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Daisy Kutter Graphic Novel Study

Grade 9 English Language Arts
March 24
th
April 2
nd

Flex days available

By Elyse Whittaker


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Overview & Rational:
Graphic novels are an important literacy medium that students will be coming in contact
with more and more as the popularity of these books grow. Many skills are invested when
reading and studying a graphic novel that may not be present when reading a traditional piece
of literature. Graphic novels engage students to not only read the texts but dissect each frames
meaning on its own as well as in the ensemble of the page and novel. Students think actively
about each aspect of the book including the drawing style, colour choices, font choice, lighting,
point of view and diction.
This novel study centers around the leading questions of: How does a graphic novel
create a compelling story that people can be taken away with/inspired? Through this question
students will learn how to critically analyse this form of text and learn how to make inferences
about past and future events that would/could be true to the characters. This will be explored
through discussions, free writes, comparing other literature and the units main performance
task. This units main assignment will have students create either the story that happened prior
to this book or create the story as to what happened after the novel ended. This assignment
encourages the students to develop a deep understanding of the characters and story form in a
thorough enough manner that enables them to create these stories that logistically line up with
the novel.
I find this graphic novel exciting because it is a medium that many students might not
have much experience with. It will be easy to connect this graphic novel to many things that
students experience in their lives right now, like video games, text messages, and cartoons.
Getting students excited about a novel or topic can be the hardest part but when using a text
that I find interesting as the teacher helps me to sell the story to the students. This unit
connects with a unit that we will be doing soon after which is a unit that we will be reading
another novel and then connecting it to a related movie, this next unit will be a novel study in
hand with a film study unit all in one. This graphic novel unit will prepare students because we
are looking at the basic structure of character which is usually the main factor in all books or
films.

Unit Objectives and Skills Chart:
These are the links to the provincial program of studies of English Langue Arts
Skill Outcomes Lesson #
GLO #2
Students will
listen, speak, read,
write, view and
represent to
comprehend and
respond personally
(2.1) Identify explicit and implicit idea and
information in texts; listen and respond to
various interpretations of the same text.
(2.2) Identify and discuss theme and point
of view in oral, print and other media texts.
(2.2) Discuss and explain various
interpretations of the same oral, print or
#3


#4, #6

#3

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and critically to
oral print and
other media texts.
other media text.
(2.2) Discuss character development in
terms of consistency of behaviour and
plausibility of change.
(2.2) Identify features that define particular
oral, print and other media texts; discuss
differences in style and their effects on
content and audience impression

#5


#7
GLO #3
Students will
listen, speak, read,
write, view and
represent to
manage ideas and
information.
(3.2) expand and use a variety of tools and
text features, such as organizational
patterns of texts, page layout, front styles
and sizes, colour and voices-overs to access
information
(3.3) Evaluate usefulness, relevance and
completeness of gathered information;
address information gaps.
#4, #7




#7

Resource Materials:
Each unit has a resources section where I have included links or books that I will be using in said
lesson. Here is a collection of those links:
Daisy Kutter by Kazu Kibuishi
Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking by Philippe Coudray.
Consulted Beth in the currlab library at the University of Lethbridge
Took inspiration from my theatre directing class for the object activity in lesson 6
Picture http://silverlinedwinnebago.wordpress.com/tag/half-empty-half-full/
Picture http://encore.uleth.ca:50080/ebsco-w-b/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=76ee4bc9-
e4da-4dea-b8f0-b489c0029cda%40sessionmgr114&vid=2&hid=127
Picture http://www.ilex-press.com/2011/11/the-e-book-cover-conundrum/
Picture : http://diterlizzi.com/home/author/admin/page/41/

Unit/Lesson Overview :
For this assignment I am beginning these lessons as if the students have just been introduced to
the book and graphic novels in lesson 1, and that student have read and discussed their views of
the novel is lesson #2. There would also be a few lessons after these five that wrap up this novel
study.
Lessons 3 Different Interpretations March 26
th
Wednesday
TSW: present their interpretations of the first 5 pages of the book
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Activities: Free Write, Discuss explicit/implicit, Analysis short clip of text from another book,
Discuss, students write own interpretations of first few pages of Daisy Kutter , form groups and
discuss.
Outcomes: (2.1) Identify explicit and implicit idea and information in texts; listen and respond to
various interpretations of the same text. (2.2) Discuss and explain various interpretations of the
same oral, print or other media text.
Notes: Students will be analyzing clip from childrens graphic novel Bear.

