Last Teaching Discussion: Middle Schoolers and Graphic Novels (12.21.2022)

TORDA'S SPRING 2023 TEACHING SITE

Last Teaching Discussion: Middle Schoolers and Graphic Novels (12.21.2022)

12/5/2022

In 300 words, respond to this week’s Teaching Discussion prompt: This is the only text we are reading this semester that is aimed at the middle-school reader. It is also a graphic novel. Consider our test class and outline how you might teach the text you read this week, consider why it would be great to teach, how it would be hard to teach. Be ready to respond meaningfully (roughly 100-200 words) to at least one other classmate.

My Nephews love graphic novels. It's turned them from tepid readers to avid ones. There is always pushback from somebody about this, folks who say things like "I wish they'd read real books". That's nonsense. Reading is reading. So let's start from that place as you respond to this prompt. Thing of it this way: what is suddenly possible with a graphic novel that is not possible with a novel that is exclusively text? How can using visuals in a classroom--graphic novels, film, television, art, photos--in the ELA classroom help our students become better readers of all “texts?"

Next, consider our class: You are teaching a class of 30 8th graders at Whitman Middle School. The class you are teaching is majority white. There are two students who identify as African-American. Just over ½ of the class are young women.Your classroom is well-equipped. Students have ipads for use in the classroom and all of the students have internet access at home as well as at school. You have a number of students on IEPs ranging from high-functioning spectrum to ADHD mix.

34 Comments

Megan Moore

12/10/2022 02:58:59 pm

I think that graphic novels should be taught more in our middle and high school classrooms. Sometimes, students will read "Maus" or "V for Vendetta," but graphic novels have the potential to get a lot more students actually reading than a traditional novel. It took me maybe 20 minutes to read through all of "Seen: Rachel Carson," whereas reading a 250-300 page novel takes me four or five hours. This ease of reading really incentivizes students to actually do the reading for class, which will make the lessons all the more impactful.
Graphic novels also give a visual aspect to the text, which can make the reading experience more vivid. Having pictures to illustrate the text and help tell the story of the novel helps students analyze the different mediums of storytelling. Concepts such as foreshadowing, symbolism, and many more go beyond just the written word. Teaching students to apply close reading skills to graphic novels and other visual mediums helps them become more observant and thoughtful when consuming these pieces of medium.
With our specific classroom of eighth graders, I think "Seen: Rachel Carson" would be a great way to introduce students to the different ways writers depict empathy and persuade their audiences. While the text aims to educate people about Rachel Carson and her work, it also wants them to pay more attention to nature. Students could look closely at the different panels in the novel and discuss how the text and artwork together to tell the story. A fun project for this unit could be having students write their own comic panels about an issue they care about. They would be combining skills related to writing, art, and analysis to get their story down on the page. Overall, I think we should incorporate visual media such as graphic novels into our lessons whenever possible.

Samantha Tyrrell

12/12/2022 05:54:25 am

Hi Megan,
Graphic novels can absolutely turn reluctant readers into avid ones. I agree that they should be taught more in the classroom. The visual aspects of a text can provide more opportunities for close reading, as images can be just as rich in meaning as words. Symbolism can be found in both images and words, providing more meaning than words alone.

Alexa Delling

12/13/2022 07:24:26 am

Hi Megan!

I agree that graphic novels can kickstart students to be more apt to read since they are much less intimidating than a long chapter book full of words that can be overwhelming. The pace of the graphic novels of course comes into play as you mentioned it took a very short amount of time to read Seen versus a chapter book with several hundred pages. I love your idea on the students writing their own comic panels about an issue they care about since this is a fun activity and gives them an opportunity to express an aspect they care about in their everyday life. Great post!

Nicole Shepard

12/13/2022 10:15:51 am

Hi Megan!

I enjoyed reading your thoughts on the discussion question this week. I have to agree with you that it took me way less time to read this graphic novel than it takes me to read a novel. This is one reason why graphic novels should be used more during middle school. At that age, not every student enjoys reading longer books so reading a graphic novel every few weeks would be a sure way to break things up. I like your idea about having students write their own graphic novel! That would be such a great way to get students engaged with the text. Great job this week!

