What You Need

• Examples of newspaper comic strips (especially those about families)
• Colored pencils and markers, crayons
• Rulers

What to Do

1. Display some examples of newspaper comic strips. Explain that each strip tells a funny story in a series of boxes, or panels. You may want to work through one or more of the comic strips to be sure children understand the different components (a title, the cartoonist's name, a series of sequenced panels containing humorous drawings of characters in action, the characters' speech balloons).
2. Ask each child to think of an especially funny incident or event that happened in his or her family, and then to make a comic strip about it. Suggest that children follow these steps:
   1. Decide how many panels you will need.
   2. Use a ruler to draw the panel boxes on construction paper.
   3. Add your illustrations and speech balloons.
   4. Give your comic strip a title.
   5. Write your name next to the title.
3. Collect the children's comic strips and hang them around the classroom for everyone to enjoy.