Kubo, T. (2004). Bleach: Volume 1: Strawberry and the Soul Reapers. San Francisco: Viz Media. 9781591164418 4Q/5P

Summary: Ichigo “Strawberry” Kurosaki is a high school student. He’s also a shinigami, or soul reaper. It is his responsibility to shepherd the dead to the soul society, and destroy the hollows who prey upon the living.

Media: Pen and ink drawings.

KEM 3/28/08

 

 

Diane Mahan

Partington 267 Spring 2008

Manga/Literary Concepts

Faculty Presentation

 

 

Save Our Manga!

 

The manga collection at Woodland High School has come under increasing scutiny.  More and more questions have arisen about what the kids are reading, how it was funded, and what is its literary value.  Many teachers are complaining that kids read manga in class, and confiscate the books.

 

The library media teacher wanted to give a presentation to the English department on this genre, but decided that it was best done by the readers themselves…the students. 

 

Following an inquiry-based model, the students are going to create a presentation with curriculum connections for the faculty and staff to use.

 

The students will break into groups to present each section.

 

What is Manga?

 

Using an authoritative source of information, students will create a short presentation using power point slides explaining the hallmarks of manga, its history, and how to read it. 

 

Students should include elements from the Ninth and Tenth Grade English Language Arts Content Standards  Writing Standard (Persuasive Writing) 2.4c: Clarify and defend positions with precise and relevant evidence, including facts, expert opinions, quotations, and expressions of commonly accepted beliefs and logical reasoning.

 

Popular Titles

 

Each student needs to create a short power point presentation on the following titles:

·         Fruits Basket

·         Bleach

·         Death Note

·         Ranma ½

 

Information should include a cover of the book, a discussion of the main characters, overview of the plot, and any larger story arcs that carry into several books in the series.

 

 

 

 

Literary Concepts

 

Students will identify literary concepts in each series and explain how these stories illustrate these concepts.  Concepts should include elements from:

Ninth and Tenth Grade English Language Arts Content Standards

Literary Response and Analysis (3.0)

 

• Theme
• Metaphor
• Symbol
• Interior monologue
• Foreshadowing
• Characterization
• How minor characters enhance themes of major characters
• Tone
• Mood
• Narration

 

Lesson Plans

 

Each student group is to create a short lesson plan in which particular manga titles could be used in an instructional classroom.  These could be across the curriculum, but should address the English Language Arts standards in particular.

 

Anticipating Concerns

 

Students need to anticipate and address the concerns of teachers in an appropriate and persuasive manner.  Ninth and Tenth Grade English Language Arts Content Standards

Writing Standard (Persuasive Writing) 2.4d: Address concerns, counterclaims, biases, and expectations.  This will include a discussion of:

 

• Language, nudity, and sexuality
• Literary value
• Recreational value
• Graphic novels as literature
• Circulation statistics

 

 

Students will be able to field questions in an articulate manner and leave the teachers with the lesson plans and a concluding statement that summarizes the main points. 

 

Have several copies of the titles on hand for teachers to peruse, and encourage them to read a title and see for themselves!

 

 

Bleach Volume 1 by Tite Kubo. San Francisco: VIZ Media LLC, 2001.  978-1-5911-6441-8

 

Annotation: Strawberry and the Soul Reapers fear that which they cannot see in this graphic novel.

Media: black marker, pen and ink

Rating: 7th-11th 2Q/5P

Literary Device: Onomatopoeia

 

Onomatopoeia –

    What would manga be without onomatopoeia? In Bleach, there is fwump waaah, fwap, swak, and aagh to mention a few.

 

lvanburen/6-09