Jenivieve D'Andrea

12/19/2022 07:44:56 am

Hi there Megan,

I really loved your idea for a summative assessment. Having students copy the persuasion and intentions of this graphic novel to create their own original piece about an issue they care about is really powerful.

Graphic novels, as you state, act as a stepping stone for all readers to familiarize themselves with foreshadowing, symbolism, characterization, and figurative language. These are all elements that will be found in other texts that the visuals in graphic novels help readers to understand.

I have always been a fan of graphic novels. In twenty minutes you can get just as much, if not more out of a story than you would a traditional text.

Samantha Tyrrell

12/12/2022 06:01:29 am

Graphic novels can turn even the most reluctant reader into an avid one. The visual aspects of a text can provide more opportunities for close reading, as images can be just as rich in meaning as words. Both images and text can combine together to create more meaning than either one alone. Graphic novels can help students practice their close reading, as they may have an easier time close reading images than words. Graphic novels can help bridge the gap, and introduce more students to reading. In the classroom, I would close read an image as a class, to help introduce students to close reading. Then I would ask the class to close read an image from the book of their choosing, through the means of free writing. Then I would divide the class into groups and ask them to compare and contrast the graphic novel to an earlier novel that we read. These assignments would help the students practice the skills they would need for any novel.

Megan Moore

12/12/2022 07:53:19 am

Hi Samantha, you make a great point about graphic novels bridging the gap for reluctant readers. Students who aren't reading at grade level may benefit from reading graphic novels, as they can make reading more fun and digestible for those who struggle. I like your idea for an activity with this novel. Close reading an image in connection with the text is a good way to help middle school students practice close reading skills. Graphic novels can be used to practice skills that can apply to traditional novels, while using unique approaches only applicable to graphic novels.

Sydney Blair

12/17/2022 02:30:20 pm

Hi Samantha,
I really appreciated what you said in your post! I agree, I believe that graphic novels can really attract the not so avid reader in a classroom. Especially in jr. high I was never the biggest reader, but I also would never pick up a graphic novel because I was under the impression that those were just for fun and my teachers usually disapproved of them. But what I've realized is that graphic novels can offer so much more than just a quicker read. The imagery in these stories like you said, allow students to strengthen their close reading skills and understand the importance of imagery in a way that a regular text novel can't. I think your idea of group idea is so great and could really help emphasize the importance of close reading for your students!

Alexa Delling

12/13/2022 07:20:59 am

I am all for a graphic novel primarily because I am more of a visual learner than an auditory learner or just through reading a text. This might be a simple explanation of why visual texts are so important, but I think it still stans in advocating for each and every type of student and reader. I always felt like when an ELA text was matched with visuals or a film, I never forgot 1.) how those characters portrayed themselves in a real world setting 2.) which characters interacted with which ones 3.) as well as what those characters actually looked like so the plot overall made much more sense when putting all the pieces together.

Within this specific class, the book Seen would be a great piece to add into our reading since the images are vibrant and explain what is happening in the story. If all my students have computer access at school and at home, it would help immensely for them to do research and gather images from the book in which they can explain their own descriptions and even tell me how this has helped them or not helped them. As the class have a number of students on IEPS and ranging from high-functioning spectrum to ADHD, it would be worth adding in visuals since they are not relying on solely reading or listening, they actually have that visual to attach onto the narrative of the story. This story as well is a much quicker read than say a chapter book so I think this would work very well within my class since students may have more of a difficult time if I were to do a group reading of the novel or have them read on their own in class or for homework. Carson’s story carries a lot of opportunity for all kinds of readers and I can definitely relate to the feeling of not wanting to read a chapter book and or truly not understanding the story at hand.

Mary Viera

12/20/2022 09:24:26 am

Hi Alexa! You brought up a great point about using visuals combined with texts that I forgotten had really worked for me as a high school student; “how those characters portrayed themselves in a real world setting”. This is so helpful to see visually, and especially since it is usually an actor’s interpretation of the character there are so many different discussions that we could have with students about different mediums for art. I also love the idea of students researching their own images in connection with the book and create their own descriptions. Personally, I looked up Rachel Carson’s cabin because the book talked about how important it was to her and I was interested to see what it looked like in person. I don’t know if I would have felt this significance if I had just read it in a text. Great idea!

