Cartoons and Comics
Cartoons and Comics are an engaging creative outlet for students. They allow students to process and interact with literature in a holistic way. Although you can of course opt to create comics/cartoons the "OG" way (paper and pencil), there are numerous apps and websites that allow you to create your own comic in an elevated way. Here are a few samples:
Make Beliefs Comix: This website also seems a bit outdated, but loaded quickly. Pros: Many great graphics to choose from including background, characters, objects, speech bubbles, etc. Very easy to save your comix. You are able to choose from a "starter pack" which will give you a basic outline. Cons: Outdated, No option to share on social media, frustrating controls, not enough space for text.
Toondoo: I can't recommend this website. I was unable to even create a comic due to the incredibly slow loading speed. I had Toondoo trying to load in the background for the whole 20 minutes I spent creating my Make Beliefs Comix, and it still failed to load even the sign up page. It uses adobe flash which could be behind the slow speed but the whole website seems outdated. The font choice, disorganized home page, and difficulty loading tells me that this site needs a major overhaul.
Pixton: I used the web version of Pixton. I was not able to share the *hilarious* comic I created called "A Homebody's Weekend" because it wanted me to pay in order to download/share. Pros: Ability to create your own avatar! This was fun, easy, and quick to do. It really did look like me! Extremely easy to use, tons of graphics, sizing is automatically adjusted for you, modern look, ability to add/delete panels with the click of a button. Cons: Makes you "upgrade" (for a fee) to share or download your comic.
There are so, SO many things you can do with comics/cartoons in school, and students will love creating them! I would love to have a professional development training for teachers on ways to incorporate comics into assignments and the benefits of doing so. Comics are great for teaching so many skills (social skills, writing skills, planning skills, and the list goes on!) and the possibilities are truly endless.
Toondoo: I can't recommend this website. I was unable to even create a comic due to the incredibly slow loading speed. I had Toondoo trying to load in the background for the whole 20 minutes I spent creating my Make Beliefs Comix, and it still failed to load even the sign up page. It uses adobe flash which could be behind the slow speed but the whole website seems outdated. The font choice, disorganized home page, and difficulty loading tells me that this site needs a major overhaul.
Pixton: I used the web version of Pixton. I was not able to share the *hilarious* comic I created called "A Homebody's Weekend" because it wanted me to pay in order to download/share. Pros: Ability to create your own avatar! This was fun, easy, and quick to do. It really did look like me! Extremely easy to use, tons of graphics, sizing is automatically adjusted for you, modern look, ability to add/delete panels with the click of a button. Cons: Makes you "upgrade" (for a fee) to share or download your comic.
There are so, SO many things you can do with comics/cartoons in school, and students will love creating them! I would love to have a professional development training for teachers on ways to incorporate comics into assignments and the benefits of doing so. Comics are great for teaching so many skills (social skills, writing skills, planning skills, and the list goes on!) and the possibilities are truly endless.
Great Job Stephanie! Your idea about having a professional development on ways to incorporate comics is a great idea. Students love comics and what better to let them express their ideas and see what great things they can develop.
ReplyDeleteYour comic strip is too cute! I agree with your thoughts on ToonDoo: I found it unimpressive compared to the others sites.
ReplyDelete