An important outcome An important outcome in ELA is other forms of in ELA is other forms of representation. Visual representation. Visual

representationrepresentation is another is another way to communicate and way to communicate and

express ideas.express ideas.

Students should be encouraged to Students should be encouraged to respond to different texts in ways respond to different texts in ways other than writing.other than writing.

Technology in your language arts Technology in your language arts curriculum is one engaging way for curriculum is one engaging way for students to respond.students to respond.

Personal Beliefs

Comic Life and Curriculum Outcomes:Comic Life and Curriculum Outcomes:

Using Using Comic LifeComic Life as a technological tool as a technological tool to engage students to communicate and to engage students to communicate and respond is one means to achieve the respond is one means to achieve the essential outcome of: essential outcome of:

Writing and other ways of Writing and other ways of representingrepresenting

Students will be expected to use Students will be expected to use writing and other ways of writing and other ways of representing to explore, clarify, representing to explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and feelings, experiences, and learning; and to use their learning; and to use their imagination.imagination.

Other outcomes addressed:Other outcomes addressed:

SCO 8.1- use a range of strategies in SCO 8.1- use a range of strategies in writing and other ways of writing and other ways of representing:representing:

*to extend ideas and experiences*to extend ideas and experiences

     *explore and reflect on their *explore and reflect on their feelings, values, and attitudesfeelings, values, and attitudes

     *consider others’ perspectives*consider others’ perspectives

   *reflect on their growth as language *reflect on their growth as language learners and language userslearners and language users

SCO 8.3- make informed SCO 8.3- make informed choices of language to create a choices of language to create a range of interesting effects in range of interesting effects in imaginative writing and other imaginative writing and other ways of representingways of representing

GCO 4GCO 4: reads with understanding a : reads with understanding a variety of textsvariety of texts

(4.8) reflects on own reading and (4.8) reflects on own reading and viewing processes and strategies in viewing processes and strategies in order to develop abilityorder to develop ability

GCO 9GCO 9: creates a wide range of texts: creates a wide range of texts(9.1) continues to use a variety of writing (9.1) continues to use a variety of writing

forms as well as other art forms such as forms as well as other art forms such as visual arts, music, and dramavisual arts, music, and drama

(9.2) considers and crafts writing (9.2) considers and crafts writing (content, word choice, style, tone of (content, word choice, style, tone of voice, form, structure, organization) to voice, form, structure, organization) to suit the audience and the purposesuit the audience and the purpose

(9.3) understands that ideas can be (9.3) understands that ideas can be represented in more than one way and represented in more than one way and experiments with many formsexperiments with many forms

GCO 10GCO 10: creates texts that are clear : creates texts that are clear and accurateand accurate

(10.3) uses various technologies for (10.3) uses various technologies for the purposes of communicatingthe purposes of communicating

(10.5) collects and combines (10.5) collects and combines information from several sourcesinformation from several sources

What is Comic Life?What is Comic Life?

Comic LifeComic Life is an application for creating is an application for creating not just comics (obviously), but also not just comics (obviously), but also images, photo albums, greeting cards, images, photo albums, greeting cards, scrap books, story books, and instruction scrap books, story books, and instruction guides and brochures.guides and brochures.

In the classroom, it is an excellent tool In the classroom, it is an excellent tool for creating reports of almost any kind. for creating reports of almost any kind.

Comic Life allows you to create page Comic Life allows you to create page layouts with boxes for images and text. layouts with boxes for images and text.

Styles can be applied to create just Styles can be applied to create just about any type of ‘feel’ for your about any type of ‘feel’ for your document. document.

Captions can be created with tails in Captions can be created with tails in order to have thought balloons, order to have thought balloons, speech boxes or just additional speech boxes or just additional annotations. annotations.

Filters are available to turn your Filters are available to turn your digital images into a variety of hand digital images into a variety of hand drawn looking graphics to enhance drawn looking graphics to enhance the comic appearance of your work.the comic appearance of your work.

The Comic Life Set UpThe Comic Life Set Up The main window is divided into four major The main window is divided into four major

panes.panes.

The left pane shows your pages and The left pane shows your pages and allows you to manage them by allows you to manage them by adding, removing or re-arranging adding, removing or re-arranging them. them.

