Saturday, November 14, 2009

IN THE CLASSROOM THIS WEEK

From the Editor

A few weeks ago I ordered two Flip Video cameras ($150 total) for my classroom from digitalwish.org. I no more than got them in and told the kids in one of my fourth grade sections that one piped up and suggested we use it in THE HALL OF HEROES comic book club.

We didn’t have time to flush out his thinking – what he envisioned – but my mind is exploding with ideas. We could promote our club on YouTube. We could video the kids’ excitement of reading and document it here. We could create our own live action comic movie using the students’ own comic book characters.

I’ve also had this idea that we have started. I want my students to create their own superheroes. On Monday they are supposed to come to THE HALL OF HEROES with sketches and ideas written down. I would like for them to create their own comics; however, I think we should take the idea further and explore the idea of heroes in our own community. That is to say, I am flushing out this idea that we should dress up as our own super heroes and then do a community project. Working with veterans, homeless persons, cleaning up a stretch of road, or working at a senior center. I think it might help students connect to the idea that heroes make a difference in the world around them. And yes, I would dress up as my own super hero.

We could easily incorporate the Flip Videos into this project. I could have one and document the project from my perspective, sure, but I could also give the Flips to the students and have them document the experience themselves. I would love to see what they come up with. How do they interview one another? What do they choose to shoot? What do they see as important? Of course, we would also alert the media and bring good news to our school district.

THE HALL OF HEROES is more than just a comic book reading club. It is a club that infuses comics into education and everyday life.

Here are the comics that came into the Classroom this week:

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