Creating Poetry Comics

Are you looking for a way to help students visualize the poetry they’re reading? This is an assignment I love to use that helps students visualize what they’re reading as part of their analysis process. In addition to what I’ve shared in the video, here are some of the questions/prompts I often pose to students as they’re getting ready to work:

• What do you know for sure as you read this poem? Start there.
• What do you “see” as you read this poem? Make notes of the “movie in your mind” as you read.
• What story is the poet telling you? “Chunk” the poem into the parts of the story.
• How can you use color to represent ideas or emotions in the poem?
• How can you use close-ups or long shots to convey meaning? (HINT: If you’ve studied film terminology at all, here’s a good place to use it again.)
• Everything in your poetry comic should be purposeful and have meaning. Have fun!

Enjoy!