ATAR YEAR 11 ENGLISH UNIT ONE MODULE 3 GRAPHIC NOVELS. Daniel Santos

Transcription

1 ATAR YEAR 11 ENGLISH UNIT ONE MODULE 3 GRAPHIC NOVELS Daniel Santos Daniel Santos: Module 3 Page 1

2 MODULE THREE RATIONALE Unit 1 of the Draft English ATAR Year 11 Syllabus has a strong context on context, purpose, audience, textual conventions and comparison of different texts. As a result, our unit brings these concepts and ideas to the forefront, and explicitly looks at these across the different modules. To complement the emphasis on these recurring skills, our programme has used a theme to examine recurring ideas: that of power within texts. Each module will focus on the skills of exploring context, purpose, audience, textual conventions and comparing texts, while examining ideas of power. Given the importance of these skills and ideas, I have chosen a text that I believe best exemplifies these different areas: Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Watchmen is perhaps the most critically acclaimed graphic novel of all time, and even made the list of Time s 100 Best Novels Since 1923 the only graphic novel to be placed on the list. The text examines the concept of superheroes, particularly within the context of the 1980 s, and explores the concept through highly innovative textual conventions. It calls into question not only the traditional idea of superheroes, but the purpose of comic books and what they could achieve. The text is heavily situated within history, but also heavily situated within the history comic books as a medium. It is for thee reasons that I chose Watchmen as my text to examine with the Year 11 students. There are two reasons I chose a graphic novel for our programme. I believe that students might be more willing to explore a graphic novel over a novel, and I believe it is the best text for teaching the curriculum s essential skills. As a group, we also wanted to progress through more complex forms of texts, starting with texts, then adding elements such as visuals and sound until students were dealing with complex, multimodal texts. The module will continue our programmes focus on getting students to create written pieces of work to cement the concepts, and familiarise themselves with the necessity of creating extended writing pieces. Daniel Santos: Module 3 Page 2

3 Week 8 Lessons 3 and 4 Wk Objectives/Outcomes Learning Activities Resources 8. Specific Objectives: By the end of the week each student should be able to: 1) Define what constitutes a comic book and graphic novel 2) Identify certain features specific to comic books and graphic novels 3) Explain a broad history of comics Introduction to Comics Objectives (1) & (2). Outcomes (2), (3), (4), (5): Class Activity: Students share everything they know about comics and what they think about comics. Write answers on the board. Group Activity: What are comics? Groups and given several examples of visual art (1.1). Groups decide what they consider to be comics, and what they don t. Class Discussion: Share classifications with class and explain why. Students then use classifications to create definition of comics QUESTION: What have you used as the basis for your definition? Is it purely about form, or have considerations of audience (kids) and purpose (entertain) been included? Individual Activity: Students read extract from Understanding Comics (1.2) (1.1) All-Star Superman Grant Morrison Maus Art Spiegelman God s Man - Lynd Ward A Week of Kindness Max Ernst The Arrival Shaun Tan typewriter concrete poetry - Steve McCaffery Airplane Safety Information Sheet (1.2) Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art p. 4-9, p ) Distinguish common superhero stories, art and characters Learning Outcomes: 4) Text Structures & Language Objective (3) & (4). Outcomes (1), (2), (5). Timeline Activity: Students are given samples from several comics (1.3). Students must position samples along the timeline (1.4) QUESTION: What did you take into account when trying to date the examples? Individual Activity: Students read about history of comics from extract of Teaching the Graphic Novel (1.5) Group Activity: Each group is given a different comic book (1.6). Groups will analyse and research comic book, then present the class with a synopsis of the story, characters, and the art style. Students can use Wikipedia to help increase background knowledge Writing Activity: Students write two paragraphs in response to questions, and then hand them in to the teacher. Questions: What is your opinion on comic books, and Watchmen in particular? Are they interesting, clever, childish? Give reasons for your opinion. (1.3) Monsieur Crépin, Max und Moritz, Yellow Kid, Krazy Kat, The Spirit, The Avengers, Fritz the Kat, Superman, X-Men Legacy (1.4) Timeline Handout (1.5) Teaching the Graphic Novel p (1.6) Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, Captain America, X-Men, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk Daniel Santos: Module 3 Page 3

4 Wk Objectives/Outcomes Learning Activities Resources 9. Specific Objectives By the end of the week each student should be able to: 1) Explain the historical context behind the different periods in superhero comics 2) Describe Alan Moore s early life 3) Identify Moore s common themes and techniques 4) Explain the importance of the 1980s in Watchmen 5) Find examples of 1980s culture in Watchmen 6) Evaluate the significance of the 1980s within Watchmen Learning Outcomes: 4) Text Structures & Language Context and Purpose Objectives (1) Outcomes (1), (2), (5): Group Activity: Groups read different extracts from Super History: Comic Book Superheroes and American Society (1.1) Students examine: Different periods in superhero comics Significant historical events in each period Significant events in comics in each period Comic book art from each period Class Discussion: Groups share information with class Objective (2), (3) Outcomes (1), (2), (4): Video: Watch clips from The Mindscape of Alan Moore (1.2) Individual Activity: Students fill in handout about Alan Moore s life and view on comics (1.3). Students discuss answers with class Individual Activity: Students read extracts from Alan Moore: Comics as Performance, Fiction as Scalpel (1.4) Identify recurring themes and techniques in Moore s work Analyse Watchmen: Students examine Watchmen for examples of Moore s themes and techniques. Are these different from previous superhero comics looks at? Objective (4), (5), (6) Outcomes (1), (3), (5): Pair Activity: Pairs examine different aspects of 80s culture: American-Afghanistan-Russian Relations, Cold War/Nuclear Fears, Reagan & Bush, AIDS and Health Issues, Terrorism, Punk and Counter Culture. Students use checklist to provide a structure to their research (1.5) Pair Presentation: Students present information to the class. Students will publish their information on blogs, which will be collated to provide a large overview on American culture in the 80s. Writing Activity: Students answer question, peer edit structure and content of each other s responses, then rewrite. QUESTION: How has a knowledge of context expanded your understanding of Watchmen? (1.1) Super History: Comic Book Superheroes and American Society Chpt 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (1.2) The Mindscape of Alan Moore 00:00-16:45, 22:30-23:45 (1.3) Alan Moore s Early Life (1.4) Alan Moore: Comics as Performance, Fiction as Scalpel p (1.5) Research Checklist Daniel Santos: Module 3 Page 4

