How Do I Use Cartoons for Basic Education?

Test student learning with comics.

Children are traditionally more visual than adults. Many students even transcend that visualization into their learning ability. A great way to reach students in the classroom is by using comics. Using comics can teach a wide variety of standards. At the most basic level, you can use them to look for comprehension skills as well as check their knowledge on main ideas. Cartoons are a great way to differentiate learning abilities as well as vary from the normal kill-and-drill worksheets.

Things You'll Need

• Comic strip
• Worksheet of questions based on the comic strip

Instructions

1. Find a cartoon that highlights plot elements. Make sure students will be able to answer basic questions on main idea, setting, characters and conflict. You will want to make your own question worksheet based on the themes and ideas of the specific comic strip.

2. Give students the comic strip. Have them read silently to themselves, or you can read it aloud as a class. It would be best to have them read to themselves if you are wanting to check reading ability and comprehension skills.

3. Hand out the worksheet, and have students work on the questions. When they are finished, go over the questions aloud so that students can see the right answers. Discuss the answers so that students can see why they missed questions.

Tips & Warnings

• As a culminating activity to the unit, you can have students make their own comic strip story, which will need to include elements of plot.. This can test their ability to retain knowledge as well as apply literary terms.

References

• Education World: Use Editorial Cartoons to Teach About Elections Past and Present
• Dave's ESL Cookbook: 14 Lessons that Exploit Comic Strips
• Internet4Classrooms: Second Grade Language Arts Skills