Nicole Shepard

12/13/2022 10:37:19 am

Graphic novels are a great way to get all students engaged with reading in a classroom, especially at the middle school level. When students are in middle school, they are often too busy focusing on things outside of school to want to take the time to read a novel assigned to them. However, a graphic novel can be more engaging with its small text boxes and the pictures that take up most of the page. On top of that, there is a wide variety of graphic novels that could be included in a classroom lesson. As a teacher it would be important to incorporate a graphic novel into the lesson plan every few weeks. Another positive aspect of graphic novels is that students, especially those who might struggle in ELA, can practice their close reading skills with a text that has few words written on each page.

In regard to the graphic novel we read this week, “Seen: Rachel Carson,” there are many ways this could be included in an 8th grade classroom lesson. In particular, this book could be incorporated into a layered ELA and science unit since the graphic novel discusses nature. Another way this book could be incorporated into a class to benefit students on IEPSs and those with high-functioning ADHD is to include visuals and audio, if that is an option. If there was an audiobook for this graphic novel, that could be a way to read the book in class. One activity that could be fun to go along with this graphic novel would be to have my students use their iPads and use a library resource to find a different graphic novel that they would want to read in class. I would have my students pick one graphic novel and write a page explaining why that particular graphic novel should be included in our curriculum.

Meaghan Cook

12/13/2022 10:59:58 am

Hi Nicole,

I love the idea of combining this graphic novel with a science unit! I myself was first introduced to Rachel Carson during an environmental science course and it really ignited my love for nature. I also agree that it would be great to see graphic novels incorporated into a middle school curriculum on a consistent basis. I think this would certainly help with an 8th graders general lack of attention span and definitively for those who have ADHD. I love the use of the iPads as a resource, as I feel that they can be a great hands-on way to get kids involved!

Meaghan Cook

12/13/2022 10:56:42 am

I first encountered Rachel Carson several years ago in an environmental science class in high school. We read Silent Spring in preparation for all that we would learn throughout the semester. That class was the foundation upon which I built my own love for nature and the protection of our planet, so Rachel Carson is very near and dear to my heart. It was a joy to read this graphic novel and be introduced to her all over again.

That being said, I think this is a great entry-point for middle schoolers to learn about environmental issues and most especially the intersection of science and politics. With the class being majority female, I think this story will connect with them, as it is a story of a woman who was not taken seriously as a scientist, despite years of trying. I also think this will connect with our younger readers, not only because it is a graphic novel, but also because it is a great example of how Carson was able to combine her passion for writing and nature and make a career out of them. It opens the door for students to realize they do not need to be boxed into one future.

Graphic novels in general are excellent ways to convey a story, especially to younger readers or readers who may otherwise find it difficult to read a traditionally written novel. I think that a graphic novel is a great medium, especially for the story of Rachel Carson’s journey. As you move throughout the novel, the images are able to convey the emotion and urgency in a way that the written word cannot always convey. Using these kinds of visuals, from graphic novels to movies and television to photos opens up a door to a further level of understanding. Especially in a class with students who struggle with ADHD, a graphic novel allows for a more interactive reading experience that is not offered by a traditional novel.

As recommended by the reading guide included with the novel, I would have the students take notes as they move throughout the novel. I would ask them to make special note of the emotions that are conveyed through the images and ask if they are in line with the emotions they feel when reading the words. For example, the text on page 14 reads, “And it is here, staring at this isolated world, that I understand how everything is connected. Time marches on beneath the waves, away from the intervention of human hands.” The image that accompanies this text is that of Rachel standing by the ocean, appearing very small and off to the side. A student may not be able to experience the smallness that Rachel is feeling when compared to the vastness of the ocean simply by reading the text. The image may be a better method to convey the emotion of the text to those who are otherwise not able to understand it.

