WEEK 11 (due April 9)
NEXT CLASS: THURSDAY, APRIL 9
FIRST MANDATORY
IN-CLASS DRAFTING SESSION
BRING PAPER COPIES OF
MAUS II, YOUR SKELETON OUTLINE (including "quotes" from research documents),
IN-CLASS ESSAY DRAFTING: APRIL 9 & 13
An outline is a structured set of keywords or very short phrases (3-4 words) that provides a framework for your essay, like a skeleton structure. It cannot include complete sentences (except your thesis, topic sentence, and exact quotes from the interview or video on Nazism). In class, you will put flesh on this skeleton and turn these keywords into complete sentences.
Your outline and essay must align and engage with: (1) the individual notes you took as you completed the worksheet, (2) group and class discussions, (3) class notes, (4) the author's interview, and (5) the video on the Nazi ideology.
The use of other external sources or assistance is not permitted.
The language and voice of your outline must be your own. The presence of writing in your outline that does not align with your own voice due to its different style, vagueness, wordiness, or extreme sophistication or pretentiousness may result in a rejection of your final copy.
- Secondary sources: Your essay must include at least one reference to a very specific point from the video on the Nazi ideology or Art Spiegelman's interview.
Integrate this very specific point at the right place into your outline (a direct "quote" may be a complete sentence). This point can help you confirm or develop one specific point in your analysis.
Include a parenthetical reference indicating the specific time, such as (1:34), or page number in the interview documents.
- Submit to LEA a digital copy of your outline & bring a paper copy to the first drafting session. This is a process task.
Begin to brainstorm a list of three personal anecdotes for your alternative story. Do NOT use AI to generate these initial ideas as this would go against the very essence of alternative comics; these three ideas must be based on real anecdotes in your life.
Make sure that (1) these ideas correspond to the alternative movement as discussed in class, and (2) they would not be too difficult to illustrate graphically. In other words, keep it simple, ordinary, with an emphasis on words, not actions or unique environments.
For your information, some of you will be using Storyboard That to illustrate your panels. You may also draw, use Google's AI Gemini, or take photos. Your pick!
Take care.
WEEK 10 (2/2) (due April 7)
TO CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION
& BEGIN OUTLINING YOUR 2ND ESSAY
MANDATORY IN-CLASS DRAFTING OF 2ND ESSAY: April 6 & 13
1) RESEARCH DOCUMENT/MOODLE ACTIVITY: READ CLOSELY THE TWO EXCERPTS BELOW FROM AN INTERVIEW WITH ART SPIEGELMAN.
As you read, identify quotes you might use in your essay as you try to understand the significance of the animal heads.
CHOOSE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT QUOTE AND COMPLETE THE RELATED ACTIVITY ON MOODLE (in 'Activities').
Here are the two excerpts from the interview:
★ Spiegelman speaks about the animal metaphor.
★ Spiegelman speaks about the animal masks.
2) TEACHER FEEDBACK: READ CLOSELY YOUR TEACHER'S FEEDBACK ON YOUR FIRST ESSAY.
Your teacher should have uploaded (or will soon) his feedback on LEA in the 'Assignments' section.
Review this feedback carefully, paying attention to your strengths, and identify two or three specific goals you would like to work on in your next essay.
3) ESSAY GUIDELINES: READ THE ESSAY GUIDELINES CLOSELY.
Take care!
Prompt Questions to Help You Fill Up the Worksheet on Maus II
Question: What does it mean to find panels where the author directly or indirectly draws our attention to the limitations of his animal metaphor?
Answer: In Maus II, Art Spiegelman repeatedly comments on and attacks - directly and indirectly - his own animal metaphor... his own decision to draw human heads as cartoonish animal heads.
Pay attention to panels where the fake, non-realistic, or problematic nature of the animal heads is emphasized or exposed in some way.
Do you see panels where the organization of the human race into specific races/categories (represented as distinct animal species) breaks down or does not work?
What does Spiegelman gain and lose by using animals as metaphors for race, nationality, or ethnicity? Consider scenes where these metaphors appear inadequate or simplistic.
Do you notice real animals that contrast with the “fake” animal heads? Why does the author incorporate real animals into the story?
Can you identify panels where the animal heads are drawn differently? Look for small details. What is the meaning of these differences?
Are there specific scenes where the use of simplistic animal heads doesn’t work well, is problematic, or inappropriate? Look for instances where the animal heads or their simplicity clash with the experiences the characters are having.
WEEK 10 (1/2) (due April 2)
TO JOIN US, SUBMIT, INDIVIDUALLY, A COMPLETE WORKSHEET
1) READING: READ THE LAST 50 PAGES OF THE FAMOUS GRAPHIC NOVEL MAUS II BY ART SPIEGELMAN.
AS YOU READ, LOOK FOR SCENES/PANELS THAT CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND THE AUTHOR'S UNUSUAL DECISION TO DRAW ANIMAL HEADS.
