Graphic Inquiry
As you select materials for inquiry-based projects. Consider using materials in the following areas:
Primary Source Documents
Background Information
- Artifact and Analysis
http://smithsonianeducation.org/idealabs/ap/index.htm - Center for History and New Media
http://chnm.gmu.edu/index.php - Escrapbooking
http://escrapbooking.com/ - National Archives
http://www.digitalvaults.org/ - Primary Resources Worksheets
http://www.trumanlibrary.org/psource.htm - What Are Primary Sources
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/educators/workshop/discover/primary.html
Technology Tools
- NMAH Timeline of American History
http://americanhistory.si.edu/timeline/index.cfm - Ad Access
http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/adaccess/ - America on the Move
http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/ - Avalon Project
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/default.asp - Cartoon America
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/cartoonamerica/cartoon-political.html - Digital Dante
http://dante.ilt.columbia.edu/new/images/index.html - Great Chicago Fire and the Web of Memory
http://www.chicagohistory.org/fire/ - Great Depression
http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/depression/depression.htm - History Matters
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/ - July 1942: United We Stand
http://americanhistory.si.edu/1942/home.html - National Center Historical Documents
http://www.nationalcenter.org/HistoricalDocuments.html - National Park Service
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/ - New Deal Network
http://newdeal.feri.org/ - New York Public Library Digital Collections
- http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/
- Repositories of Primary Sources
- http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/special-collections/Other.Repositories.html
- University of Michigan – Image Collections
- http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx
- U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
- http://www.ushmm.org/
- Western Trails
- http://www.bcr.org/cdp/exhibits/westerntrails/index.html
Lesson Plans
- Bio-Graph: Graphing Life Events
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1021 - The Campaign of 1840: The Campaign
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=556 - A Case Study: The Unemployment Rate June 1, 2007
http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.php?lesson=EM219&page=teacher - Childhood Through the Looking-Glass
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=286
- Colonial Broadsides and the American Revolution
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=390 - Creating Family Timelines (Grades 3-5)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=870 - Decades Mural Project (Grades 5-8)
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2057/ - Documenting the American South: Classroom Resources
http://docsouth.unc.edu/classroom/lessonplans/lessonplan_titles.html - Drop Me Off In Harlem (Grades 9-12)
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3268/ - Dust Bowl Days (Grades 3-5)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=300 - GeoGenerations
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/activities/17/geogen.html - Graffiti Wall: Discussing and Responding to Literature Using Graphics (Grades 9-12)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=208 - Historical Treasure Chests
http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/treasure/index.html - Images of the New World
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=714 - Introducing Each Other: Interviews, Memoirs, Photos, and Internet Research (Grades 6-8)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=17 - It’s No Laughing Matter: Analyzing Political Cartoons
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/political_cartoon/ - Lesson Framework from Library of Congress
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/fw.html - Life in the Floating World: Ukiyo-e Prints and the Rise of the Merchant Class in Edo Period Japan (Grades 9-12)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=611 - Metaphorical Gold: Mining the Gold Rush for Stories (Grades 6-8)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=433
- Mexican Culture and History through Its National Holidays (Grades 6-8)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=740
- Not 'Indians,' Many Tribes: Native American Diversity (Grades 3-5)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=324 - Primary Resources Lessons from Library of Congress
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/start/prim_sources.html - Slave Narratives: Constructing U.S. History Through Analyzing Primary Sources (Grades 3-5)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=364 - Teaching with Documents
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/ - Tell a Migration Story… With Interviews (Grades K-12)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/activities/09/interviewing.html - Thomas Edison’s Inventions in the 1900s and Today: From “New” to You!
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=408 - Understanding and Using Primary and Secondary Sources in History
http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/pdf/SSB_Sources_6_8.pdf - Using Pictures to Build Schema for Social Studies Content (Grades 3-5)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1059 - Voices of the American Revolution (Grades 9-12)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=423 - What Do You See?