Maddy Ames

12/13/2022 07:21:41 pm

Last year, I got to observe in an English classroom during their unit on "To Kill a Mockingbird". Instead of using the original text, the teacher I observed opted to use the graphic novel version, and even read portions of it out loud to his students (they were in 9th grade). He told me that some of his more reluctant/apprehensive readers were more involved when he used graphic novels, and that it helped his students visualize what was actually going on in the story better.

I like the idea of using graphic novels in an ELA classroom, especially with middle school students. I think that graphic novels have the potential to be more accessible to students who are just beginning to become more advanced readers. Concerning "Seen: Rachel Carson", I feel that this book accomplished the same things. I loved how it made something daunting, and a more advanced subject matter jump to life in a way that a younger student (and myself honestly, haha) could understand and get involved with.

I had never considered using graphic novels in my future classroom, but after this section of our class, I am actually really excited about that idea and what it could look like!

Patricia Diaz

12/14/2022 09:01:27 pm

Maddy,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with all of us! This is a very interesting approach. I have never observed a class in which the instructor has implemented this feature, but I can see how beneficial it can be. This semester, I spent a lot of time working on my honors thesis and having conversations with educators and many offer me great insights as to how to use graphic novels effectively in the classroom. A common idea that I found is having students read the original text, but providing them with graphic novel passages sometimes for them to explore certain topics. I think they were concerned about having students shy away from the original prose. However, both ideas have their own success and I would be interested to see how both of them can be played out in the classroom.

Megan Keller

12/15/2022 08:19:47 am

Hi Maddy,

I really appreciated your honesty about the graphic novel, because honestly I was the same way. I really enjoyed how the visuals helped me to become a better reader for this unit. Additionally, I really enjoyed how you discussed that you have never thought of using a graphic novel. In your future classroom, you should look into the graphic novel entitled Noise by Kathleen Raymundo. It is a perfect graphic novel read for a middle school classroom. Great work!

Patricia Diaz

12/14/2022 08:57:34 pm

I don’t tend to read many graphic novels. However, I went through a phase in my life in which I used to read constantly comic books, especially centered around Batman and the villains in the Bat universe. Reflecting on the benefits of reading these types of books, especially having a young audience like middle schoolers read this genre, can help academically. I think graphic novels are easier for students to read through and digest. While they might contain hard topics just as full novels, this genre is more concise and usually helps a student to feel more motivated to read because these books don’t tend to have as many pages as a normal novel. In addition, the use of visuals is extremely beneficial for students who tend to be visual learners and even for students who tend to have comprehension difficulties. The visuals can provide students with a portrait of what is occurring or what the characters are talking about, which can help students understand the context better. English Language Learners can be extremely benefited with this option, especially if they just started learning the language because it helps them to follow along with the reading and make what the conversation is about through the different pictures present.
One of my main concerns would be how to teach short graphic novels because the content present in some of them is super concise that is hard not to finish the novel super quickly with students. Pacing and paying attention to key topics will be important to secure the successful teaching of this novel, especially because it wrestles with important topics such as nature. Another concern is how sometimes it doesn’t offer characters’ insight on certain issues. I would have to ask students critical thinking questions for them to fill out the gaps, but although this may seem like a challenge, I think it would be beneficial for students in the long run.

Megan Keller

12/15/2022 08:14:49 am

When looking into teaching a graphic novel specifically in a middle school classroom, I personally think it should be encouraged. In many of my own personal experiences in an English classroom, we were forced to read many “genres” of literature, but none touching upon graphic novels. I think there is a special place for graphic novels, they really allow readers to interpret not only a few words on the page but the visuals. As readers, we are taught to think complexly, using context clues and focusing on main themes but another skill that is cautiously stepped over is the interpretation of visuals. Visuals help provide more meaning to the text, which adds to a reader's understanding, ultimately making them better thinkers in terms of content matter. With this in mind, I would teach my classroom Seen: Rachel Carson by setting this graphic novel up as its own unit. I feel that it is important to touch upon why we are reading this novel. I want to explain to my students the motive behind graphic novels and how we will be using it in the classroom. Once the debriefing on the novel is done, I think an assignment I would give to my students would be to choose one page within the graphic novel that stuck out to them and why. I want them to write one full paragraph about why they chose this page. I think it would be interesting to hear why they chose their pages and how they can relate to, like it, or simply hate that page chosen. As their educator, it would provide me with thoughtful insight into how they are navigating the graphic novel.

