Comic+Tools

Comic Tools = =

When you hear the word comic you probably think of some of the following characters:

(Marvel Comics, 24 August 2011)

How many characters can you name from the ab ve image?

As a group create a Word Cloud of the comic characters you can identify.

[|Create a Wordle]

Comic books and graphic novels have a wide range of styles and subject matter. They range from social commentary to fantasy to autobiography to mystery to didactic. While most comics from the 1950s through the 1980s were targeted at younger children and teenagers, the change in marketing in the 1990s led to an explosion of more complex material that explores the world around us in more keen depth. Comics such as X-Men are metaphors for racism in America, and Swamp Thing has explored a wide range of environmental issues.

Comics can be a great way for students to begin to develop their skills in developing a narrative. They also require students to a range of other skills and levels of thinking in order to develop a Comic (refer Image 1 below) .
 * Why use Comics in the Classroom?**

Comics Creators allow students to demonstrate the understanding in a creative way therefore can be matched to learning intent areas inlcuding summarising, describing, provide examples, illustrating, explaining to name some. Please refer to the Yellow Section of the Symphony of Teaching and Learning for further ideas.

Comic Creators can act as tools to differentiate based on both linguistic and spatial intelligences.
 * Multiple Intelligences**

Linguistic intelliegence is catered for through ensuring students are sensitive to the different functions of language. In this case the text and textual features needed to construct a comic. Spatial intelligence is also used as students need to ensure that readers can understand and interpret the visuals presented to make meaning.


 * Comic Tools**

‍** ToonDoo **
ToonDoo is a cool, comic-creating tool that allows you to create your own cool comic strips with just a few drag ‘n drops ‘n mouse clicks! A large variety of characters, backgrounds, props, clipart etc can all be added to bring your comic to life.

[|ToonDoo]

Make Belief Comix

Very similar to Toon Doo, Make Belief Comix allows students to create a comic strip by adding layers including characters, backgrounds, scenes, objects etc.

[|Make Belief Comix]

As previous only the program allows you to use the Marvel Comic superheros to develop your comic.
 * SuperHero Squad **

[|Superhero Squad Comic]