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/97/civilwar/hinesday.html - What Portraits Reveal (Grades 9-12)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=255 - What is History? Timelines and Oral Histories
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=406 - What’s in a Picture? An Introduction to Subject in the Visual Arts (Grades 9-12)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=621
Comics
Internet Resources
- Amazing Kids - Student Produced Comics
http://www.amazing-kids.org/akcomics.htm - The Comic Book Project
http://www.comicbookproject.org/ - Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index
http://www.cagle.com/ - Diamond Bookshelf
http://bookshelf.diamondcomics.com/public/ - Fun Brain's Web Comics
http://www.funbrain.com/brain/ReadingBrain/ReadingBrain.html - Graphic Novels from Hornbook
http://www.hbook.com/resources/librarians/graphicnovels.asp - Graphic Novels from ALA
http://wikis.ala.org/professionaltips/index.php/Graphic_novels - No Flying, No Tights
http://www.noflyingnotights.com - Graphic Novels: A Guide for Librarians
http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/graphicnovels/index.php - Herblock’s History
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/herblock/cartoon.html - Parent Guide to Book Genres: Graphic Novels
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3745810 - Using Cartoons and Comic Strips
http://www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistant-teaching-tips-cartoons-comics.htm - Using Graphic Novels in the Classroom: A Guide for Teachers and Librarians
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=7582
Software Tools
- Animation-ish
http://www.animationish.com/ - Comic Book Creator
http://www.mycomicbookcreator.com/ - Comic Life
http://plasq.com/comiclife
Internet Tools
- Build Your Own Comic from the Children's Museum in Indianapolis
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/special_exhibits/comics/games.html
Create your own comic using their backgrounds and characters. Just add your own balloons. Intended to print and color. - ComicArt School
http://comicartschool.ning.com/
Learn about comics and share. Some images may not be appropriate for children. - Comiqs
http://comiqs.com/
Great comic creator and social network for comics. Very easy to use. Some images may not be appropriate for children. - Disney's Comic Creator
http://disney.go.com/surfswell/comiccreator.html
Choose among four characters and a single panel cartoon. - Garfield's Comic Creator
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/starslp/missionz/comic.htm
One of my favorite online tools, this comic strip builder uses Garfield characters and also lets you create your own. - HyperComics
http://www.hypercomics.com/
Publish your own comics online. Some images may not be appropriate for children. - Kabam! Comic Creator
http://www.bam.gov/sub_yourlife/yourlife_comiccreator.html#
From the Center for Disease Control, this tool lets you tell a story. Unfortunately the developer doesn't have much control. - Make Your Own Graphix from Scholastic
http://www.scholastic.com/goosebumpsgraphix/makeyourown/index.htm
Make comics using a set of characters, objects, and settings. - MakeBeliefsComix
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/
One of my favorite tools, this website provides characters with different emotions and the option for 2, 3, or 4 panels. Great tool for all games to make simple comic strips. - Pixton
http://pixton.com/
Make simple comics. A school-specific option is available. - ReadWriteThink Cartoon Creator
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/
Very simple to use comic maker. - Sam & Max
http://www.telltalegames.com/samandmax/comics/create
Basic comic makers with template and images. - Toondoo
http://www.toondoo.com/
Create and publish comics. Some images may not be appropriate for children.
