiteboard;
 Bring blank papers so that they can reproduce these landscapes, with
different materials (crayons, colored pencils, paints);
 Present other examples and types of scenarios that can be found in
different types of comics.
Speech Balloons
 Encourage students to create dialogues of blank strips. Due to the difficulty
with the language (Khmer x English), it would be better to create simpler
and shorter dialogues;
 Ask questions like: What's going on? When? How can we know that?
 Ask for attention to the color of the sky, to the stars (which indicate time);
 Reproduce the speech balloons on the board and fill in the text with the
students;
 Draw the students' attention to the shapes of the balloons and what they
mean for the understanding of the narrative;
 Ask if students have other ideas and variations of speech balloons.

Whisper

Thought

Scream

Speech
Movements
 Give examples on the board of action figures: walking, running, playing,
falling, dancing ... Ask students to reproduce in their notebooks;
 Divide into different actions for each student to represent in his notebook
or blank sheet;
 Bring examples of comics with movement;
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia help to understand the story and give it more life and movement.
Based on the representation of the sounds, we are able to understand what is
happening without the need for a large text explaining and describing the actions
of the characters. The written representation of the sound along with the kinetic
lines gives us an idea of what action the character is performing.

 Ask the class: Did you realize that all the time we are surrounded by noises,
be they machine, nature sounds, screams, animal singing? To imitate these
noises, to represent them, we use onomatopoeia.
 Explain to the class the importance of representing onomatopoeia in a comic
book;
 Record the answers on a poster so you can stay in class and be used in other
opportunities
 During the classes, you could continue to review the contents already
studied in the classroom. Use questions like: Do you remember that we can
represent sounds and movements? Let's remember some noise imitations! If
 the living room door slammed, what would it sound like? A: Man! When the
signal rings for the exchange of classes, what would it sound like? A:
UOMMMMMMMMMM !!! When you applaud a performance, what is the
clapping noise? A: Cláp! Cláp!
 Review the use of onomatopoeia using a table to create onomatopoeia
according to their meanings.

toc – toc! Ping! Splash!

Booom! Crack! ZAP!

Plat! Grrr! Pow!

 3. Creating my Comics

SCRIPT FOR THE STUDENTS

Title: ___________________________________________________
Theme: ___________________________________________________

● Characters (To explain: Point out the names and the physical and behavioral
characteristics of the characters)
____________________________________________________________
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● Background (Point out the scenario; create the scene of biblical history in your
mind and try to represent the visual characteristics of the place: colors, objects
etc...)
____________________________________________________________
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● Narrative (Briefly write the sequence of the narrative. Then, divide the story
so that it can organize into sequential comics)
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________
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