Good Morning and Happy Monday!
Today's topic is...Graphic novels and/or comics and why they can be a valuable tool in delivering classroom instruction. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a graphic novel as, "a story that is presented in comic-strip format and published as a book." While the terms graphic novel and comic are sometimes used interchangeably, most often a graphic novel is longer in length and has a more complex plot than a comic.
Why would someone want to use a graphic novel in the classroom? Consider the following, "Graphic novels are an engaging and popular form, and undoubtedly this has made the learning process that much more meaningful for the students. Graphic novelist Svetlana Chmakova explains the power of the graphic novel to resonate with readers by using the example of an author "render[ing] a charged silent moment that speaks volumes about the character's inner state just through their movements. If done right, a scene like that can hit home deeper than a text paragraph ever could." With categories ranging from biography and memoir, business and career, history, how-to, inspired by myth, philosophy, politics, STEAM and more, there is literally something for everyone.
Are you wondering how you can get started with graphic novels in your classroom? Look no further than the student reading app Sora, and the popular streaming media service Hoopla. If you are not interested in assigning a class text then your students can use Sora to borrow popular graphic novels without the need to remember a user name or password. High School teachers and students can sign in using CLEVER and easily add access to the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium, which the Flint Memorial Library is a part of. Use Hoopla if you want all of your students to have the ability to read the same graphic novel at the same time. If you need directions for setting up an account for Hoopla or Sora click on this link to the Media Center Website to get started.
If you are interested in reading reviews of graphic novels for teens then check out the Website No Flying No Tights. (The creator and Editor-in-chief of this Website works at the Brookline MA public library as a teen librarian!) When exploring the site, use the drop down menus below the search bar to filter results to titles for teens. Select genres or nonfiction categories to further filter your results. *Note that not all listed titles will be available from Sora or Hoopla.
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Website has a page Using Graphic Novels in Education that contains some sample lessons using popular graphic novels. The Media Center has print copies of some of these titles. In addition, many are available through Sora or Hoopla.
This photo shows some of the nonfiction graphic novels available through Hoopla.
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Hughes, Janette, and Laura Morrison. "The evolution of teaching with graphic novels." Jeunesse: Young People, Texts, Cultures, vol. 6, no. 2, 2014, p. 116+. Gale OneFile: Educator's Reference Complete, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A425349584/PROF?u=mlin_n_northhs&sid=PROF&xid=eb9b4d62. Accessed 26 Feb. 2021.
Merriam Webster. “Definition of GRAPHIC NOVEL.” Merriam-Webster.com, 2018, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graphic%20novel. Accessed 26 Feb. 2021.
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