Literate Voices Summer Publishing Studio
Day 6: Turning Our Stories into Graphic Memoirs
Essential Question
How can writers use images, dialogue, and comic panels to bring their stories to life?
Learning Targets
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I can organize my story into a beginning, middle, and end.
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I can transfer my writing into a comic strip format.
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I can use captions, speech bubbles, thought bubbles, and sound effects.
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I can combine words and images to tell a meaningful story.
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Morning Focus: Family Chapter
8:30–8:45 | Mini-Lesson: Graphic Memoir Storytelling
Today we will begin transforming our written Family Chapter into a graphic memoir.
Writers will learn how graphic novelists use:
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Panels
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Captions
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Speech bubbles
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Thought bubbles
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Sound effects
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Illustrations
to tell stories visually.
8:45–9:15 | Story Mapping Slide
Using the Family Story Planning Slide, identify:
Title
Beginning
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Who is in the story?
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Where does it take place?
Middle
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What happens?
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What challenge, event, or important moment occurs?
End
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How does the story end?
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What lesson is learned?
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9:15–10:15 | Comic Strip Drafting
Transfer your Family Chapter onto the 6-Panel Comic Template.
Think about:
Panel 1
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Introduce characters and setting
Panel 2
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Build the story
Panel 3
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Show an important event
Panel 4
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Continue the action
Panel 5
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Show the outcome
Panel 6
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Reflection or lesson learned
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10:15–10:25 | Break
10:25–11:50 | Graphic Memoir Production Studio
Continue developing your Family Chapter by adding:
✅ Illustrations
✅ Speech Bubbles
✅ Thought Bubbles
✅ Caption Boxes
✅ Sound Effects
Examples:
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BAM!
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CRASH!
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WHOOSH!
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THUD!
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SPLASH!
Focus on showing the story through pictures and dialogue rather than simply copying your paragraph.
11:50–12:30 | Lunch
Afternoon Focus: Revising Earlier Chapters
12:30–1:15 | Name Chapter Comic Conversion
Return to your Name Chapter.
Use the same process:
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Create a title.
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Identify beginning, middle, and end.
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Transfer the story to the comic strip template.
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Add images and comic elements.
1:15–2:00 | Neighborhood Chapter Comic Conversion
Return to your Neighborhood Chapter.
Think about:
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Important places
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Sensory details
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People
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Sounds
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Memories
Transfer your story into comic panels and illustrations.
2:00–2:25 | Publishing Studio
Continue working on:
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Family Chapter
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Name Chapter
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Neighborhood Chapter
Add final details and revise for clarity.
2:25–2:30 | Reflection
Today's Success:
What comic page are you most proud of?
What is one thing you added today that helped bring your story to life?
End-of-Day Goal
By the end of today's workshop, students should have:
✅ Family Chapter transferred to comic format
✅ Name Chapter transferred to comic format
✅ Neighborhood Chapter transferred to comic format
✅ Speech bubbles, captions, and illustrations added
✅ Three chapters ready for revision and publishing