Lesson 4 Themes March 27
th
Thursday
TSW: create maps of themes found in Daisy Kutter and present to class
Activities: Free write, review themes that are present in book previously read in class and what
a theme is, as a class brainstorm a few themes, in groups students create maps of important
themes and present these to the class and complete an individual exit slip outlining your
opinion of most important theme in the book and why.
Outcomes: (2.2) Identify and discuss theme and point of view in oral, print and other media
texts. (3.2) expand and use a variety of tools and text features, such as organizational patterns
of texts, page layout, front styles and sizes, colour and voices-overs to access information

Lesson 5 Character Development/ Intro POV March 28
th
Friday
TSW: begin brainstorming the story from another characters perspective (short)
Activities: Free Write, Analyse Daisy and how she is written, in groups students will get a
section of pages that they will have to analyse in terms of Daisy, class discussion, begin
discussion POV and characters with students beginning brainstorming.
Outcomes: (2.2) Discuss character development in terms of consistency of behaviour and
plausibility of change.

Lesson 6 POV March 31
st
Monday
TSW: complete the story from another characters POV and begin final project
Activities: Free Write, review P.O.V., Discuss Daisy P.O.V. and briefly discuss other characters as
a class, students have remainder of class to write a story, or draw a one page comic from
another characters P.O.V. hand in today
Outcomes: (2.2) Identify and discuss theme and point of view in oral, print and other media
texts.

Lesson 7 Adding on to the story April 1
st
Tuesday
TSW: Begin creating the story before or after the novel
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Activities: Free Write, discuss elements in graphic novel that are unique and what makes Daisy
Kutter unique, review taking evidence from text to help students create their own story,
students begin creating own story.
Outcomes: (2.2) Identify features that define particular oral, print and other media texts;
discuss differences in style and their effects on content and audience impression. (3.2) expand
and use a variety of tools and text features, such as organizational patterns of texts, page
layout, front styles and sizes, colour and voices-overs to access information. (3.3) Evaluate
usefulness, relevance and completeness of gathered information; address information gaps.


Complete Lessons
Lesson 3 Wednesday March 27
th

Different Interpretations and Meanings
Grade/Subject: 9/English Unit: Graphic Novel Study Lesson Duration: 50 minutes
OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES
General Learning Outcomes: GLO #2 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to
comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral print and other media texts.
Specific Learning Outcomes: (2.1) Identify explicit and implicit idea and information in texts; listen and
respond to various interpretations of the same text. (2.2) Discuss and explain various interpretations of the
same oral, print or other media text.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will: create maps of themes found in Daisy Kutter and present to class
ASSESSMENTS
Observations: Students participating in discussion and doing free write. Each Friday I will collect the free
writes from the week for formative assessment.
LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
Resource #1: Picture http://silverlinedwinnebago.wordpress.com/tag/half-empty-half-full/
Resource #2: Picture http://encore.uleth.ca:50080/ebsco-w-b/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=76ee4bc9-
e4da-4dea-b8f0-b489c0029cda%40sessionmgr114&vid=2&hid=127
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
* Smartboard
Pre-Lesson Set Up
- Question on board for Free Write
- Picture on the Smartboard see below
PROCEDURE
Introduction
Hook/Attention Grabber: The students will enter the class, sit and begin writing free right about the
question and/or the picture on the screen. After the discussion which is our first main activity and will
include the following from the introduction.
Assessment of Prior Knowledge: When looking at such a picture how did each of you react to the half empty
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or half full and why. What about the photo made you think that what gave you meaning?
Advance Organizer/Agenda: Review Explicit/Implicit, Analysis a cartoon, Work on Interpretations with Daisy
Kutter.
Transition to Body: What does explicit and implicit mean?
Body
Learning Activity #1: Free Write as students enter the room they start free writing about the question on the
board. Todays question is: What are some things or circumstances that you would hear different peoples
interpretations? With a photo inspiration. located at the end of each lesson
Learning Activity #2: Discuss explicit/implicit
Explicit is when something is easily understood, it is obvious.
Implicit is when the meaning is hidden, not directly said. So the reader has to search for clues that lead them
to the meaning.
Learning Activity #3: Analysis/Discuss short clip of text from Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking by Philippe
Coudray. On the Smartboard one clipping will be up for students in write down their understanding of the
cartoon and its meaning implicit and explicit. As a class we will discuss what students got from the pictures
and why.
Learning Activity #4: Write own interpretations of first few pages of Daisy Kutter
Students will individually go back to the first 5 pages of Daisy Kutter and write down what their first
interpretations where and what brought them to this evidence.
Learning Activity #5/Sponge: form groups and discuss
Students will be in groups and discussing their findings and seeing the differences. Groups will then write
down the main point that they discussed and report back to the class.
Closure:
Consolidation/Assessment of Learning: Review Implicit vs Explicit and how to gain meaning for your
interpretation of a text or picture.
Transition To Next Lesson: Will be reviewing themes.
Lesson 3 Material: Half Empty Half Full picture inspiration and Underwater website links are above

