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Pop Culture Classroom , based in Denver , Colorado , is a nonprofit organization that educates in the areas of literacy and arts through alternative approaches to learning and character development. The arts and culture of the world of the arts and the environment, and the art of learning, art, and learning.
Overview and history
Pop Culture Classroom was founded in 2010 as a Comic Book Classroom, [1] a Colorado charitable organization focused on enhancing and improving student’s learning experience through the use of comic book media. At the same time, the founders of the Comic Book Classroom also created the Denver Comic Con event. The Original Founders of Comic Book Classroom and Denver Comic are Charlie LaGreca, Frank Romero, David Vinson and Kevin Vinson. [2]
Between 2010 and 2012, The Founders and Founders of New England and the United States, Christina Newman and Bruce Macintosh, who became an integral part of the organization and the foundations of the Comic Book Classroom and the Denver Comic Con programs were developed simultaneously.
The Classroom program debuted the first version of its “Storytelling Through Comics” curriculum to local area schools, and with the help of hundreds of dedicated volunteers and generous donations, the Denver Comic Con event became a reality on Father’s Day weekend, June 15, 2012 It was an unexpected and overwhelming success. The 2013 and 2014 Denver Comic Con’s built on that success.
Proceeds from Denver Comic Con funds the staffing, supplies and infrastructure of the Classroom program that promotes literacy through the medium of sequential art and storytelling. “Storytelling Through Comics” is a graphic literature creation program that is offered free of charge to schools, teachers and community organizations. The program is an educational program that includes instruction in reading and vocabulary, writing stories, and ultimately the creation of the students’ own comics. Completed entries are published in a class collection.
In 2014, the Comic Book Classroom Board of Directors voted to Pop Culture Classroom (CCP). [3] The name changes the board’s broader vision for the organization. In addition to expanding the reach of our comic-based curriculum, the PCC seeks to use other elements of our culture.
Need
The need for literacy education in Colorado is inspired by the CBC program. High percentages of elementary and middle school-aged children in Colorado do not have enough after-school care. [4] Additionally, several studies show that children who receive arts education often outperform children who do not in most educational areas. [5]
Curriculum
Pop Culture Classroom’s “Storytelling Through Comics” curriculum is designed to educate 11- to 14-year-old students (grades 5-8) about literacy and the arts. The Common Core Curriculum Enhances Students’ Writing and Reading Skills and Artistic Skills through an Interactive Educational Experiment Focused on Comic Books and Graphic Novels. It can be offered as an after-school race, a stand-alone unit, or as a complement to an existing language arts curriculum in a classroom.
The six-week program is broken into a series of separate lesson modules:
• The Joy of Reading: The study of learning and writing, and reading and writing.
• Visual & Textual Storytelling: Students learn about storytelling arcs and define exposure, event, rising action, crisis, falling action and conclusion. Participants begin drafting their own comic strip using the storytelling arc as a template.
• Dialogue: Students are introduced to a narrative dialogue and begin scripting their stories.
• Analyzing Conflict Resolution through Dialogue and Using an Outline: Students learn how to communicate with each other in their stories.
• Basic Drawing for Comics: Students learn basic drawing techniques from a guest artist.
• Creating Comics and the “Author ‘s Chair” Celebrations: Celebrating Students’ Achievement.
The CBC curriculum is designed to meet the needs of early learners and advanced learners of literacy. The curriculum includes dialogue around text and image, discussion and use of vocabulary and terminology. The larger goals of the curriculum are to teach literacy and arts engagement while fostering identity growth, positive peer relationships, communication skills, and community development among young people.
Benefits
Each local graduate receives a customized one-day ticket for a caregiver to Denver Comic Con . At the convention, graduates are welcomed as guests of honor. In addition, they are given the chance to work in the Comic Book Classroom Corral, sell sketches to be expected, and further their understanding that a popular culture has a valuable place in society and represents a viable career path. Graduates also receive a graduation certificate, which includes the CBC pencil, button, and sketchpad.
In addition, Denver Comic Con offers free admission to 200 educators annually during its Educator’s Day on Friday.
Programming
Pop Culture Classroom’s programming includes:
In-schools programs
- Trained volunteers facilitate the program in local schools as an after-school program, a stand-alone unit or a complement to existing language arts classes or programs.
Online Resources
- Pop Culture Classroom offers a variety of resources that parents and teachers can use to integrate their educational programs.
- The CBC website offers “Rowrr Recommends” reviews of age-appropriate comic books and graphic literature for children and their parents.
Comic Book Classroom Kids’ Corral
The focal point of the annual Denver Comic is the Comic Book Kids’ Classroom Corral, which is designed to spotlight the CBC program, its students, and graduates. The 5000-square foot activity center provides educational and youth-based programming. In addition, many Denver Comic Con guests have donated their time and talents to working with students in the CBC Kids’ Corral.
Programming is conducted by volunteers, many of whom are trained arts educators or comic industry professionals. In other words, in the field of curriculum development and evaluation, outreach, website development, fundraising and event planning.
Influence
Since the first Pop Culture Classroom program was held at Force Elementary School (Denver Public Schools) in the spring of 2010, Pop Culture Classroom has been impacted over 400 students in the Denver metro region. Denver and the WOW! Boys & Girls Club Denver and the WOW! Children’s Museum of Lafayette, Colorado.
Support
Supplementary support for CBC’s educational programming is provided by the Stan Lee Foundation and the national non-profit organization Generation Schools. In 2013, actor William Shatner appeared in the Pop Culture Classroom’s “Corral” at Denver Comic Con to read Maurice Sendak ‘s children’s book Where The Wild Things Are in Support of Pop Culture Classroom. [6]
References
- Jump up^ “Pow! Comic Book Classroom project takes on illiteracy in metro schools” . Denver Post . Retrieved 2013-11-16 .
- Jump up^ “Our History” . Pop Culture Classroom . Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
- Jump up^ “Wrap-Up Education: Denver Comic Con 2014! (Part 1)” . Pop Culture Classroom . Retrieved 2014-12-22 .
- Jump up^ “Need For After-School” . Afterschoolallstars.org . After-School All Stars . Retrieved 2013-11-16 .
- Jump up^ “Champions of Change: The Impact on the Art of Learning” (PDF) . The Arts Education Partnership . Retrieved 2013-11-16 .
- Jump up^ “Denver Comic Con 2013: Hey Kids, Come See William Shatner Read ‘Where The Wild Things Are ‘ ” . MTV Geek . Retrieved 2013-11-16 .