Graphic Novel, Page One

Using their plan or written story, the children will need to decide how much information to put on each page.  We spend some time discussing this, always coming up with the introduction and conclusion being shorter than the middle.  I teach that the middle should have at least two attempts to solve the problem and then a solution.  This is just a guideline.  Certainly some of the children will need to write more, and some put too much information on each page.  We also look at cartoons and graphic novels for examples of what to do and what not to do.  I do expect that there will be narration on the majority of the pages.

To make a first page you will need to open up PowerPoint.  If you made your own background using Paint, you will need to add this picture first, so that you can see where to put your words and characters.  Right-click on the PP page, and go to format background.  Choose either PP choices or add a picture.  If your children have taken their own photos, this is how they add those as well.

Click here to see a short video for how to add a background.

After you have a background, you will need text.  To add this, you click on insert, then text box.  You can change your text size, font and move the text box around at any time.

And finally, you will want to add your character(s) and speech bubbles.  You add use clip art or free images from the Internet.  For the children, clip art works well as there are no copyright worries.   Insert clip art, search for your character and click on the image that you like.  For a speech bubble, insert shape, and click on the call out that you want.  The speech bubbles are default set to blue, click on the speech bubble and then click on drawing tools/format to change this.