What If Sci-Fi Comic : World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky Writing Project

Your students will dive deeper into World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky as they mimic his graphic novel style delivery of an environmental message in their own comics. This step-by-step project guide walks students through the writing process from brainstorming "what if" scenarios, to researching the science behind the fiction, writing, revising, and illustrating their own sci-fi comic strips.

This product includes:

• A student project planning guide
• 4 blank comic templates
• 4 versions of the rubric offering options for either letter or 4-point grading systems

Planning Guide

A three-page student packet lays out the expectations of the project and outlines each of the steps of the writing process that students need to take to be successful:

1. Brainstorming
2. Planning the "What If..." premise and message about the environment
3. Researching 3 scientific facts to support the message
4. Drafting
5. Revising & Editing
6. Publishing

Comic Templates

Four basic templates provide different arrangements of boxes for students to fill in with their comic book text and illustrations. These are not required for the project, but may provide structure for students who need a little more help keeping their work neat and organized.

Rubric Options

All of the rubrics are compatible with a 6 traits + 1 writing classroom. There are two versions of the rubric that allow the teacher to assign letter grades and two that follow the 4-point system for grading instead. Of the rubrics with letter grades, one also assigns categories different weights with points out of one hundred while the other is more generic. Similarly, of the 4-point system rubrics, one uses points explicitly while the other uses more descriptive categories (Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations...etc.)

If there are other grading systems you wish were included as options, please let me know in the comments or send me a message and maybe I can update this posting at a later point. I would like to make this assignment as flexible and therefore helpful for as many different teachers as possible.

This assignment was originally created to supplement Engage New York's seventh grade ELA Module 3b Understanding Perspectives which includes World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky as one of the anchor texts.