•The right side of the window has libraries and settings for page layouts and templates, and also an interface to browse your iPhoto library, albums, and any folder on your hard drive or mounted disks. Use the built-in image capture system in conjunction with a connected/built-in camera

The bottom section of the window has a The bottom section of the window has a collection of text containers to create collection of text containers to create

annotations, speech and thought bubbles in a annotations, speech and thought bubbles in a variety of styles.variety of styles.

The filters you apply to the text The filters you apply to the text elements allow you to create eye-elements allow you to create eye-

popping effects.popping effects.

How to Create a Comic in Comic LifeHow to Create a Comic in Comic Life

Creating a comic with Comic Life is a Creating a comic with Comic Life is a simple 5-step process.simple 5-step process.

Select a template for your new page.Select a template for your new page. There are over 200 templates in categories There are over 200 templates in categories such as comics from the 40’s, 60’s and 80’s, such as comics from the 40’s, 60’s and 80’s, manga, graphic novels, and euro comics. Or, manga, graphic novels, and euro comics. Or, you can create your own layout by dragging you can create your own layout by dragging panels anywhere you want them. panels anywhere you want them.

Step 1

Play video stream tutorial at http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/la_ani_cl1mac

Step 2Step 2

Add digital images from iPhoto, other disks Add digital images from iPhoto, other disks or a connected digital camera.or a connected digital camera. You can drag You can drag and drop images from the interface of Comic Life and drop images from the interface of Comic Life (from your iPhoto library or any connected disk), (from your iPhoto library or any connected disk), or you can drag items directly from the Finder or you can drag items directly from the Finder into Comic Life. If you’d like to capture images into Comic Life. If you’d like to capture images directly from a camcorder or camera, such as an directly from a camcorder or camera, such as an iSight, you can use the capture feature of Comic iSight, you can use the capture feature of Comic Life and create your comic with images you grab Life and create your comic with images you grab on the fly. on the fly.

Dragging an image onto a panel will put the Dragging an image onto a panel will put the image into the panel and crop it so the shortest image into the panel and crop it so the shortest dimension of the image matches the shortest dimension of the image matches the shortest dimension of the panel. You can adjust the panel dimension of the panel. You can adjust the panel size/shape separately from the image’s size. size/shape separately from the image’s size.

Play video stream tutorial at http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/la_ani_cl1mac

Step 3Step 3 Select a style/filter for digital images.Select a style/filter for digital images.

You can leave your images in their unfiltered You can leave your images in their unfiltered state, but Comic Life's built-in filters and state, but Comic Life's built-in filters and styles give you some very cool control over styles give you some very cool control over how 'comicy' your comic looks. If you don’t how 'comicy' your comic looks. If you don’t like the pre-defined styles, you can enter like the pre-defined styles, you can enter your own filter settings to get that perfect your own filter settings to get that perfect look. look.

Don’t overlook the fact that you can draw Don’t overlook the fact that you can draw your own images (on the computer, or on your own images (on the computer, or on paper and scan them in) and then include paper and scan them in) and then include them in your comic once they are in a digital them in your comic once they are in a digital format.format.

Step 4Step 4

Add text containers and text.Add text containers and text. Just Just like almost everything else in Comic like almost everything else in Comic Life, adding text is a simple drag and Life, adding text is a simple drag and drop process. The text containers at drop process. The text containers at the bottom of the window provide you the bottom of the window provide you with different text presentations. with different text presentations.

Play video stream tutorial at http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/la_ani_cl1mac

Step 5Step 5 Save (frequently) and export to your Save (frequently) and export to your

format of choice.format of choice. Your export decisions Your export decisions will be based on what you intend to do will be based on what you intend to do with the comic when you’re done. Comic with the comic when you’re done. Comic Life has several export options that allow Life has several export options that allow you to share your work in digital or you to share your work in digital or paper/printed form. The HTML export paper/printed form. The HTML export creates an interface that allows users to creates an interface that allows users to ‘flip’ through your comic page-by-page. ‘flip’ through your comic page-by-page. Exporting to an album in iPhoto lets you Exporting to an album in iPhoto lets you build a quality photo album.build a quality photo album.

Play video stream tutorial at http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/la_ani_cl1mac

Benefits of this toolBenefits of this tool

The use of visual images to reinforce The use of visual images to reinforce text.text.

The opportunity for alternate forms of The opportunity for alternate forms of expression in lieu of traditional writingexpression in lieu of traditional writing

Differentiates instructionDifferentiates instructionProvides different templates to be used Provides different templates to be used

as story boards; great graphic as story boards; great graphic organizers for students to help layout organizers for students to help layout contentcontent

The paneled interface of a comic The paneled interface of a comic lends itself to breaking larger lends itself to breaking larger concepts into smaller, easily digested concepts into smaller, easily digested ideas that can be strung together in ideas that can be strung together in a coherent and entertaining way. a coherent and entertaining way.