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Lesson 4 Thursday March 28
th

Themes
Grade/Subject: 9/English Unit: Graphic Novel Study Lesson Duration: 50 minutes
OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES
General Learning Outcomes: GLO #2 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to
comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral print and other media texts.
Specific Learning Outcomes: (2.2) Identify and discuss theme and point of view in oral, print and other
media texts. (3.2) expand and use a variety of tools and text features, such as organizational patterns
of texts, page layout, front styles and sizes, colour and voices-overs to access information
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will: Present their interpretations of the first 5 pages of the book
ASSESSMENTS
Observations: Students participating in class and group discussions as well as completion of exit slip.
LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
Resource #1: Picture http://www.ilex-press.com/2011/11/the-e-book-cover-conundrum/
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
*Smartboard
Pre-Lesson Set Up
- Questions and Picture for free Write
- Blank paper for students to create Theme Maps
- Index cards for exit slip (outlining your opinion of most important theme in the book and why is it important and
how to you know it is important.)
PROCEDURE
Introduction
Hook/Attention Grabber: Students free write and then we discuss.
Assessment of Prior Knowledge: When answering questions in discussion I will be able to see how many
students in the class remember what a theme is and how to pick it out.
Advance Organizer/Agenda: Review themes, Create Theme Maps and Exit slip
Transition to Body: Free Write discussion leading into Learning activity 2
Body
Learning Activity #1: Free Write Students will enter class and begin a free write on the following
question: Why is the theme in your favorite movie important or What is a theme that fits this picture
and why?
Learning Activity #2: Review Themes
Review themes that are present in books previously read in class and what a theme is, as a class
brainstorm a few themes that are present in Daisy Kutter.
Learning Activity #3: Theme Maps
In groups students will create a theme map that outlines each theme in the novel and present them in a
manner that show their important or relevance to the book. After each group will present these to the
class. Discuss how these themes make this novel interesting. Are the themes presented in a way that only
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a graphic novel could do?
Learning Activity #4: Exit Slip
Complete an individual exit slip outlining your opinion of most important theme in the book and why is it
important and how to you know it is important.
Closure
Consolidation/Assessment of Learning: Review why themes are important and how they are everywhere!
Transition To Next Lesson: Will be discussing characters from Daisy Kutter!
Lesson 4 Materials Free write picture, website link is above


Lesson 5 Friday March 29
th

Character Development/POV
Grade/Subject: 9/English Unit: Graphic Novel Study Lesson Duration: 50 minutes
OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES
General Learning Outcomes: GLO #2 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to
comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral print and other media texts.
Specific Learning Outcomes: (2.2) Discuss character development in terms of consistency of behaviour
and plausibility of change.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will: begin brainstorming the story from another characters perspective (short)
ASSESSMENTS
Observations: Students participating in discussion and presenting analysis
LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
Resource #1: http://diterlizzi.com/home/author/admin/page/41/ <- lots of great picture on this site
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
*Smartboard
Pre-Lesson Set Up
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- Smartboard with picture and write List of characteristic on whiteboard
PROCEDURE
Introduction
Hook/Attention Grabber: Free Write or Free Drawing and discuss what they came up with and why
Assessment of Prior Knowledge: Discuss how we make judgements about a person or character
depending on the way they look.
Advance Organizer/Agenda: Analyse Daisy, Group Analysis and POV mini project
Transition to Body: What do we know about Daisy Kutter?
Body
Learning Activity #1: Free Write/Draw Today students have the option to write about a picture of a
character on the board or taking a list of words and creating a character of their own in a drawing.
List of words: Kind, Strong, Fast, Care-Free, Important, Dark and Mysterious.
Learning Activity #2: Analyse Daisy
As a class we will be discussion Daisy in how she is drawn, written, moves, talks, etc.
Learning Activity #3: Analyse Daisy in specific parts of the novel
Students will be split into 5 groups of 5 each group will be assigned a section of text and must analyse
Daisy in that specific setting.
Group 1) Pg 5-8
Group 2) Pg 14-16
Group 3) Pg 27-30
Group 4) 127-130
Group 5) 148-151
Class discussion about each section and how the graphic novel created such a compelling story.
- How did the graphic novel suck you in more?
Learning Activity #4: POV characters with students beginning brainstorming
On the smartboard will be a list of characters and their pictures beside them so that students can start
brainstorming what character they would like to take 2 pages of the novel and write from that characters
Point of View. This will be due at the end of next class.
Closure
Consolidation/Assessment of Learning: Review POV and character analysis
Transition To Next Lesson: Next class your POV clips are due at end of class
Materials for Lesson 5: Character for Free Write, website link is above