5 Wk Objectives/Outcomes Learning Activities Resources 3. Specific Objectives By the end of the week each student should be able to: 1) Identify conventions of comic books and graphic novels 2) Explain the purpose behind the use of different conventions 3) Analyse how Watchmen is constructed 4) Contrast Watchmen with other superhero comics 5) Evaluate why Watchmen is constructed its particular way Learning Outcomes: 4) Text Structures & Language Text Structures and Language Objective (1), (2) Outcomes (2), (3), (4), (5) : Introductory Activity: Students must create a small comic no more than 5 panels that conveys a characters uncertainty in answering a question. Students share their comics, and explain how they attempted to portray the scene to create the particular purpose. Individual Activity: Read extracts from Understanding Comics (1.1) and The Language of Comics (1.2) Individual Activity: Students compare pages from Watchmen and Astro Boy (1.3). Students take note on conventions used, including SWAT conventions. Group Discussion: Watchmen uses almost no motion-lines, and no sound effects, as opposed to Astro Boy. What effect does that have? Objectives (3), (4), (5) Outcomes: (2), (4), (5) Individual Activity: Students read extract from Understanding Comics (1.4) Students then compare a page from All-Star Superman (1.5) and Astro Boy (1.6) and identify the different transitions. Pair Activity: Students examine Chapter 4 of Watchmen and identify the transitions. Does it conform to traditional goaloriented story-telling? What impression of time is given? How do the transitions affect your reading? Video: Watch clip from The Mindscape of Alan Moore (1.7) Individual Activity: Students examine chapter 5 and analyse how Moore s ideas of time are constructed? Students pay particular attention to symmetry of structure. Group Activity: As a group, each student examines different aspect of how the book as a whole constructs Moore s idea of time. Focus on: structure of chapters; plot how is the mystery solved? Character particularly Dr Manhattan Writing Activity: Students answer question, peer edit structure and content, then hand in to teacher. QUESTON: Dr Manhattan has the power to observe past, present and future. Does this give him real power, however? (1.1) Understanding Comics p (1.2) The Language of Comics p (1.3) Astro Boy, Vol 1 & 2 (1.4) Understanding Comics p (1.5) Page from All-Star Superman (1.6) Page from Astro Boy (1.7) The Mindscape of Alan Moore 18:25 20:30 Daniel Santos: Module 3 Page 5

6 Wk Objectives/Outcomes Content/Activity Resources 4. Specific Objectives: By the completion of the week each student should be able to: 1) Define power as traditionally depicted in comic books 2) Analyse how Watchmen differs in its portrayal of power through characters and context 3) Justify who possesses power in Watchmen Learning Outcomes 4) Text Structures and Language Power in Watchmen Objectives Outcomes: Movie: Students watch clip from Iron Man (1.1). Students watch scene of Iron Man fighting the villain. Class Activity: Students describe who the villain was, what he was fighting for and if Iron Man was able to win in a meaningful way. Individual Activity: Examine images from Captain America # 1 (1.2) and read information sheet (1.3). Pair Activty: Students discuss if there is any similar villain that the heroes of Watchmen could fight to change the 1980s? In what ways does the historical context of Watchmen stop the characters from saving the day? Class Discussion: Students discuss as a class their answers. Objectives Outcomes Video: Students watch a small clip from Gruen Planet (1.4) Class Activity: Students describe all the elements of a panel discussion. Group Activity: Students are placed into groups, and each group focuses on creating an argument for each of the following topics: Dr Manhattan has the most power Ozymandias had the most power Rorschach has the most power No has real power One student from each group will talk in front of the class on a panel led by the teacher. Panel Discussion: Panel discusses who has power in Watchmen. Students watching take notes. Create Notes for Essay Prep, Essay Skeleton, Essay Question (1.1) Iron Man (1.2) Capain America # 1 Cover (1.3) Captain America Information Sheet (1.4) Gruen Planet /watch?v=cnzyiptnofy (1.5) Essay Structure Skeleton Daniel Santos: Module 3 Page 6

7 Wk. 5 Lesson 1 In-Class Essay REFERENCES Draft English ATAR Year 11 Syllabus Di Liddo, A. (2009). Alan Moore: Comics as Performance, Fiction as Scalpel. Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi Favreau, J. (Director) (2008). Iron Man [Motion Picture]. America: Paramount Pictures. Johnson, J. K. (2012) Super-History: Comic Book Superheroes and American Society, 1938 to the Present. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers McCloud, S. (1993). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New York, New York: Kitchen Sink Press. Morrison, G. (2007). All-Star Superman Volume 1. New York, New York: DC Comics Saraceni, M. (2003). The Language of Comics. New Fetter Lane, London: Routledge Tabachnick, S. E. (2009). Introduction. In S. E. Tabachnick (Ed.), Teaching the Graphic Novel (pp1-19). New York, New York: The Modern Language Association of America. Tezuka, O. (2002). Astro Boy, Volumes 1 & 2. Milwaukie, Oregon: Dark Horse Manga Daniel Santos: Module 3 Page 7