Creating the imagery used in the Creating the imagery used in the comic can draw a student into the comic can draw a student into the story or character in a way that a story or character in a way that a written report simply can’t.written report simply can’t.

Potential pitfallsPotential pitfalls

The accessibility of software and The accessibility of software and hardware for students in schools or hardware for students in schools or homehome

The opportunity for students to have The opportunity for students to have time to work and explore on their owntime to work and explore on their own

There are time delays when refreshing There are time delays when refreshing or editing imagesor editing images

Text or speech bubbles limit the Text or speech bubbles limit the amount of speech/dialogue that you amount of speech/dialogue that you can place large enough to visibly seecan place large enough to visibly see

Mini Lesson #1: Designing a Personal Narrative with a Comic.

Outcome:Outcome:

SCO 8.1- use a range of strategies in SCO 8.1- use a range of strategies in writing and other ways of representing:writing and other ways of representing:

*to extend ideas and experiences*to extend ideas and experiences

*explore and reflect on their feelings, *explore and reflect on their feelings, values, and attitudesvalues, and attitudes

Mini Lesson #1 Objective/Directions:

Use comic life to share a personal narrative (experience) that happened to you over the summer.

First, provide a written paragraph of background information of your experience, then become innovative in using text and images to tell your story through Comic Life.

Mini Lesson #1 Example: (Personal Mini Lesson #1 Example: (Personal narrative)narrative)

When my family was in China to adopt our When my family was in China to adopt our youngest daughter, we had some problems youngest daughter, we had some problems with the Citizenship and Immigration with the Citizenship and Immigration Services department (which was no Services department (which was no surprise to us). To express our frustration surprise to us). To express our frustration and enduring sense of humor, I created a and enduring sense of humor, I created a comic to share with family and friends comic to share with family and friends regarding our most recent difficulty. I’ve regarding our most recent difficulty. I’ve included it here as an example of a quick included it here as an example of a quick and simple comic used to tell the story.and simple comic used to tell the story.

Mini lesson #2 Mini lesson #2 Story writing: Create a children’s Story writing: Create a children’s

bookbookOutcome:Outcome:

(9.2) Students to consider and craft (9.2) Students to consider and craft writing (content, word choice, style, writing (content, word choice, style, tone of voice, form, structure, tone of voice, form, structure, organization) to suit the audience organization) to suit the audience and the purposeand the purpose

Lesson Goal:Lesson Goal:

In teaching children’s literature there In teaching children’s literature there is often discussion of intended is often discussion of intended audience, purpose and the use of audience, purpose and the use of characters. By using comic life, characters. By using comic life, students can create primarily animal students can create primarily animal characters if they wish and use characters if they wish and use images to illustrate the images to illustrate the storyboard/template and write a storyboard/template and write a short story.short story.

Resources:Resources: Ryan Hainstock, Technology mentor AVRSBRyan Hainstock, Technology mentor AVRSB

Atomic LearningAtomic Learning http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/la_ani_cl1machttp://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/la_ani_cl1mac

plasq (the creators of Comic Life)plasq (the creators of Comic Life)http://plasq.com/comiclifehttp://plasq.com/comiclife

Comic Life Education CommunityComic Life Education Communityhttp://plasq.com/forum/edu/http://plasq.com/forum/edu/

American Library Association: Comic books and graphic novelsAmerican Library Association: Comic books and graphic novelshttp://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/crlnews/backissues2005/http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/crlnews/backissues2005/february05/c...february05/c...

National Council of Teachers of EnglishNational Council of Teachers of Englishhttp://www.ncte.org/pubs/chron/highlights/122031.htmhttp://www.ncte.org/pubs/chron/highlights/122031.htm

Comics in the ClassroomComics in the Classroomhttp://www.comicsintheclassroom.net/http://www.comicsintheclassroom.net/

Comics in EducationComics in Educationhttp://www.humblecomics.com/comicsedu/http://www.humblecomics.com/comicsedu/

Education World: Comics in the ClassroomEducation World: Comics in the Classroomhttp://www.education-world.com/a_curr/profdev/profdevhttp://www.education-world.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev105.shtml105.shtml