Comic Books As A Classroom Learning Tool? Why Not?

As someone with an elementary aged child, I understand the challenges that come with educating our youth. And getting them to love reading. Which is why I try to use comic books to make reading more fun. Based on news just announced, Bluewater Productions, publisher of biographical comics, feels the same way. In conjunction with educator/author Chris Wilson ('The Graphic Classroom'), Bluewater has developed a lesson plan to help teachers and librarians by incorporating some of Bluewater's titles. The first lesson plan comes out later this month. Educators can choose from a number of historical titles such as Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin and Michelle Obama, influential modern authors like SE Hinton, JK Rowling and Stephenie Meyer or a variety of culturally impactful celebrities like Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. Additional lesson plans will roll out over the next few months. On the thinking behind developing lesson plans, Wilson said, "I know that reading is a problem for many students today. I feel strongly that comics and graphic novels can be one way that we can combat this problem. Graphics novels should be in every public school library and classroom library. The lesson plans, available through Bluewater, incorporate a multi-discipline analysis of several biographical graphic novels and comic books including language, historical perspective, conceptual thinking, decision making and other skills appropriate for elementary and middle school students. The plans use a variety of exercises, talking points and activity prompts. Bluewater president Darren Davis added, "I was one of those students in danger of falling through the cracks. I was a borderline student and a poor reader. But once I discovered comic books, I couldn't put them down. My vocabulary increased; my comprehension improved. I can honestly say that comic books gave me the confidence I needed to eventually tackle Shakespeare and Steinbeck." Some of you might say that Bluewater is acting in their best interests, and I agree. The more comic books they sell, the more money they make. But the lesson plans are FREE. And if comic books are the way to get tons of kids into reading, I hope that Bluewater makes millions on this idea. Because anything that helps our kids is a good thing in my book.