I\u2019m going to guess that for most (all?) of us, reading comics\nstrips for a class <\/em>will feel strange. I suspect we will alternate\nbetween two different experiences while reading: <\/p>\n\n\n\n This assignment hopes to short-circuit the first and give us\nstrategies and opportunities to talk ourselves down from the second. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For each day that we are reading Schulz\u2019s comic strips in\nclass, you will be responsible for leading a short, 5-minute discussion on two comic\nstrips. This does not<\/em> mean that you need to become an expert on them or have\nthe most awesomest things\u2122 to say ever<\/em>. Rather, you will come up with a\nfew questions that you believe can guide our conversation about those two\nstrips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To ensure that we do not have overlap, you will claim two strips for each day’s discussion. Stake your claim by going to the Daily Comics Discussion post<\/a> and editing that post<\/a> to add the dates of your strips after your name on the day’s discussion. (Notice that Schulz always writes the dates of his strips in the lower corner of one of his panels.) You can grab your strips as early as you’d like, but no later than 9 am on the day of class<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please note again that you do not need to choose strips that\nyou think you understand (although that’s certainly an option). You can do just\nas well on this assignment if you choose comics that have left you baffled. In\na way, you’re acting as a curator who has decided that particular strips in the\nday\u2019s reading must<\/em> be talked about during class, even if you only want\nto force the rest of us<\/em> to talk about them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prepare to lead the short discussion on your strips by composing\na few questions.<\/strong> These questions can cover any aspect of the strips,\nincluding their relation to the comics that surround them. Remember that good\ndiscussion questions normally cannot be answered with a “yes” or\n“no.” Try for questions that begin with “What,”\n“Why,” or “How.” You could certainly draw on McCloud’s work\nwhen developing your questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The key word in the preceding paragraph is\n“prepare.” “Preparing” means that you’ve thought of your\ntwo or three questions before<\/em> coming to class. You may very well want to\njot them down, perhaps even in the margins of your book. I don’t anticipate\nasking you to turn these questions in, but that remains an option if I think it\nproves necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In class, you will lead a short discussion about your strips.\nYou will have the reins of the class for a minimum of five minutes. You might\nstart by talking about why you picked the strips that you did, or you might\nlaunch right into a question. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Five minutes might sound like a long time. But honestly, one\ngood question can easily put you beyond that mark. You might not even get to\nyour second strip. That\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please note the pedagogical aim of this assignment: a good\ndiscussion normally features more talking from the class than from the teacher.\nThis means, again, that you really do not<\/em> need to know everything about\nthe strips. You just need to be able to ask a question or three that will get\nus talking productively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Each day’s discussion is worth a maximum of 5 points, with\nthe assignment as a whole being worth 50 points. You will be graded on <\/p>\n\n\n\nNitty Gritty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Claim Your Strips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Prep Your Strips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Discuss Your Strips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Grading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Credits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n