In this lesson, student artists are introduced to the basic characteristics of superheroes, as well as understanding that each superhero has his or her own unique backstory that told who they were, where they came from, and why or how they became a superhero. Student artists are tasked to brainstorm their own superhero and to generate a backstory for said character by creating a small book and using any combination of writing and drawing to document their superhero’s history. They leave the cover blank for the upcoming lessons.
SWBAT use multimedia to create and illustrate a narrative that explains their superhero’s backstory.
Students will be working individually and choosing their own materials, so have materials set up in a way that is easy to pass out as well as easy for the student artists to see and select from.
Pencils, pens, markers, construction paper, scissors, glue, magazines
N/A
Optional: 5 Minute Marvel Stories (for the early finishers), or old comics
⚲'Apollo', Briton Riviere, 1874
In Greek mythology, Apollo was a god most closely associated with the sun, but also recognized as a god of music, truth and prophecy. This painting closely illustrates lines spoken in a play written about Apollo.
Project the inspiration image where students can see it. Give students a moment to study it silently, then begin a brief discussion with the phrase, “What can we find?”. Paraphrase what students say for the benefit of the class, being careful to remain neutral, then ask “What else can we find?”.
Alternately, allow them to draw or write what they notice on a blank piece of paper or in a sketchbook.
The point of this discussion time is to have students learn and add onto each other’s thoughts. By remaining neutral and simply repeating what students say you allow students to do the heavy mental lifting and also create an environment where there is no wrong answer, fostering creativity and mental risk-taking.
Check for understanding by asking, “Who was listening closely that can sum up what we are doing today?” Make sure that student artists can list all the steps and clarify anything that needs clarifying.
The students work independently on their work as the teacher circulates. Foster strong work habits by commenting on student artists who are focused on their work as well as student artist who seems be pushing themselves to try new things.
At this point, the focus of the class period should be getting student artists invested in their character. The teacher should show lots of excitement and listen to the stories the students are coming up with. Periodically stop the class and have artists share the backstory of their superhero to get increased engagement. At this point, don’t worry about students refining their work—the focus is on getting the artists invested in their character. However, try to encourage them to come up with concrete details (what their superhero does, who they fight, what their name is, why they are a superhero, etc.) rather than simply drawing.
Use 'what, how, and why' and then take comments or questions.
Depending on the teacher’s style of classroom management, it might be helpful to only choose and train a few kids to clean. The rest of the class can be busy with the presentation. Make sure to train these helpers well in advance so that you aren’t left with a messy room.
Clean-up times will vary with materials; get to know your class and allow 5-10 minutes depending on how efficient they are and whether or not the material was messy.
Choose presenting student artists in advance and let them know during their work time so that they are prepared.
Sharing should work as follows:
If a student is having a hard time coming up with a superhero, ask them if they have heard of Superman. Tell them that he has what is called an ‘alter ego’, a sort of second self, where most people think he is ordinary, but when he gets in his costume he has all sorts of powers. Ask them what sorts of powers they would want if they had an alter ego? Then guide them to design their alter ego. Alternately, have them think of their favorite book character and design a character based on that.
Encourage students to add more pages and continue to create a narrative for their superhero. Suggest different types of media; if they drew a comic, suggest writing, or creating a list with drawn icons. Students will continue to work on these books throughout the project. You can also offer students the opportunity to look through old comics, or the optional ‘5 Minute Marvel’ stories.
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