Lesson Plan: Manga Vs. Comics

Lesson Plan
“Manga Vs. Comics”

Instructor: Matthew Barbee
Class: Intermediate Integrated English
Skills: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking
Required Time: 4 class periods (90 min/class)Student Learning Objectives:

Materials:

Students will . . .
1. Read and understand an authentic English text.
2. Use spoken and written English to respond to an authentic English text.
3. Identify and recall specific details after reading an authentic English text byanswering comprehension and critical thinking questions.
4. Acquire new English vocabulary.
5. Express ideas and opinions in English using conversation and discussion skills.
6. Use question and answer skills to identify a picture.
7. Use written English to respond to a written prompt during a timed-writing exercise.

• Reading article (pdf)• Reading worksheet• “Who Am I” cards• Role-playing andstoryboard
worksheets• Writing Portfolios• Student score andcomment sheets

Day 1
TIME

TASK

PROCEDURE
Teacher:•Pass out the “Manga Vs. Comics” worksheet.
Students:•Answer the three questions in Section A before reading.
•Read the article “The Rich Variety of Japanese Manga” and following instructions inSection B.
•Use context clues in the article and a dictionary to define vocabulary in English andtranslate to Japanese in Section C.
•After reading, answer questions in Sections D and E, comprehension check (1-6) andcritical thinking (1-3) on worksheet.

Homework

Day 2TIME

TASK

10

Warm-up:“Who Am I”
Activity

20

Review
Homework

Matthew Barbee, 2017

PROCEDURE
Teacher:•Give each student a card.
Students:•Tape cards to back or hold on their foreheads. Students do not look at their own card.
•All students walk around the class trying to guess who is on their card.
•
Students may only ask yes or no questions in English. After they ask one student, theymust move to the next student and ask another question.
•
When a student can correctly guess their card, they may sit down.
Teacher Follow-up:•
Ask individual students if they like their character.
•
Ask about the characters’ manga or comic.
•
Ask about each characters’ motivation or goal in their manga or comic story, what dothey do, etc.
•Ask if they could be any character in any manga or comic, what would they be and why.
Students:•In groups, students check their answers to sections A, B, C, and D with other students.
•One lead student from each group goes to the board to write their group’s answers fortheir assigned section or questions.
•For Section E, each student takes a turn discussing their answers with their group.
Teacher:•Review the answers on the board, make corrections or discuss where necessary.

1Lesson Plan: Manga Vs. Comics

10Introduction toRole-PlayPresentations

50Group Work

Teacher:•Hand out role-play worksheets.
•Assign or let students choose new groups.
•Introduce role-playing presentations and the guidelines.
•
Review the scoring rubric.
Students:•Form new groups and begin planning their role-playing scenes. The may assign tasks
such as writers, storyboard artists, character roles, director, etc.
•Plan their scenes, choose vocabulary.
•Begin writing or storyboarding their scene
Finish writing and story-boarding role-play scenes.
Write comprehension questions to ask other students after each presentation.

HomeworkDay 3TIMETASKPROCEDURE

15Warm-up:
Writing
Portfolio

Prompt: If you were a super hero, what power would you have and why? What would your do withyour power? What power would you not want to have and why? Finally, give yourself a new, superhero name.

5

Post Writing
Activity

Students:•
Each student shares what they wrote with their group.
•Each group chooses one lead student to share with the class. Lead students rotate foreach writing activity.

Group Work

Students:•
Review their scripts and storyboards•
Plan the staging for their scenes.
•Read through their scenes.
Teacher:•Check scripts.
•Walk around and answer questions, help where necessary.

Group PracticeStudents:•Separate around the class and practice staging and speaking.
Teacher:•Walk around and answer questions, help where necessary.
•Sit with each group, listen to their scenes, give feedback on content and pronunciation.

2050

Homework

Practice and memorize role-play scenes.

Day 4TIME

TASK

10

Warm-up:Tongue Twister
ActivityHe threw three free throws.
The three thick thieves threw the feather there.
Red leather, yellow leather.
Betty loves the velvet vest best.
She sells seashells by the seashore.

70Role-Play
Presentations

Students:•5-minutes for final rehearsal.
•Each group comes to the front of the class to perform their scene.
•During each scene, other students give feedback using student score sheets.

Post
Presentation
Activity

Students:•Finish student score sheets.
•Discuss scores, student to student oral feedback.
Teacher:•Give overall oral feedback.
•Official teacher scores and written comments to be given following week.

10

Matthew Barbee, 2017

PROCEDURE

2

Name _____________________________ Class ________________ Date ________________

A. Before You ReadAnswer the following questions before reading the article “The Rich Variety of Japanese Manga.”

1. Do you like to read Japanese manga or Western comics? Why or why not?

2. What manga and/or comics do you know? List as many as you can think of off the top of your head.

3. a. What are the differences between Japanese manga and Western comic books? b. Which do you prefer and why?

B. Reading for Fluency and Context
Read the article “The Rich Variety of Japanese Manga” twice. Follow thedirections below.

