The Comics Lab

The Comics Lab is a non-traditional (also called FUN) exercise in which students can develop and refine their creative writing skills, while learning how to develop storylines or plots. Comic strips contain similar attributes to short stories, with a beginning, middle and end. The Comics Lab aligns with the standards for the Language Arts. These standards can be found here.

There are 5 main components to the Comics Lab site:
The Interactive Comic Creator
Comic Strip Templates, where students can draw their own comic strips by hand
Video instructions on writing
Video art instruction
Written instructions

Most students tend to start out creating a comic strip without adequate preparation and let the plot develop in a haphazard manner. It is important for the instructor to have the child think through the plot development in a structured manner. Do you write the punch line first…and then backup two frames to make a creative statement? Some of these questions and techniques are covered in the instructional videos.

Create Your Own Comix Strip

Created by Bill Zimmerman, Author of the book “Make Beliefs”Art by Tom Bloom
Teachers can use this comic strip game to encourage youngsters to improve language, reading, and creative skills. By writing dialogue for comic strips, students can practice using new vocabulary words, engage in make-believe conversations, practice writing sentences, hone storytelling skills, and work independently or collaboratively.