Scene it
Preparation
- Prepare a sample Scene It to share as a model for students
- Provide paper for drawing (either blank paper or paper with pre-printed boxes for each scene)
Activity Steps
1
Introduce Scene It.
Bring in a sample comic strip with different scenes. Ask students, “What do you notice about the comic strip?” Ultimately, the discussion should be around the design (boxes with drawings) and the content (different scenes).
2
Share model.
Select a section of text everyone has read and share your model Scene It. Think aloud as you explain how you crafted the boxes and what your thinking was behind each drawing. Write one or two sentences for each drawing explaining the scene and why that scene was important to the story.
3
Brainstorm scenes.
In pairs or small groups, students will create a list of about 10 of the most important scenes from the text.
4
Sketch scenes.
Students will sketch a drawing that represents 6-10 of the most important scenes from the text.
5
Write scene sentences.
Write one or two sentences for each drawing explaining the scene and why that scene was important to the story.
6
Reflect.
Students can reflect individually or in groups, orally or in writing. For example, students could share their best scene with a partner and discuss what they like about the scene (not just the drawing but also the event itself in the text). Students could also answer a reflection question like “How did this activity help you as a reader?”
