Teaching Graphic Novels: Related Objectives in the Common Core Standards

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Objectives of this mini-course follow the Common Core Standards.

'ELA Objectives:'

Cite textual evidence

Determine a theme or central idea

Describe how a plot unfolds

Analyze how particular elements of the story interact

Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents of a text reveal aspects of a character or provoke a decision

Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience

Determine the meaning of words and phrases including the figurative and connotative meaning

Analyze how particular sentences, chapters, scenes fit into the overall structure of a text

Explain how a point of view is developed

Analyze how a text’s structure or form contributes to its meaning

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies

Describe how a text presents information

Compare and contrast texts

Distinguish between fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text

Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific way

Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening

Determine the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases

Demonstrate an understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in meaning

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly

Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically, and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes

History/Social Studies Objectives:

Comprehend multiple perspectives

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text.

Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships between the key details and ideas.

Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matter uncertain.

Determine the meanings of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text

Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.

Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning, and evidence. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, and in words) to address a question or solve a problem. Distinguish between fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.

Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies between sources.

Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content

Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies between the data

Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links between ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used

Present information, findings, and supporting evidence conveying a clear and distinct perspective such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks

NYS Social Studies Common Core Content Standards

11.4a Between 1865 and 1900, constitutional rights were extended to African Americans. However, their ability to exercise these rights was undermined by individuals, groups, and government institutions.

Students will examine the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments and consider the role of Radical Republicans in Reconstruction.

Students will investigate the ways individuals, groups, and government institutions limited the rights of African Americans, including the use of Black Codes, the passage of Jim Crow laws, the Ku Klux Klan, restrictions on voting rights, and Supreme Court cases including the Civil Rights Cases (1883) and Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).

Students will examine the ways in which freedmen attempted to build independent lives, including the activities of the Freedmen’s Bureau, the creation of educational institutions, and political participation.

Students will examine the impacts of the election of 1876 and the compromise of 1877on African Americans.

11.7 PROSPERITY AND DEPRESSION (1920 – 1939): The 1920s and 1930s were a time of cultural and economic changes in the nation. During this period, the nation faced significant domestic challenges, including the Great Depression. (Standards: 1, 4; Themes: ID, TCC, SOC, CIV)

11.7b African Americans continued to struggle for social and economic equality while expanding their own thriving and unique culture. African American cultural achievements were increasingly integrated into the national culture.

Students will examine literary and artistic contributions associated with the Harlem Renaissance and its impact on national culture.

Students will examine the rise of African American racial pride and Black Nationalism, including the role of Marcus Garvey

11.10 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGE/DOMESTIC ISSUES (1945 – present): Racial, gender, and socioeconomic inequalities were addressed by individuals, groups, and organizations. Varying political philosophies prompted debates over the role of the federal government in regulating the economy and providing a social safety net. (Standards: 1, 4, 5; Themes: ID, TCC, SOC, GOV, CIV, ECO)

11.10a After World War II, long-term demands for equality by African Americans led to the civil rights movement. The efforts of individuals, groups, and institutions helped to redefine African American civil rights, though numerous issues remain unresolved.  Students will examine the roles and impact of individuals such as Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Stokely Carmichael, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Malcolm X on the movement and their perspectives on change.

Students will examine the role of groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the movement, their goals and strategies, and major contributions.

Students will examine judicial actions and legislative achievements during the movement, such as Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States (1964), and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Students will analyze the significance of key events in the movement, including the Montgomery bus boycott, federal intervention at Little Rock, Arkansas; the Birmingham protest; and the March on Washington.

12.G2 CIVIL RIGHTS and CIVIL LIBERTIES: The United States Constitution aims to protect individual freedoms and rights that have been extended to more groups of people over time. These rights and freedoms continue to be debated, extended to additional people, and defined through judicial interpretation. In engaging in issues of civic debate, citizens act with an appreciation of differences and are able to participate in constructive dialogue with those who hold different perspectives.

12.G2a Equality before the law and due process are two fundamental values that apply to all under the jurisdiction of the United States. While the United States legal system aims to uphold the values of equality before the law, due process, human dignity, freedom of conscience, inalienable rights, and civility, the extent to which the legal system upholds these values in practice is an issue of ongoing civic debate.

12.G2b The Constitution aims to protect, among other freedoms, individual and group rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of petition, and freedom of religion. The extent to which these ideals exist in practice and how these protections should be applied in a changing world continues to be an issue of ongoing civic debate.

12.G2c An independent judicial system is an integral part of the process that interprets and defends citizens’ freedoms and rights. Issues pertaining to the flexibility of judicial interpretation and the impartiality of justices in practice are continued sources of public debate.

12.G2d The definition of civil rights has broadened over the course of United States history, and the number of people and groups legally ensured of these rights has also expanded. However, the degree to which rights extend equally and fairly to all (e.g., race, class, gender, sexual orientation) is a continued source of civic contention.

12.G3 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP: Active, engaged, and informed citizens are critical to the success of the United States representative democracy. United States citizens have certain rights, responsibilities, and duties, the fulfillment of which help to maintain the healthy functioning of the national, state, and local communities.

12.G3a Citizens should be informed about rights and freedoms, and committed to balancing personal liberties with a social responsibility to others.

12.G3b The right to vote, a cornerstone of democracy, is the most direct way for citizens to participate in the government. A citizen must register to vote, and may register as a party member or select the status of independent.

12.G3c Citizens have opportunities to both participate in and influence their communities and country. Citizens contribute to government processes through legal obligations such as obeying laws, paying taxes, serving on juries, and registering for selective service.

12.G3d Citizens have the right to represent their locality, state, or country as elected officials. Candidates develop a campaign when they decide to seek public office.

Curriculum and Instruction, New York State Department of Education, Jan. 2015, www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/curriculum-instruction/ss-framework-9-12.pdf.