Graphic novels in the classroom: a free comic kit

The six lessons

1. Lesson 1The parts of a comicGrades 2–5 · 30–40 minutesStudents name six parts of a comic page (panel, gutter, speech bubble, thought bubble, caption and sound word) and say what each one does for a reader.
2. Lesson 2A 4-panel retellGrades 2–4 · 40–45 minutesStudents retell a story read in class in four panels, choosing the moments that matter most and putting them in order: first, next, then, last.
3. Lesson 3Sequencing: panels in orderGrades 2–5 · 35–45 minutesStudents put cut-up panels in order and explain the clues that told them, then draw a six-step sequence clear enough for a partner to rebuild.
4. Lesson 4Sound words and onomatopoeiaGrades 2–5 · 30–40 minutesStudents explain what onomatopoeia is, find sound words in comics, and draw their own so the letters show how the sound feels (big, shaky, dripping, fast).
5. Lesson 5A comic book reportGrades 2–5 · 45 minutes, or two short sessionsStudents report on a graphic novel they finished: who is in it, what happened, a panel they loved and why, and whether they would read the next book in the series.
6. Lesson 6Reading right to left (manga)Grades 3–5 · 30 minutesStudents explain that some manga are printed the Japanese way, from the back cover and right to left, and number a page's panels in both reading orders.

Printing a class set

Every lesson page has a button that prints the student sheet alone. In the print box, set the copies to 30 for a class set, and keep the size at 100% (“Actual size”), not “Fit to page”. Everything is black lines on white, so a school copier does it well: print one, then copy the rest. Letter and A4 each have their own button.

Looking for the graphic novel book report template? It is the student sheet of lesson 5: title, author, series and number, a favourite panel to draw, who is in it, what happened, and whether they would read the next one. It prints blank.

The comic templates the lessons use

Each lesson's materials say which of these to print. Each is one page (the mini comic is two), Letter or A4: 4-panel comic strip, 6-panel comic page, blank page, 4 big panels, blank page, 9 panels, 8-page mini comic, storyboard, 6 panels, bubble cut-outs. All seven are on the comic templates page.

Labels for the class comics shelf

The shelf label kit prints a strip for each age group and an in-order strip for every series on Peabody's shelf, so children find book 1 and the next one without asking. For manga printed right to left, lesson 6 pairs well with the manga page.

Standards, and what we don't do

Each lesson lists the Common Core English Language Arts standards it works on by code only (for example CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7); look up the wording in your state's copy. The lessons and sheets are our own words and layouts. There is no class login, no student account and no student data: nothing is typed into these pages, nothing is sent, and the sheets print blank. Checked 31 October 2026.