Lesson Plans
- Book Report Alternative: Examining Story Elements Using Story Map Comic Strips (Grades 3-5)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=236 - Book Report Alternative: Comic Strips and Cartoon Squares (Grades 6-8)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=195 - Buzz! Whiz! Bang! Using Comic Books to Teach Onomatopoeia (Grades 3-5)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=867 - Change Happens (Graded 4-6)
http://www.eduplace.com/activity/change.html - Comic Creator Lessons
http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=21 - Comics in the Classroom as an Introduction to Genre Study (Grades 3-5)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=188 - Comics in the Classroom as an Introduction to Narrative Structure (Grades 3-5)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=223 - Comics in the Classroom: Reaching Out to Reluctant Readers
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/kqweb/kqarchives/volume35/351warfieldbeaman.cfm - Comic Makeovers: Examining Race, Class, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Media (Grades 9-12)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=207 - Creating Comic Strips (Grades K-4)
http://www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2126/ - Daryl Cagle's Teachers Guide for Cartoons
http://www.cagle.com/teacher/ - Draw a Story: Stepping from Pictures to Writing (Grades K-2)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=45 - Draw a Math Story: From the Concrete to the Symbolic (Grades K-2)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=144 - Drawing Political Cartoons Grades (Grades 9-12)
http://www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2100/ - The Election Process and Political Cartoons (Grades 5-8)
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3775/ - Leatherback Sea Turtles and Their Special Compasses (Grades K-2)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/09/gk2/migrationturtles.html - The Magical World of Russian Fairy Tales (Grades 3-5)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=590 - Make Family Comic Strips (Grades 2-5)
http://www.eduplace.com/activity/2_5_act2.html - Modern Culture (Grades K-2)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/10/gk2/fairytale.html - Picture Perfect Facts (Grades K-4)
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2089/ - Rhythm and Art: Gesture Drawing (Grades 9-12)
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2051/ - Story Switch Comics (Grades 1-3)
http://www.eduplace.com/activity/1_7_act3.html - To, Too, or Two: Developing an Understanding of Homophones (Grades 3-5)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=284 - Wanted: A New Friend (Grades K-4)
- http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2361/
Literature and Graphic Organizers
Internet Interactives and Tools
- BioCube
http://readwritethink.org/materials/bio_cube/ - Book Cover Creator
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/bookcover/ - Character Scrapbook
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/scrapbook/ - Character Trading Cards
http://readwritethink.org/materials/trading_cards/ - Doodle Splash
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/doodle/
Online drawing tool - Flashlight Readers
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/flashlightreaders/ - Literary Graffiti
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/graffiti/ - MysteryCube
http://readwritethink.org/materials/mystery_cube/
Lesson Plans
- BioCube Lessons
- http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=57
- Book Cover Creator Lessons
- http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=58
- Book Report Alternative: Creating a New Book Cover (Graded 3-5)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=972
- Bridging Literature and Mathematics by Visualizing Mathematical Concepts (Grades 3-5)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=822
- Character Trading Cards Lessons
- http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=56
- The Children's Picture Book Project (Grades 9-12)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1022
- Doodle Splash Lessons
http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=22 - Escaping Slavery: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt (Grades 3-5)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=127
- Every Picture Tells a Story (Grades K-4)
- http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2471/
- Fact or Fiction: Learning About Worms Using Diary of a Worm (Grades K-2)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=778
- Fiction, Setting the Story (Grades 5-8)
- http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2235/
- From Fact to Fiction: Drawing and Writing Stories (Grades K-2)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=11
- Go West: Imagining the Oregon Trail (Grades 3-5)
- http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=277
- Literary Graffiti Lessons
- http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=23
- Looking at Landmarks: Using a Picture Book to Guide Research (Grades 3-5)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=841
- Make a Splash! Using Dramatic Experience to “Explode the Moment” (Grades 3-5)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1128
- Mind Pictures: Strategies That Enhance Mental Imagery While Reading (Grades 6-8)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=792
- Mystery Cube Interactive and Lessons
- http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=59
- Reading and Analyzing Multigenre Texts (Grades 6-8)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=293
- A Tale of Two Stories (Grades 3-5)
- http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L295
- Teaching Shapes Using Read-Alouds, Visualization, and Sketch to Stretch (Grades K-2)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=797 - Telling a Story About Me: Young Children Write Autobiographies (Grades K-2)
- http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=421
- Unicorns, Dragons, and Other Magical Creatures
- http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=244
- Using Pictures in Lessons
http://www.ncrtec.org/tl/camp/lessons.htm - What's in a Mystery? Exploring and Identifying Mystery Elements (Grades 3-5)
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=865
For a more in-depth exploration, read the graphic book Graphic Inquiry by Annette Lamb and Danny Callison available from Libraries Unlimited, 2010.