• As you read the first time, circle any words that you don’t know,
but don’t stop to use a dictionary. Just keep reading and try tounderstand the meaning of the text.
• When you finish, look up the words that you didn’t know andmake notes in the text.
• Read the article a second time. Match the following main idea
sentences to each paragraph.

Paragraph1.

_______

a. A major theme in manga focusses on how to live.

2.

_______

b. The themes found in manga and literature are very different.

3.

_______

c. The history of rental comics is responsible for a widening fan-base.

4.

_______

d. Japanese manga are longer than Western comics which provides some benefits.

5.

_______

e. A new, perhaps more negative, genre of manga is becoming popular.

6.

_______

f. Japanese manga have many themes which originated from rental comics.

7.

_______

g. Japanese manga have a different style that Western comics, especially their length.

Matthew Barbee, 2017

1C. New Vocabulary
After reading the article, use a dictionary to define the following words in English. Also, make a note of the Japanesetranslation.

1. convoluted___________________________________________________________________________

2. nonconformist ___________________________________________________________________________
3. protagonist___________________________________________________________________________

4. pseudo-___________________________________________________________________________

5. boom___________________________________________________________________________

6. bottleneck___________________________________________________________________________

7. subjugation___________________________________________________________________________

8. foe___________________________________________________________________________

9. transcend___________________________________________________________________________

10. introverted___________________________________________________________________________

D. Comprehension CheckAnswer the following questions before reading the article “The Rich Variety of Japanese Manga.”

1. How is the style of Bande Dessinée comics different from Japanese manga?
2. What is the Bildungsroman style of storytelling? Name two books or movies that are examples of this style.

3. What are two benefits to the long length of Japanese manga?
4. How did the tradition of rental comics lead to many different themes and genres of manga?

5. How is manga different from Japanese literature?

6. In what ways is the Sekai-kei style of manga different from earlier styles of manga?

E. Critical Thinking
Answer the following questions before reading the article “The Rich Variety of Japanese Manga.”

1. In your opinion, what are the (a.) positive and (b.) negative effects of reading manga or comics?
a.
b.
2. Kyoto Seika University has an entire department and library dedicated to manga? Do you think this is a waste ofresources or beneficial to Japan? Please give two reasons for why you think so.

3. If you were the author of a new manga series for today’s teenagers, what would it be about? Think about the title,
theme, story, and main character. Be prepared to share your answer with the class.

Matthew Barbee, 20172

Manga/Comic

ROLE-PLAYING

Name ________________________________________________Class _________________________________________________

Work with your group to create a 4~5 minute role-playing scene.
Each group will consist of 4 to 5 members. Be sure to follow therole-play guidelines below and be creative.

■ Group Members:

Role-play Guidelines:
1. Choose a scenario. Choose a well-known manga or comic to base yourrole-playing scene and characters on. You can choose either a Japanesemanga or a Western comic for your inspiration. Each scene shouldfeature an argument where two sides disagree about something. Why
are they having the argument, what are the two sides, how do they
resolve the argument?
2. Use 10 vocabulary words. Select 10 vocabulary words from the next
vocabulary test to use in your scene. Don’t let your words limit yourscene. Be creative and choose words that your characters may actuallyuse. You may change tense, amount, or add/subtract suffixes.
3. Prepare a script and a story board. Use the attached worksheet towrite your script and make a story board. Please make copies or attach
extra paper as needed. Each group must submit 1 copy of their full
script and story board before their performance.
4. Prepare 3 listening comprehension questions. When your groupfinishes performing your scene, you will ask the audience 3 listeningcomprehension questions about your scene. They can be multiple
choice, short-answer, or True-False.
5. Use good delivery.
• Use a loud voice.
• Speak slowly.
• Don’t turn your back to the audience.
• Memorize your scene.
• Use gestures, emotion, or body language to make your message clear.
6. Practice. Meet with your group outside of class and practice together.
The best role-plays are well rehearsed. Use the practice checklist.

3.

Planning:

Notes:

1.
2.
4.
5.

■ Scenario:■ Vocabulary used:

Manga or Comic used:

Story: What is the conflict? What is the outcome?

Characters: Protagonist? Others?

Matthew Barbee, 2017

Manga/Comic Role-Play

SCRIPT■ Title:(4~5 minutes)■ Comprehension

Questions:
1.

2.

3.

Practice
Checklist:□ Use 6 phrases or 10keywords.

□ Speak loud, slow, and clear.
□ No backs to audience.
□ Scene is 4 - 5 minutes long.
□ 3 Questions are prepared.
□ We practiced together
several times before class.

□ Scene is MEMORIZED!
(Please submit 1 script per group.)

Matthew Barbee, 2017

Matthew Barbee, 2017

Goku

Monkey D. LuffyLight Yagami

Dragon Ball Z

One Piece

Death Note

Naruto Uzumaki

Korra

NarutoAvatarPikachu
PokemonDoraemonSpiderman

BatmanDoraemonThe Amazing Spiderman

Batman