Calvin and Hobbes Dialogs

by Chris Young and Annie Lin
Good for a fun 1- or 2-day lesson.

A fun way to introduce American comic strips is using Calvin and Hobbes. Chris and I both taught Calvin and Hobbes using this lesson, where students get to write their own dialogue for a Calvin and Hobbes strip. It is be a useful and meaningful for students of any English level.

Introduction: We introduced comic strips, the themes of imagination and day dreaming, and gave students a sample Calvin and Hobbes comic.

Preparation for Activity: We gave students vocabulary that might help them write appropriate dialogue for the comic strips. The comic strips we chose for this activity all took place in space and involved space travel. So, we provided vocabulary such as “Mayday!”, “to zoom,” “to plummet,” and “We’re going down!”

Activity: Students paired up and received one of three blank Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. Students had 15-20 minutes to discuss and fill in the dialogue/thought bubbles.

Wrap-up: Students shared their comics strips, and we explained the original comic strips.

Obstacles: It was difficult to explain American humor in the first 10 intro minutes. Students (particularly at Xiuzhong) had a little trouble coming up with a punch line. Each class had its share of original laughs, though, and it was a great way to share a popular and fun part of American culture.

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