Comic Life
This paid app allows students to create their own works of content-based comic genius. Students are able to write multi-page comic books using a variety of templates; they can even start from scratch and build from a blank document. Embed images from your iPad's camera roll, fun graphics, and more! Spark creativity while teaching the standards, and let your students bring their ideas to "life."
Text Version of Instructions
- Open the Comic Life app on the iPad.
- Tap “New Comic” and either choose a ready-made template or a blank template that you can design from the ground up. Ready-made templates can save time, while blank documents allow for more creativity and more diversity in finished student products. To view ready-made templates, tap and hold on the right side of the screen and drag your finger to the left side of the screen. There are nine different templates to choose from. For this tutorial, however, choose a blank document.
- Once a blank document is open, tap the icon that is a circle with a lower case “i” – this is the style icon. Tap “options” and change the background color of the document. For this tutorial, I will leave the background color white.
- Next, tap the icon that looks like a dog-eared sheet of paper. Tap “layout” and choose a set of frames for the comic. More frame choices can be found by tapping on the “collections” menu.
- To embed pictures, tap in the center of one of the comic frames. A round, black icon will appear in the center of the frame. Click on the icon to access your camera roll. Choose the picture you would like to embed and tap to add it to the frame. Repeat this process inside each frame.
- As students arrange their images in the frames, remind them to sequence the images in a persuasive way – whether it is a single powerful image, or a short collection of images that build on one another.
- Add blocks of text by tapping on the caption box. To resize this object, tap and drag one of the blue circles at the corner.
- Add titles by tapping on the “LETTERING” option.
- Add speech or thought bubbles by tapping on the option you prefer; tap and hold in the middle of the object to adjust its position. Remember to tap and drag one of the blue circles at the corner of an object to resize.
- There are two final things to remember. First, help students understand that their images and words need to work together to for a persuasive whole. As they finish up, have them reevaluate their work and make adjustments as needed.
- Second, if you make a mistake at any point in this process, simply tap the picture or object three times and tap the “delete” option that appears on the screen.
| lesson_plan_for_comic_life.doc |