Allie Gallahue

12/19/2022 06:10:59 pm

Hi Megan!
I think that your idea for an assignment is really unique and interesting. With just this one assignment, you would get some feedback on every aspect of the novel. Different scenes, characters, images, conflicts, and more aspects of the story would be covered in both positive and negative ways, and I think it would really benefit you as a teacher to learn what works for the majority of your students and what does not work, so that you can improve your lessons for the following years. I also agree about how graphic novels provide helpful visuals that make it easier to follow along with the story, and I think they also offer a perspective that the students may not have considered from the text alone. Great work on your post!

celeste barbosa

12/21/2022 05:41:02 pm

Hi Megan!
I really liked your post and thought your assignment is spot on. Since this type of novel is not really incorporated in classrooms, allowing students to reflect on what they enjoyed and what stuck out to them is a great critical thinking tool. It allows students to generate their own opinions while also showing that they understand an unfamiliar text. I also think the context you incorporated is important too. Maybe incorporating a poem or short story from the history of a novel could be a great resource for students. Great response!

Sydney Blair

12/17/2022 02:26:44 pm

Graphic novels are something that I feel I rarely saw throughout my education. Graphic Novels to me were typically seen as a reward or a way to give my brain a break while still doing the task of reading. However, Graphic novels can be so beneficial to students and can open so many different doors in the classroom. Compared to regular texts, graphic novels allow students to also see what they are reading. Instead of having to create an image in their head about what’s going on in the story, the images are already laid out for them. I feel that graphic novels provoke a sense of creativity for students as they are filled with imagery, color, and life, offering more than just text on a page. I think the delivery of the lines in a text is also a nice change for students as the shorter “blurbs”, lines, and dialogue are much shorter allowing students to maintain focus longer. Because of this, I believe that graphic novels should be explored more throughout both the middle school and high school classroom. In my opinion there is a stigma behind graphic novels and that they are not meant for an academic setting, and while that may be true for some texts, these novels have so much to offer and so many opportunities to be taught in the classroom. In this 8th grade class I would introduce an entire graphic novel unit. I would have students talk about some of their own favorite graphic novels, and then we would focus on our required text. After we complete the novel I would task students with creating their own graphic novel. I would want students to understand that words aren’t the only thing that can provoke emotions out of a reader, and that imagery can be just as strong. Graphic novels allow students to have more of a creative experience in their reading. By using color, images, and text, graphic novels may attract those students who may not have as much of a love for reading as others. Graphic novels create endless opportunities and should be appreciated more!

Jenivieve D'Andrea

12/19/2022 07:39:25 am

As you stated in this week's teaching discussion prompt, graphic novels helps students to become better readers of all texts. With a graphic novel, the combination of text and mostly visuals makes it possible for students to understand what the text is implying. Graphic novels make students better readers of texts because develop/reinforce skills such as inferencing. Making inferences based on a graphic novel's sketches develops skills to use when reading other texts. Additionally, the visual aspect of graphic novels can help students develop skills to determine the meaning of figurative language.

As for teaching Rachel Carson's "Seen" to the 8th grade Whitman classroom, this book would be reachable considering the abilities that makeup the student body. A graphic novel like this can be carefully divided up over the course of a week or two, and paired with really rich and engaging activities. The students with IEPs and other learning disabilities will most likely find this book reachable.

Something that students may struggle with is the historical context of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and some of the vocabulary. To help with this, carefully scaffolding a lesson with a short video on Pearl Harbor and another with a vocabulary exercises would work.

For activities, I would have students work with imagery in two ways. The first way, probably in the beginning of our reading, I would have students select 1-3 panels. Using those panels, write a descriptive paragraph about the visuals. This would help them practice identifying and analyzing visuals, and develop descriptive writing skills. Secondly, Carson describes this "perfect world" towards the end of the novel. I would ask students to briefly describe the world, and then draw what they imagine the perfect world to be like.

