A teaching toolkit: KS3 learning with comics and WWI stories

Art by Dave McKean 2018

On Thursday October the 18th, 2018, a group of schools and teachers in Cumbria gathered in Kendal to start their participation in a project about the use of graphic novels and comics teaching toolkit (the featured image), based on a fantastic graphic stories’ anthology Traces of the Great War about the legacy and resonance of WWI.

This is the first resource in the world in English to offer ready made lesson plans for 11-15 years old building on a tailor-made graphic novel anthology about WWI, developed by ReOPeN, Lancaster University.

The stories and materials offer lesser-known and “forgotten” WWI histories, giving voice and visibility to commonly marginalised WWI characters and perspectives, in addiiton to well-known WWI experiences, for pupils’ creative engagement and lessons aligned with the National Curriculum.

The nearly 100 pages rich resource was kindly funded by 14-18 NOW, WWI Centenary Art Commissions, and supported by LICAF and On a Marche Sur La Bulle (Amiens), who were pivotal in the creation of this beautiful anthology featuring acclaimed international artists, coming from diverse corners of the world, such as Russia, Spain, Japan, USA and India, with a range of UK and French authors.

An offical UK and international launch of the toolkit coming soon, with preparations for an exhibition about comics and education at the comic art festival in Amiens, France…