the Comics appreciation project
Comicbook Creator Classroom
Bringing programming to your classroom to release children’s reading and creative potential
We Bring Creation to Your Classroom
Inspiring hearts, changing lives
Jason Kelley, CAP’s founder and PhD student in the Department of Language & Literacy Education at the University of Georgia (UGA), developed the Comicbook Creator Classroom (CCC) in Spring 2024 as an English Language Arts (ELA) support program for struggling elementary readers.
The nine-week pilot served 45 fourth-grade students at Northside Elementary, a Title I school in Houston County, Georgia. Using Dav Pilkey’s popular Dog Man graphic novel series, CCC combined reading, writing, visual literacy, and creativity through scaffolded activities designed to engage students as both readers and storytellers. Students received their own books throughout the program, including Spanish-language editions for bilingual students.
Each week, students participated in two days of specialized ELA instruction. One day focused on collaborative classroom activities centered around the books they were reading, while a second provided individualized support as students wrote, illustrated, and developed their own comics. The program culminated in a Comicbook Creator Classroom Awards ceremony before the school’s entire third and fourth grades, where student creators were recognized and all 200 children in attendance received a graphic novel of their own.
45 Students
9 Weeks
600 Books
Double Reading MAP Growth
Creator Awards
The results exceeded our expectations. On average, the 45 participating students achieved twice the Reading MAP growth of the county average during the same period. Teachers also reported increased enthusiasm for reading and writing, with students eagerly keeping up with their reading so they could participate in each week’s activities.
Northside Assistant Principal Dr. Kristina Cummings described CCC as an “incredible experience for both our students and teachers,” adding that a program that is fun while increasing “student literacy, behavior, and engagement definitely needs to be duplicated.”
The inaugural Comicbook Creator Classroom was made possible by a generous $5,000 grant from Flint Energies Operation RoundUp and our Scholastic Literacy Partnership. We distributed over 600 books during the nine-week program. You can read more about the inaugural Comicbook Creator Classroom and Awards Ceremony in the Houston Home Journal.
"The Comicbook Creator Classroom program was an incredible experience for both our students and teachers, and we greatly appreciate the granting organizations that made it possible. I can't say enough about the level of student appreciation and engagement. A program that is fun and increases student literacy, behavior, and engagement definitely needs to be duplicated. The entire school is very appreciative of the opportunities it gave our school community, and I hope Mr. Kelley and the Comicbook Creator Classroom is able to grow into many other schools."
Bring graphic novels to your classroom
We are proudly recognized by the national literacy directory
The National Literacy Directory assists potential students and volunteers in locating nearby educational programs and services. The Directory also supports literacy and education professionals through a learning network that provides the latest resources, research, and grant opportunities.
You can find out even more about our program through our NLD profile (NLD ID 129917).