There would be room for great discussions about science and gender equality. Additionally students could discuss issues such as what it means to have a legacy.

Katie Rodrigues

12/19/2022 12:12:15 pm

Hi Jenivieve!
I really like how you mentioned scaffolding for your students with IEP's. It is important that they get the accommodations that they need in the classroom and you have plans in your lesson to support them. I also really liked the activity that you planned out using imagery. It is a creative lesson that I believe the kids would be ended with and enjoy doing. Graphic novels are important to have, especially for students who do not enjoy reading. The images seem like a little break within the text and allows for students to have some visuals within the story. Overall, I thought your lesson was really well though out.

Katie Rodrigues

12/19/2022 12:07:14 pm

I was never and have never really been interested in graphic novels, except for maybe the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. I always understood the appeal it had to my peers, however. Most of the students in all of my elementary classes enjoyed reading graphic novels; even the kids who didn't like reading. While graphic novels were not typically my first choice in reading material, I understood that the pictures made the book that much more appealing to the audience and added a layer of experience that you don't get while reading a book. When reading a book, you get to create images in your head, but for graphic novels it's laid out right in front of you. I believe both of those types are equally as important. You want to be able to use your imagination, but seeing the pictures illustrated for you creates for a unique reading experience. It is a way to get kids who do not enjoy reading to pick up some material, because any reading is benefiting the student.
When teaching Seen: Rachel Carson, I would have the students start with doing background information on who Rachel Carson was in small groups. I would use intentional pairing with this activity so the students could help each other out and keep each other heading in the right direction. I would also see if I could pull up short videos about Rachel Carson and show it to the class.
During the reading of the book I think there would be some good group discussions about Rachel and the work that she had done. For an assignment I would also have the students think about someone that they believe had an impact on the world and turn it into some kind of writing assignment.

Catie Mullen

12/20/2022 12:11:51 pm

Hi Katie! I love your teaching idea for this test class. As for the students thinking about someone they believed to of had an impact on the world, you could turn this into an autobiographical assignment. I remember doing these assignments in elementary and middle school, and they still stick with me today, which shows just how beneficial and fun they are. There are so many texts out there with biographies about political figures or influential people, which is a great genre within English courses and a good transition from studying graphic novels.

As for students learning from graphic novels, I think our professor said it best, that reading is reading. No matter what you are reading or putting your brain power towards, you are learning. If a student can find something that works for them, then they should continue to do it.

Allie Gallahue

12/19/2022 06:03:11 pm

I did not read graphic novels in middle school, nor did I in high school. However, I think that utilizing this format can be really beneficial in a classroom, especially in the late middle school and early high school years. Throughout all of high school, we as students were given novel after novel to read and analyze. However, analyzing a text based solely off of context clues can be difficult and intimidating to some students who are not as interested in reading, or the English subject in general. This can be especially intimidating when the novels are 300-500 pages, which can cause students to feel a tad overwhelmed. However, I think that being exposed to graphic novels may help students learn how to analyze the text better in the following years. When students are first starting to learn to read and analyze whole books, rather than small passages, it could be quite beneficial to begin with a text that also has some pictures in it to guide the reader while they are trying to create the mental image of the scene to better understand the characters, the scene, and the overall plot. I believe that this kind of novel will help transition the students from small passages and/or short stories in their early middle school years to the full length, classic novels they will explore later in high school. I also feel like many times students with cognitive disorders, such as ADHD, have trouble focusing on novels with only text, because they will easily get bored of what they are looking at and lose their attention on the book. With graphic novels, it is much easier to follow along and continue reading. Graphic novels, in my recent experience, are also a much quicker read, and therefore come across as less intimidating. This will hopefully encourage students to read the assigned text, since they will be less likely to push it off if it is a shorter read. I think that a fun assignment that can go along with reading graphic novels would be to create comic strips of the characters we read about interacting with each other outside of the given scenes in the story. I think that this type of assignment is engaging, and it will also assess the students’ understanding of the characters’ personalities and situations.

