Looking for recommendations: Comics for 9th grade Global Studies class.

[John Isaacson]

Hi there,

I just accepted a Writers in the Schools residency at Lincoln High School in Portland Oregon. I'm going in once a week to two 9th Global Studies classes, which as I understand it, is like Social Studies or World History. I'm going to be teaching them how to make comics and self-publish. I have the self-publishing part covered. But I'm looking for recommendations for good comics to read and use as models that focus on world history. I'm aware of Maus, Persepolis, Palestine, but curious if anyone has additional suggestions...
Thanks!

[John Isaacson]

Thanks Louann, Katie, Ryan, Marek, and Donna

The Photographer looks great because the class is focused on Middle-eastern countries for the rest of the semester. I observed the class yesterday and was amazed at how much television and video games inform the students. Comics are going to be a great way to sneak in some other viewpoints.

Marek, I can't wait to get a copy of your book!

[Stergios Botzakis]

If you want some GNs set in the Middle East, then perhaps Rutu Modan's Exit Wounds would be good, or perhaps the second two volumes of Larry Gonick's Cartoon History of the World. I've not read Waltz with Basir, but I know it was also a cartoon film, so maybe that would be helpful as well...

[Kori Atwood]

I teach the same class in Ohio - when we start the Cold War I use the book THE WALL: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain written and illustrated by Peter Sis. It is a short book but illustrates life during the Prague Spring. I then have students create their own "graphic novel" about an event during the Cold War. Students can use drawings, but most choose to use historical photographs and Comic Life software. The students that I have in my class have lower reading/writing skills, and this is a nice alternative to a report.

An example of the project can be found at http://mrsatwood.pbworks.com/f/berlin+blockade2.pdf

[Keith M. Lewis]

Didn't check all replies, but several come to mind.

1. Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie. There are three in this series so far. They take place in Cote d'Ivoire.
2. Deogratias by Jean-Phillippe Stassen. This is about Rwanda.
3. Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan. This is about family relationships and a mystery surrounding a suicide bombing in Israel. There is one sex scene.
4. Guy Delisle has several travelogues in graphic novel form. Pyongyang, Shenzen, and the Burma Chronicles.
5. Berlin: City of Stone (book 1) by Jason Lutes. There is a second book now as well.

There are so many.

Also, I agree that American-Born Chinese would be good.

[John Isaacson]

Thanks for the recommendations everyone! This class was studying the Middle East, it turns out, so i went with Persepolis, How to Understand Israel in 60 days (or less) by Sarah Glidden, Addicted to War by Joel Andreas, The Photographer, and some Guy Delisle. Thanks for all the input!

[L Stevens]

We used the first book of Persepolis - and the black and white movie. Both work great for sophomores. The second book is not appropriate for school.

[Matthew Swanson]

I have used Pride of Baghdad for extra credit with my Freshmen. I would love to use it with my whole class, but the library only has one copy.:( I don't have the resources to make it required reading though I wish I could. I'm thinking about trying it with my upper level students this year. I also show about half of Persepolis again using the movie because we don't have enough copies of the book. I wish we had the resources to actually bring stuff like this into the classroom.

I really like the idea for the Cold War Kori. I'd love to use it in my World HIstory class this spring.

[Lisa DiGangi]

Hi John,

I am late to this discussion but wanted to add a phenomenal historian/author of World and US History comics. Bentley Boyd's, Chester the Crab Comix, are engaging, creative, and historically accurate. The comix are typically geared towards younger students but I have successfully used them with my 8th graders as a pop culture connection. Student feedback is positive and they state that his "stories" and characters help them to see people's words and deeds in action. The students use them as a model to create their own comics, adapt them into short plays with props, and as a study tool.

The website is: http://www.chestercomix.com/

[Matthew Swanson]

I have used Bentley Boyd's comic in my 9th grade class as well, specifically the Africa book. I have even used his comics with my 11/12th civics class. That class is totally unleveled so I have both high and low level readers. I use the book to teach about John Locke and the social contract theory. I also use Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey's Action Philosophers to teach philosophy in Civics and World History. They are a bit more challenging and not all of them are school appropriate but so far I've used about 7 in my class (Hobbes, Wollstonecraft, Machiavelli, Aquinas, Marx, Jefferson)

[Lisa DiGangi]

I also teach civics and use the comics on John Locke, state of nature, and the Declaration of Independence. Are there other comics that mention Locke? I will take a look at Action Philosophers but unsure if the level will be too high. Is it worth using as a supplement for gifted students?

[John Isaacson]

I tabled next to Action Philosophers writers one year at the Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco. I didn't read the comics but it is an excellent idea - the books look like traditional floppy comic books, but I hope they bind them all up for a graphic novel one day.

[Matthew Swanson]

They released a complete collected edition last December/January. Its called the More Than Complete Action Philosophers. Several new entries were added exclusively for the collection.