Sample Lesson: Graphic Novel

ENG2P - Grade 10 English Applied, Reading and Literature Strand
Class Task: Graphic Novel Literature Circles. Students will preview 4 graphic novels and choose 3 graphic novels to read during the unit. They will use a Literature Circle guide to record their thoughts and participate in discussion with peers reading the same book each week (ELLs will have added visual scaffolds to support the connection between reading, writing, and thinking about the texts). Each week, the student will take on a different role in the discussion and provide a simple check-box peer-review for group participation for the oral component of the task.
The learning goals (generated from the ESLBO Reading strand) and success criteria (generated from the ENG2D Reading and Literature strand) will provide accommodations for the learning goals of ELL students. As most ELL students are not given course modifications but are held to the same curriculum expectations as non-ELL students, creating accommodation in the learning goals allows ELLs to work towards specifically targeted goals that can be evaluated under the same curricular expectations as non-ELLs.
Success Criteria:
Knowledge  and Understanding

• Student can identify strategies used to understand the text's content
  
• Student can provide accurate details to support their ideas about the text
  
• Student can explain in depth their opinion of the text
  

Thinking

• Student can use planning skills to generate relevant ideas based on the graphic novels
  
• Student can use processing skills to interpret the story
  

Communication

• Student can express ideas clearly
  

Application

• Student can make logical connections within and between various contexts
  

Learning Goals:

• I can read and understand the graphic novels I choose
  
• I can use reading comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading to understand the texts
  
• I can summarize the text and provide details about text features
  
• I can respond to the text in a variety of ways
  
• I can use a graphic organizer to record my use of reading strategies and organize my ideas about the text
  

Both the success criteria and the learning goals would be examined with the students before they preview the texts. After they have chosen them, reading strategies would be explicitly taught to all students, and more specific vocabulary strategies, word recognition strategies, and visual interpretation strategies would be taught to ELLs. Visual tools such as emotion charts, plot structures, types of character relationships, etc. would also be provided so ELLs can map what they understand of the graphic novel to literary and academic structures. This will allow them to engage in the Literature Circles to a greater depth because they will have access to the vocabulary, sentence structures, and visual cues that can support their oral participation. Furthermore, although they will choose their texts, they can be given roles strategically so their participation and comprehension expectation is scaffolded throughout the unit, building each time toward fuller understanding and participation.

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