Introduction
In this WebQuest you will get the opportunity to practice inferencing skills.
Having a strong inferential reading ability is necessary to be able to engage with texts and understand them. You will be using the graphic novel/comic book you chose in class to analyze clues and to write an inference. You will be also creating a 3-D graphic novel/comic book character book at the conclusion of our unit on inferencing.
Here are the Indiana State Standards that are being used with this activity:
EL.7.3.3
Analyze characterization as shown through a character's thoughts, words, speech patterns, and actions; the narrator's description; and the thoughts, words, and actions of other characters.
EL.7.3.7
Explain the effects of common literary devices, such as symbolism, imagery, or metaphor, in a variety of fictional texts.
Task
First, you will hypothesize, or in other words make an educated guess, as to what is happening on the page in your book.
Second, you will find various clues (pictures, language and words) that give you hints as to what is occurring on the page.
Third, based on your hypothesis and the clues you have found, you will write an inference of what is going on for the page of your book.
Process
First, please go to this website to play the Detective's Notebook game. Please solve at least 5 cases before you return to this WebQuest. This game will help you to remember what inferencing entails:
Next, with your partner, please read through one page of your comic book/graphic novel you have chosen. What do you think is happening on this page or in this scene? Please write down your hypothesis on paper.
Example hypothesis: I hypothesize that the client who has come to visit Nancy Drew has had her purse stolen.
Next, please write down specific picture and word clues that have helped you to form your hypothesis.
Example: "one minute I was carrying my purse and the next it was ripped from my arm"; the worried look on the client's face; one fram shows the client with her purse and one fram shows a hand grabbing the purse from the client
Lastly, reflecting back on your initial hyposthesis and the clues you have provided, write down a descriptive hypothesis.
Example: Nancy Drew's new female client has had her purse stolen. I have come to this conclusion because of the fact that the purse was snatched from the client as she was walking down the busy street. The client's facial expression also shows worry. The client's conversation with Nancy Drew, stating that her purse was there one moment and gone the next, also helps me to conclude that her purse was taken.
Evaluation
During whole class discussion, after everyone has finished the "process" part of the WebQuest this will occur:
Groups will share by reading the page(s) from their comic book/graphic novel, remarking on inferences that were noted and by
stating the specific clues that helped them to make the inferences.
Conclusion
As an extension activity, the teacher will now divide you into gendered groups of male and female, in which you will use your comic book/graphic novel analysis sheets to create story characters. The females will create a non-stereotypical female comic book/graphic novel character and the males will create a non-stereotpyical male comic book/graphic novel character.
Expectations:
*draw, collage or paint a picture of the character
*identify what the character does
*List the words that could be used to describe the character
In small groups of 3-4, female and male, you will be able to share the character you created. Tomorrow, we will begin using our 3-D characters to write our comic books/graphic novels.