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Lesson 6 Monday March 31
st

POV
Grade/Subject: 9/English Unit: Graphic Novel Study Lesson Duration: 50 minutes
OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES
General Learning Outcomes: GLO #2 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to
comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral print and other media texts.
Specific Learning Outcomes: (2.2) Identify and discuss theme and point of view in oral, print and other
media texts.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will: complete the story from another characters POV and begin final project
ASSESSMENTS
Observations: Students participating in discussion/taking notes and handing in project
LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
Resource #1: NA
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
*Smartboard
* 5 Objects: An empty picture frame, pearl necklace, a yo-yo, lace table cloth, a bright red bouncy ball
Pre-Lesson Set Up
- Groups of Objects ready at the front of the class with the questions How do these objects make you
feel? What do these objects mean to you as a group vs individually?
PROCEDURE
Introduction
Hook/Attention Grabber: Discuss Free Write- What do these objects mean?
Assessment of Prior Knowledge: POV/Analysis/Interpretation/Evidence
Advance Organizer/Agenda: Review POV and Daisys, Discuss other character and Work time on rewrite.
Transition to Body: What is POV? Why is it important?
Body
Learning Activity #1: Free Write on group of objects Today there will be a collection of objects setup at
the front of the class that students will have to write about how these objects make them feel and what
the objects could mean as a group vs individually. (Does a specific object stand out to you? Or does the
group of objects together have a meaning?)
- How did these objects intrigue you? Is it the visual? Lack of world? How does this relate to a
graphic novel?
Learning Activity #2: Review POV and Daisys POV
Think-pair-share: Students will individually recall what they remember about POV and Daisys. Then get
into pairs and review and finally share as the class discussion.
Learning Activity #3: POV for other characters
Jigsaw: Students will be put into groups a,b,c,d. Each group will get a character of the play to analyse
either Tom, Mr J.C. Winters, Morris, and Bloom.
Then each group will be split into new groups so that each character is represented in a group and
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students will share their analysis with each other.
Learning Activity #4: Work Time on POV rewrite - Due at end of class
Students will be working individually (mainly quiet is fine) working on their assignment.
Closure
Consolidation/Assessment of Learning: Review POV and its importance in novels, picture, and life.
Transition To Next Lesson: Students will get to choose their Adding on to the story final projects and
begin it. So think whether you could like to write what happens before the book or after for next class.