Mary Viera

12/20/2022 09:17:08 am

This would be great to teach because it is a graphic novel which opens up a lot of opportunities for reading. It is also great because we get to learn about influential writers (and scientists like Rachel Carson) from “their” perspective compared to a non-fiction article which makes it more interesting and meaningful. It’s important to learn about “Marginalized Trailblazers” so that these figures are valued and recognized today and not forgotten. They are important in shaping the history, and how our world is today. It’s also important to recognize the obstacles they overcame, and to see whether that oppression has changed today.
I think the most difficult part about teaching this text would be that it is a graphic novel which is a very difficult genre to read. It’s tempting to want to read quickly since there are fewer words; however, I would have to teach students how words and pictures go together to tell the story and that it takes time to fully “read” each panel to see how those two elements work together to create a story. If students just read the words, or just look at the pictures they will miss essential parts of the story.
A graphic novel allows for this cohesion of storytelling. It allows for a more interactive reading as readers must be able to make the connections between the story in the words and the story in the pictures. It is more appealing for visual learners, and can include the reader in the time period and context of the story in a more accessible way than text. Visuals can help do this for our readers to help them become better readers of all “texts” as they can learn to take into account the context. I think graphic novels should be introduced in middle school; however, it would take instruction to teach them how to read it as it is a complicated genre.

Allison Raposo

12/21/2022 04:33:57 am

Mary,
I really enjoyed how you included the phrase "Marginalized Trailblazers", which is exactly what Rachel Carson is. I agree with your point about how graphic novels are cohesive with both storytelling and the narrative itself. I also think that this genre should be taught before any of the students read it because it is such a difficult genre and requires a higher level of analyzation.

Catie Mullen

12/20/2022 12:06:38 pm

Graphic novels are a way for students to learn information in a different way. As we all know, every student has a different learning style or a style that is more preferred, and some students may benefit more from visuals. Graphic novels can present important themes and topics, such as "Seen" does, in a way that is appealing to the eye and gets the point across quickly but thoughtfully. Visuals may help students in the classroom become better readers, especially at the younger ages, because it'll support their reading comprehension and understanding of texts. Students may be able to better connect with the characters and scenery if they can visually see them rather than just imagine them. A graphic novel is also appropriate for our test class, seeing as some students have documented learning disabilities. A graphic novel that is short and sweet, but educational will support their learning needs.

The text, "Seen" is great for this particular class demographic. It is important for middle-schoolers to be exposed to many genres and formats of writing before they enter high-school and/or higher education. "Seen" also contains topics of history, government policies, nature preservation, internal growth, friendship, loyalty, mental health, and old-age life reflection. The topics "Seen" shares with readers are appropriate for the demographic of young middle-schoolers to open up discussions on issues that are prevalent to our society in a mature and organized way. This text is a great way for students to learn how to point out themes and lessons in a short book; understand the genre, formatting, and art of graphic novels; and distinguish symbols within a text. It shares great lessons such as more voices make a bigger impact, and this lessons goes far beyond just nature preservation. "Seen" may also be used in a historical context within history courses. Teachers may focus on topics such as the lasting effects of the Great Depression and bombing of Pearl Harbor, or the pull and negative effects the government currently has on our country. This story opens up great class discussions that can be educational, but it also is a very political book, making it possibly difficult to teach from and educator's standpoint. It shares many instances of the government lying to United States citizens, which may be sensitive to some or cause backlash for that age group. However, I think this book leaves readers of all ages an important message about leaving your mark on the world and what your legacy will be.

Allison Raposo

12/21/2022 04:24:17 am

I think that these graphic novels are critical to the world of young adult literature because it is able to depict a message by grasping the reader's attention with the use of an intense plot and language. It is very difficult to get students to read anything at such a young age, therefore the use of this technique is very smart in drawing in the young reader. Students are used to reading textbook style content and do not absorb anything they are reading because they get bored with the material.
Using this type of approach allows the students to be on the edge of their seats when reading this information, which helps them remember what they read. I feel as if all information was presented in this format students would be more motivated to learn, along with retain the information at a higher level. The text "Seen" is a perfect example of this as it reaches the young minds of the middle school students. This age group is most vulnerable to anything that comes their way as they navigate through life to try to find themselves.

celeste barbosa

12/21/2022 05:37:36 pm

Personally, I was never a big fan of graphic novels, but my younger sister loved them. When I asked her why she loved them so much, she said, "It makes the book come to life" and that resonated with me. When looking at middle school, it is very important to incorporate different types of Young Adult novels, and one of the most popular is graphic novels. Graphic novels allow students to engage with the text while also seeing illustrations (which is something not prevalent in higher education). This also allows students to explore their creativity deeper as they can see how others perceive novels compared to just their own perception. However, since this genre is something that is not used a lot throughout schools, it may be difficult for some students to read.

