I came across an
exceptional comic book creating iOS app called Strip Designer. Yes, it is a
paid app, however, as I am on my quest to change how classes utilize the iPads,
some paid apps have been necessary. This particular app allows one to bring in
external images or drawings, as well as provides the tools to draw scenes right
in the app.
The inaugural lesson
used the app to create Poetry Cartoons. Students were required to locate a poem
with at least ten lines. Each line of the poem became visually represented
within a cell in the comic. As an example, each class was introduced to
Julian Peters’ adaptation of Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe. We spent two days
working on this in class. The first day was an introduction to the project in
the course of which the app was downloaded and its capabilities explored. The
next class day was a workday with me in the room acting as a consultant during
the creation process.
With their finished
projects in hand on their iPads, students participated in a “sit, scoot,
shuffle.” Initially, it was going to be a gallery walk, but we didn’t want the
students being distanced from their devices or having the nuisance of passcodes
on wake. This arrangement placed the students in pairs that rotated throughout
the period. Even though the students were sharing their work with their
classmates, they were really being exposed to numerous works of poetry.
Other Options
Many of the free options
that I have run across contain ads. I am only listing one of these ad-filled options
below.
Make Beliefs Comixs – a website and iOS app
that allows you to make comics using the built-in characters. This could be
great if you want students to quickly create a story without the need and time
to draw the characters. It does not allow for saving of the comics, making
it a good option for one class period long projects. Note that both the website
and app have rotating ads. (website & Free iOS app)
