Saturday, March 19, 2011

Using Comics and Superheroes to Engage Students

Digital Superheroes, As Easy as 1-2-3 to Infinity!
Presenter: Jeff Brain

Session Website: http://my-ecoach.com/project.php?id=17424
  View the PowerPoint, lessons, documents, templates, instructions, tips and more!


Watch the session here! (link not up yet)

You can engage and inspire students by using superheroes as a vehicle for learning! Teach basic writing skills, sophisticated short story form, math, logic, and science!

Use http://www.gimp.org/, a free site that functions similarly to Photoshop and photos to create
  • Integrate digital imaging, storytelling and citizenship
  • Engage, not enrage
  • Get lesson ideas
  • Cross curriculum ideas
  • Authentic Assessment
  • Integrate digital imaging, storytelling and citizenship
    • Digital life: www.commonsensemedia.org/educators
    • Tools
      • Photoshop
      • Gimp - free program like Photoshop
    • Set the stage and get them engaged
      • Who are the "villains"?
        • hackers
        • viruses
      •  Create character traits
        • Main motivation
        • character trait
        • character trait
        • character trait
        • cte.jhu.edu - search "character traits
  • Engage, not enrage
  • Get lesson ideas
    • Creation of the story
    • As creating a superhero
      • character sheet
        • character trait diamond
        • levels of strength, dexterity, etc (see Dungeons and Dragons traits)
      • Use dice to allocate super powers
        • Search "d20 skills"
        • Methods
          • 1: allocate 80 points
          • 2: roll 24d6 
        • "Level Up"
          • Create Level Rules
            • each level costs points
              • level 1=1 point
              • level 2= 3points (1+2)
              • level 3=6 points (1+2+3)
      • Need an origin story - create an outline first
        • discuss with others (formative assessment)
          • peer assessment - could grade, but really just fleshing out
      • Create a Supervillian
        • One can hide all of his messages in the Gilgamesh Epic
        • make up some scenarios and let the students run with them
        • you can have the same villains in every
      • Create the images
        • use live models - take pictures of each other making hero poses, edit using http://www.gimp.org/
        • Create a blank layer on top of the picture, and draw on that
          • protect the picture so that if you mess up, you can start again
          • Trace the photo and enhance as you wish
          • bigger biceps, sharper chin, etc.
          • if you "hide" the bottom layer, you will see your drawing
        • color, shade
      • Storyboard
  • Cross curriculum ideas
    • English: can get students to use sophisticated plot points (think short story form)  and writing techniques by having them create superheroes
    • English: short story form - writing
    • Science: balance of elements, what logically works together
    • Internet Safety: create a story about heroes and villains on the web
  • Authentic Assessment
  • Find information @
  • Sites
  • Marvel Comics has a book of just the origin stories to
  • Dynamic Anatomy
  • Alex Ross - Superman
  • How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way
  • Burne Hogarth - Dynamic Anatomy
  • Comic life - paid comic creation software

No comments:

Post a Comment