When teaching Seen, the first thing I would do is teach students how to read graphic novels. Beginning the unit with an overall understanding on how to properly read these types of books is crucial for all students to have a better understanding on what they are being taught. It will also be significant for students that may have English as their second language. Teaching them a new way to read may be challenging at first, but through the illustrations and the basic format, ESL students may find joy and passion in these types of books.

I would also incorporate a project for students to create their own graphic novel. I think since this novel can evoke an enormous amount of creativity and passion in students, it is important that they are able to express themselves. I would revolve the project around the main theme of Seen: activism. I would ask students to create their own hero and what they would be trying to achieve, whether that be end racism, sexism, climate change, etc. This project could allow students to be creative, but also get a taste for what Rachel Carson stands for.

Chloe Tavernier

12/21/2022 06:12:55 pm

I think incorporating graphic novels into an academic curriculum would be an excellent method for students to receive newfound information through a rather uncontemporary medium. Utilizing novels of this format I think could be a welcome addition to any classroom as there are bound to be students that will resonate more with the expressive narrative told with the aid of striking visuals often found in graphic novels. I am quite fond of graphic novels as I used to be an avid reader of them when I was younger, but not so much any more as contemporary YA novels have taken precedence; although my interest in the fantastical still strongly remains. Graphic novels contain a multitude of beneficial factors such as how they are more densely packed with appealing visuals rather than crammed with text which may prove to be less intimidating to a prospective and therefore easier to consume and enjoy. Additionally, graphic novels tend to be on the shorter side than a typical novel which would definitely add to the enjoyment of an analysis assignment. A great assignment that would utilize graphic novels would be to have students pick their favorite graphic novel and write about how they resonated with them or how it made an impact on their life.

Linnea Fawkes

12/22/2022 07:06:55 pm

I enjoyed reading your thoughts! I agree that incorporating graphic novels in the classroom would be a great addition. I think that students that value art and design would really appreciate reading this in the classroom. I liked your assignment idea of having students pick their own favorite graphic novel. My only question would be about students that do not like or have no experience with graphic novels, what would you do as a teacher in that case? Otherwise, great job!

Linnea Fawkes

12/22/2022 06:53:12 pm

As an avid YA reader, I do not have much experience reading graphic novels. However, I do realize and know how popular they are among teenage readers. I think it's great that these novels allow its readers to have images to go along with scenes in the story, that is a great addition for YA readers that are visual learners. Many students would be able to benefit from this in the classroom. Many of my good friends in high school loved graphic novels, but I think I just personally prefer reading novels with the original format. I think that this also taps into the artistic side of teenagers and allows them to have another creative outlet, which is very important to incorporate in one’s reading.
Even though I do not have the most personal experience with graphic novels, I would definitely see the benefits when incorporating them in my classroom. This past fall, I was observing in a 12th English classroom where they were reading a graphic novel. The students seemed to really be involved in the storyline and like the images provided. This would be great for students that are learning English for the first time. From the perspective of a student, I think that graphic novels offer a different approach to the common and sometimes boring novels that students are often expected to read. This can be a breath of fresh air for them. The graphic novel Seen would be great to teach in highschool, many students would be able to relate to it. Activism is such a relevant topic in society today and this could be of high interest to students. For an assignment, I would have my students create their own scene in a graphic novel. I would have students create a scene of various images and text that would develop a scene that involves some type of plot. I would encourage my students to be creative with his assignment and hope that it would be fun for my students.

Last Teaching Discussion: Middle Schoolers and Graphic Novels (12.21.2022)

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