Graphic Novels & High School English

A Teaching & Learning Resource Site

Professional Development

My name is Maureen Bakis. I am high school English teacher in Massachusetts where I teach a course called The Graphic Novel to 12th graders. I created this site and The Graphic Novel Classroom: Powerful Teaching & Learning with Images (2011) to help anyone who is interested in teaching graphic novels.

Please contact me through this site if you are interested in a graphic novel professional development program for your school, library, or club. I can tailor a workshop face to face or online to meet your needs!

Amazon Author Page

GraphicNovelReporter Author Interview

DiamondBookshelf Author Interview

The interviews below contain lesson plan ideas for many grade levels...

TEACHING COMICS ARTICLE

Voices From The Classroom: Christine DePetrillo

Voices From The Classroom: Mike Stultz

Voices From The Classroom: Chris Wilson

Voices From The Classroom: Melissa Burke-Marquart

Voices From The Classroom: Marek Bennett

Voices From the Classroom: John Isaacson

How I use graphic novels in the classroom in Graphic Novel Reporter. com's Newsletter.

Expert Advice From Teachers

Diamondbookshelf: Graphic Novels and State Standards

THE GRAPHIC NOVEL COURSE
An evaluation of The Graphic Novel course at Masconomet
NCAA Eval Formal.docx

open house presentation 2010.pptx

TGN Course Syllabus 2011-2012

Members

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Dr. Carter's EN/SANE World Blog

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Graphic Novel Resources

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Groups

Summer PD Cohort 2013

1 member
Winter PD 2013 Cohort

6 members

Graphic Novel Club

1 member
Educational Conference M…

4 members

Women & Comics

1 member
Comics and Graphic Novel…

1 member

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Photos

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Events

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Videos

Alan Moore Discusses WATCHMEN: The Mindscape Of Alan Moore

Added by Maureen Bakis

Alan Moore HARDtalk interview

Added by Maureen Bakis

Comic Book Greats: Will Eisner pt. 2

Added by Maureen Bakis

Comic Book Greats: Will Eisner pt. 3

Added by Maureen Bakis

FEATURES/UPDATES

LOOKING FOR RESOURCES?

-peruse the social networks and websites listed here

- check out the notes and links pages

-read through the discussion forums

-check out the blogs on the site

-and the RSS Feeds from great graphic novel sources!

Friends,

Please check out my friend, Nick Sousanis' work and participate in the conversation it is prompting among educators in higher education.

Glad educators are finding my book useful!

Spiegelman Mural

CHRIS WARE MUST READ!

READ AN EXCERPT FROM BUILDING STORIES

New Yorker Cover by Ware

Here's a link to the workshop materials I presented in Denver at the

Rocky Mountain Conference on Comics and Graphic Novels in

June, 2012

and a few photos of some pretty cool cartoonists and comics scholars!

R.C. Harvey, Scott McCloud, and Nick Sousanis Rob Weiner, Charles Hatfield, William Kuskin, Maureen Bakis, Nick Sousanis, James Bucky Carter, Scott McCloud, R.C. Harvey, and Chris Angel

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Be sure to visit the Discussion Forum for other Updates and Conversations about comics in the classroom!

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Archived Presentation Materials

INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION

IRA POWERPOINT PRESENTATION SLIDESHOW

John Shableski, a.k.a. "The Graphic Novel Guy" and Me at IRA Exhibition Hall

Wildcat Comic Con at Penn College April 13, 2012

Check out the Educational Conferences Group Page for example student work and Wildcat Con presentation materials!

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TECHNOLOGY & GRAPHIC NOVELS

WOW.... This is what I call interactive reading!!!

"Operation Ajax" by Cognito Comics

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THE USUAL...

For Archived Features & Updates

Check in the Notes & Links

Check out the Discussion Forum for more Updates & Information

Listen to Introduction to Graphic Novels, a podcast by ReadWriteThink.org!

Blog Posts

V for Vendetta Redux 2012

I just began my V for Vedetta unit, and instead of reading Plato's Allegory of the Cave in the middle of the students' reading of Book II, I decided to begin with it. I also began the pre-reading portion of the unit by having students read "Behind the Painted Smile" and we discussed the creative process. I typically have students read this essay…

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Posted by Maureen Bakis on December 20, 2012 at 12:38pm

A Review of my Eisner Unit 2012 with materials!

I taught Will Eisner's A Contract with God a little differently this year. The unit began with a video presentation of Eisner's life and students commenced reading the novels. Well, instead of explaining this all in narrative form, how about I just share all my links and materials with you? Students explored the notions of empathy (in general and within stories and storytelling) and morality. The outline below is simply copied from my course website as the students would view it. As…

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Posted by Maureen Bakis on December 20, 2012 at 12:30pm

Dr. Jay Hosler Speaks!

Dr. Jay Hosler, author of the graphic novels, Clan Apis and The Sandwalk Adventures (among other awesome comics) Skyped with my students today! Jay spoke about his inspiration for making comics, his mentors, his love of science, and his creative and composition processes. What a treat to have high…

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Posted by Maureen Bakis on December 20, 2012 at 12:11pm

2012 Eisner Unit-- New Materials Included!

My students completed their research unit and new literacies practice on the history of comics. We are currently reading Eisner's A Contract with God and A Life Force and it is going really well. The kids are interviewing students and staff about morality and justice, reading an article from Time magazine called "What Makes us Moral?" and will write a position paper about the notion of either morality or justice…

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Posted by Maureen Bakis on October 28, 2012 at 9:23pm

Forum

Nick Sousanis...the revolutionary! 1 Reply

Check out this podcast using Nick Sousanis' comics dissertation work as a talking point.He and comics are making waves in academia!Continue

Tags: sousanis

Started by Maureen Bakis in Comics & Graphic Novel Tid Bits. Last reply by Nick Sousanis Nov 27, 2012.

Crowdsource Link for Graphic Novels to use in social studies/humanities

This is a GREAT list...it was buried in the Notes and Links page so I thought I would bring it to the forum for everyone to see...…Continue

Tags: graphic, studies, social, crowdsource

Started by Maureen Bakis in Comics & Graphic Novel Tid Bits Sep 13, 2012.

Looking for a graphic novelist to visit your classroom in MA or NH? 1 Reply

Hi,I have a graphic novelist friend that has given many lessons to my students on the inside word of creating a graphic novel. She will give a lesson on how she works, how to do it, the thought…Continue

Started by Brendan McEachern in Comics & Graphic Novel Tid Bits. Last reply by Maureen Bakis Sep 13, 2012.

Graphic Novels and the Common Core 3 Replies

I currently teach portions of Persepolis in my 9th grade Honors English class. I have a six week unit on reading graphic novels in my 12th grade English course. I am interested in how other high…Continue

Tags: Core, Common

Started by Stacie Cruz in Musings and General Reflections. Last reply by Maureen Bakis Jun 4, 2012.