Kids love comics and cartoons. The only thing they would like more than reading comics and cartoons would be making comics and cartoons. That being said , not everyone is a gifted artist or a brilliant graphic designer. Here is where the following sites become extremely helpful to our budding artists. The following three sites: Pixton, Toondoo, and Makesbelievecomix offer an opportunity for everyone to express themselves graphically.
Comics and cartoons offer many opportunies for learning in the classroom. In order to present a subject graphically you must have mastered its meaning and many facets of the concept. Presenting work in this medium allows for individual as well as group work which in turn facillitates greater understanding. Comics and cartoons are also genius ways of presenting a message with humor.
I created the following comics to address three problems I am having in the NES library everyday:
- Excess noise in the library.
- Students failing to use the tools that they have been taught.
- Students wanting to check out books below and above their reading level.
https://www.pixton.com/schools/create/comic-strip/kkxkjra1
http://www.toondoo.com//user/Libraryhound
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=208595407C1904184
While all of theses sites were easy to use as well as loaded with options to excite my students, I found Pixton.com to be my favorite. I found the constant advertising on Makesbelief to be distracting (despite the option to close the ads). I almost bought 2 dresses before I finished my comic!!! I worry that my students might be quite distracted themselves. Also, the three panel limit might be frustrating for some while providing clarity for others. Toodoo was still processing my cartoon at this writing , but I did like their toolbox the most.
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