Presented at the 21st Century Children's Nonfiction Conference June 20-22, 2014 at SUNY New Paltz. All presentations from the 21st Century Nonfiction Conference on SlideShare: http://www.slideshare.net/aedwright/presentations. Presentations on: * new trends and opportunities in nonfiction for children * common core in school and public libraries * nonfiction comics for kids * making it to the shelf: getting your nonfiction noticed * primary sources for kids

1. Nonfiction
Comics in the
Library & in the
Classroom
Amie Wright New York Public Library
amiewright@bookops.org
21st Century Nonfiction Conference June 20-22, 2014

2. What is Common Core?
New education State Standards currently adopted by 43 States
3 instructional shifts…
1. Building Knowledge through content-rich nonfiction and
informational texts
2. Reading and writing grounded in evidence from text
3. Regular practice with complex text and academic vocabulary
Common Core’s goal is better readers, more equipped for
college/career readiness

3. Why Common Core?
○ Students graduating Grade 12 without critical college/career
readiness skills
○ Students moving between states – disparity of educational
standards between states
○ Global Economy

4. What does this have to do w/ comics?
The Common Core State
Standards call for students to
learn topics in greater depth,
exploring topics from multiple
angles -- including using multiple
formats and range of texts…such
as comics and graphic novels.

5. Comics make better readers
Many studies have shown that
students can develop greater
concept understanding when
given texts with graphics
versus text-only books.
○ University of Oklahoma study
○ CBE Life Sciences Education
…Need more reasons? One medical professor even uses comics as
tool to better help his students understand patients and diagnosis.

6. Comics - Graphic Adaptations

7. Comics - History & Memoir

8. Comics - Learning Tools for STEM
…want more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Technology comic suggestions? Check out STEM Comics: Saving Students One Thought Bubble
at a Time.

9. Comics and Graphic Novels build...
Visual Literacy (sequential art, reading pictures)
Cultural Literacy (comics are international!)
Foster Creative Expression (STEM to STEAM)
Develop Vital Informational Skills (diagrams, relationships)
Emotional Intelligence & Understanding (graphics can show
POV in ways text only publications often miss)

10. Comics and Graphic Novels build...
Emotional Intelligence
& Understanding
Helen Keller before having the means to
communicate.....
..…and after. Her POV has color,
differentiation, and a sense of self and
identity – it is not so isolated or alone.
….why is understanding POV important (besides altruistic reasons)?
Remember the story about the medical professor and the very pragmatic
reasons for understanding POV…and, it is in the Common Core State
Standards for craft and structure such as CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.6

11. Questions?
Amie Wright / amiewright@bookops.org
All presentations from the 21st Century Nonfiction
Conference on SlideShare:
http://www.slideshare.net/aedwright/presentations
Learn More:
Comics and the Common Core: Full presentation
from NYC Comic Con; includes further Common
Core resources, research links, Common Core
standards, and added scenarios for those ‘comic
reluctant’ teachers, librarians, and parents
Comics for Teaching STEM: Saving Students One
Thought Bubble at a Time