Lesson 7 Tuesday April 1
st

Adding on to the story
Grade/Subject: 9/English Unit: Graphic Novel Study Lesson Duration: 50 minutes
OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES
General Learning Outcomes: GLO #2 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to
comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral print and other media texts.
Specific Learning Outcomes: : (2.2) Identify features that define particular oral, print and other media
texts; discuss differences in style and their effects on content and audience impression. (3.3) Evaluate
usefulness, relevance and completeness of gathered information; address information gaps.
(3.2) expand and use a variety of tools and text features, such as organizational patterns of texts,
page layout, front styles and sizes, colour and voices-overs to access information
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will: Begin creating the story before or after the novel
ASSESSMENTS
Observations: Students discussing and handing in exit slip
LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
Resource #1: NA
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
*Smartboard
Pre-Lesson Set Up
- Smartboard
- Adding on to the story project outline and rubric
PROCEDURE
Introduction
Hook/Attention Grabber: Free Write anything about Daisy Kutter
Assessment of Prior Knowledge: Taking evidence from text.
Advance Organizer/Agenda: Evidence Taking, Elements of Graphic Novels and Final Project!
Transition to Body: What would you think the author would want you to remember from this text?
Body
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Learning Activity #1: Free Write about Diasy Kutter students will free write anything they want to say
about this novel! Just let it out! Need to write one sentence about how a graphic novel can still create
such a strong story even though there is like text compared to a traditional novel.
Learning Activity #2: Review taking evidence from text
In the final project students must keep their before or after book a lined with the actual novel. Will review
how important notes are when reading and remembering the little things e.g., foreshadowing seen in this
novel.
Learning Activity #3: Elements of a Graphic Novel vs other books and what makes Daisy Kutter unique
Throughout the first two lessons we review parts of a graphic novel and why they are different from books
and now we will review these important elements for the final project.
Learning Activity #4: Begin Adding on to the story Project Will hand out final project outline with
rubric. Will go over this assignment with students and show exemplars. Students can choose a form to
show/present this in. E.g. movie trailer, written story, comic, song etc. All choices must be approved by
the end of class today. Students are working independently on brainstorm and planning their project out.
Closure
Consolidation/Assessment of Learning: Students must present at least a small idea of what they will do for
their project via exit slip.
Transition To Next Lesson: Will be working on project


Tentative Assessment Plan:
Learning
Outcomes
Assessment for Graphic Novel Study
Title Free Writes Character POV writing
Adding on to the
Story
Participation
Type (Formative
/Summative)
F S S S
Weighting
NA
30% 60% 10%
(2.1) Identify explicit and
implicit idea and information
in texts; listen and respond
to various interpretations of
the same text.




(2.2) Identify and discuss
theme and point of view in
oral, print and other media
texts.




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(2.2) Discuss and explain
various interpretations of
the same oral, print or other
media text.



(2.2) Discuss character
development in terms of
consistency of behaviour and
plausibility of change.


(2.2) Identify features that
define particular oral, print
and other media texts;
discuss differences in style
and their effects on content
and audience impression




(3.2) Expand and use a
variety of tools and text
features, such as
organizational patterns of
texts, page layout, front
styles and sizes, colour and
voices-overs to access
information



(3.3) Evaluate usefulness,
relevance and completeness
of gathered information;
address information gaps.




Explanation:
This unit is a small unit and if I was teaching it in a grade 9 classroom I would either keep
it the same in terms of the number of outcomes or increase the number of outcomes if time is
strained. This unit allows for students to use their creativity and make judgements on the novel
style, form including the manner in which the content in presented to the reader. When
students are using their creativity and making a judgement it enables them to develop a deeper
understanding on the content and helps students to inspire their imagination and
understanding of a new world, in this case Daisy Kutters world. It is also important to give
students choice. I outlined earlier that students could decide to extend the story before the
novel or after the novel ended. I would be more than willing for students to complete this task
in another medium other than writing or drawing out the specific story. They could create a
movie trailer, a web-based blog, a video blog from one character point of view, put together a
magazine spread, create a documentary or any other medium that they would like to present,
of course all projects must be approved before the student hands it in to ensure that all
outcomes are being met.
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Reflection:
I would be more than willing and excited to put this unit into action! This unit and
graphic novel would be fun to do with students because it is a different medium and the story is
engaging. It would also be interesting because students would be learning about a new medium
and genre in books and graphic novels. The setting of Daisy Kutter is interesting because it is
based is an old Wild West sort of community but at the same time very futuristic with the
presence of robots everywhere. Doing this book in southern or central Alberta would be fun
because most students know about the old west and cowboys and train robbing bandits. All
of this could be tired into Social Studies with Daisys struggle to find a new identity in a culture
that still sees her as being one of the best train robbers ever. Furthermore Social Studies looks
at society and expectations of society on a person which is seen throughout this novel. Since
reworking this unit I have gone through and tailored a section in each lesson more towards the
leading questions. I do believe that the project in itself answers the leading question but it is
important to have discussions around it for students to make a direct correlation between their
learning and the units goal.
I think one short fall right now in the unit how is its timing. I believe that if implementing
this unit that students would need more time to gain a strong understanding of each topic and
would need more time in completing the assignment. I would also like to spend more time
discussing the novel with students because I find discussion to be very informative of students
understanding. Discussion can also benefit students who maybe slower at comprehending
because in a discussion they can listen to what other students are connecting and begin to draw
those connections themselves. That being said once a teacher is in the classroom working with
students timelines have to change and reflect the pace that students are learning whether that
is faster or slower.