Graphic Novel Project Your story, your creation, your time to change history

Part 1: The Story Tell a story about living in the US at the turn of the 20 th century Create a main character (you) as one of the following: –Newly arrived immigrant –Factory worker –Farmer moving to the big city

The Setting You live in Chicago in 1900 with your family You just arrived in the bustling city and are working at Acme Novelties You earn 50 ¢ a day for 12 hours five days a week

The Plot You’re not happy with the conditions at Acme or your housing What are you going to do? Quitting is not an option—your income is needed by your family, there is no public assistance, social services or other ways of surviving

The Crisis You feel threatened on the job What’s the problem? What options do you have? What action do you take? What are the consequences? Does it change your life? How?

Conclusion How did you resolve the threat? What impact did it have on your life and the life of your family and co- workers? How do you see yourself as a person after the resolution to the threat?

Step 2: The Story Board Using your short story, complete the story board template Figure out a plan for your graphic novel based on your introduction to set the scene, the threat, the crisis, the resolution, and the conclusion

Step 3: Outside of the Story Components Cover for your graphic novel Inside the cover is a paragraph introduction to set the scene about your life in Chicago and your thoughts about working at Acme Inside back cover is an advertisement of a product or service in 1900 Back cover is a bibliography of sources

Step 4: Sketch Your Novel Decide your medium—drawings, graphics, photos or a combination The crisis will go on the center pages of the booklet Dialogue is in balloons from the characters (???) Thoughts are in bubbles from the characters (???)

Characters ??? You, of course, are at the center You might include family, friends, co- workers and your boss How will you illustrate your characters—photos, drawings, other graphics? How do they react to your actions or words?

Plot… You have the beginning—introductory paragraph on the inside front cover You have the end—conclusion You have the middle—crisis Now figure out how to illustrate what happens between these points Words are limited to the balloons, bubbles, and a few captions or action graphics

Step 5: Create Your Novel Staple together 3 sheets of plain (copy) paper folded at the center to make 12 pages (4 per sheet)—staple in two places from the “outside” Front cover, introduction, ad, bibliography (4 pages) 3 pages to the crisis Center=the crisis (2 pages) 3 pages for the resolution and conclusion

Caveats (Conditions) All is done in Zeitgeist (spirit of the time) The bibliography must be authentic The situation must be authentic All work must be original and done by you Your work must be “appropriate”

Guidance for Optimizing Your Grade Go over the rubric in Section 1 of your binder for Graphic Novels Partners are for editing and critiquing of your work Would you be interested in reading your work? Are your pages organized and neat?

ADDENDUMS Samples and Suggestions

Cover pages Note: Title, Summary Illustration, and Credit of Author

Ads (Inside back cover)

Pages from Novels

THE TIMES Daily Life

Dress

Chicago c. 1900

Checklist The front cover has a title, credits and a summary illustration The introductory paragraph on the inside front cover set the stage for the story neatly written or typed The ad is for a product or service available in Chicago around 1900, the cost, and tells where to get it

Many sources were used to find authentic information about life in Chicago around 1900 (bibliography) The story takes place in Chicago as if you were there in 1900 The story board is used to tell about a situation, a crisis, and a resolution The only words used from page 3-10 are in balloons, bubbles and captions

The crisis (center of the story) is illustrated on the two center pages Drawings, graphics, and photos used are arranged to follow the plot You worked with at least one other person to critique your work, edit it, and give suggestions when needed You helped at least one other person to perfect their work by giving positive and helpful advice

Finalizing Your Work Are all sources used in the bibliography in one format? Did you use the pages as instructed? Does your graphic novel tell a story? Are all pages neat, attractive and move the story along to a conclusion?

Bibliography Formats chicago-photographs/ chicago-photographs/ explore.chicagocollections.org/