EXAMINE WHY THE AUTHOR CHOSE:
- TO DRAW ANIMALS HEADS INSTEAD OF HUMAN HEADS
- TO DRAW THESE SPECIFIC ANIMAL SPECIES
- TO DRAW EACH ANIMAL FACE IN A SPECIFIC MANNER
- TO DRAW SOME HEADS AS HUMAN HEADS WEARING ANIMAL MASKS
FIND PANELS/SCENES WHERE THE AUTHOR, DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY,
- COMMENT ON HIS OWN ANIMAL METAPHOR
- DRAW OUR ATTENTION TO ITS STRENGTHS OR LIMITATIONS
TIP: Consider that the animal heads may be used to illustrate and comment on the Nazi ideology.
2) WORKSHEET: FINISH FILLING UP, INDIVIDUALLY, THE SECOND PART OF THIS WORKSHEET -- ON ART SPIEGELMAN'S USE OF ANIMAL HEADS.
COLLECT & RESPOND TO 15-20 SPECIFIC SCENES/PANELS FOR NEXT CLASS.
3) LEA SUBMISSION: SUBMIT TO LEA THE COMPLETED WORKSHEET.
Take care.
WEEK 9 (due March 30)

NEXT CLASS: MONDAY, MARCH 30
MANDATORY TO ATTEND: YOUR INDIVIDUAL COURSE PACK
TO COMPLETE ONE SHORT IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENT
PLEASE BRING YOUR PAPER COPY OF MAUS II AS WELL
MAUS II: BEGINNING OF PROCESS TASKS (2nd essay project)
AS YOU WATCH: IDENTIFY 6-10 SIGNIFICANT SPECIFIC POINTS to help us understand the Nazi point of view. Focus strictly on points that help us understand the Nazi ideology and how Nazis generally perceived others, themselves, and the human race as a whole.ADD THESE POINTS TO THE FIRST PART OF THE WORKSHEET ON MAUS II, making sure to identify the specific time mark (#minutes #seconds) for each point in the video.
2) READING: READ THE FIRST 85 PAGES OF THE FAMOUS GRAPHIC NOVEL MAUS II BY ART SPIEGELMAN.
AS YOU READ, LOOK FOR SCENES/PANELS THAT CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND THE AUTHOR'S UNUSUAL DECISION TO DRAW ANIMAL HEADS.
EXAMINE WHY THE AUTHOR CHOSE:
- TO DRAW ANIMALS HEADS INSTEAD OF HUMAN HEADS
- TO DRAW THESE SPECIFIC ANIMAL SPECIES
- TO DRAW EACH ANIMAL FACE IN A SPECIFIC MANNER
- TO DRAW SOME HEADS AS HUMAN HEADS WEARING ANIMAL MASKS
FIND PANELS/SCENES WHERE THE AUTHOR, DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY,
- COMMENT ON HIS OWN ANIMAL METAPHOR
- DRAW OUR ATTENTION TO ITS STRENGTHS OR LIMITATIONS
TIP: Consider that the animal heads may be used to illustrate and comment on the Nazi ideology.
3) WORKSHEET: BEGIN TO FILL UP, INDIVIDUALLY, THE SECOND PART OF THIS SAME WORKSHEET -- ON ART SPIEGELMAN'S USE OF ANIMAL HEADS.
COLLECT & RESPOND TO AT LEAST 10 SPECIFIC SCENES/PANELS FOR NEXT CLASS.
Note: You will finish (and resubmit) this worksheet next week after reading the last 50 pages of the graphic novel. If you wish, you may read the full novel for next week and collect & respond to 15-20 specific panels/scenes (instead of just 10).
4) LEA SUBMISSION: SUBMIT THE WORKSHEET TO LEA.
Take care.
WEEK 8 (due March 23)
NEXT CLASS: MONDAY, MARCH 23
ESSAY 1: Works Cited Page
CLICK HERE to have information on your Works Cited page
★★★ Include the two main authors (indicated on the cover).
Last Name, First Name. Title: Subtitle of the Book. Vol. #. Publisher, Publication Year.
Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring. Allyn and Bacon, 2000.
American Psychological Association, 2007.
WEEK 7 (2/2) (due March 23)
Due date for the 1st essay: March 23, 8am or 12pm
1) TYPING: IN MICROSOFT WORD, TYPE YOUR DRAFT, EXACTLY AS IT IS, WORD FOR WORD.
As you type, you can only correct spelling, punctuation, and verb-subject agreement (e.g., "he say" > "he says").
AI Usage: You can give ChatGPT your draft (one photo at a time) and ask it to extract the handwritten text word-for-word, exactly as it is. Since your final copy must match your draft, verify ChatGPT’s transcription (every single word) to make sure it hasn’t misread your handwriting.
2) CONCLUSION: DRAFT YOUR CONCLUSION BY YOURSELF. NO AI.
SHARE WITH YOUR READER YOUR OWN IMPERFECT HUMAN THOUGHTS.
A SUDDEN CHANGE IN WRITING STYLE, TONE, OR QUALITY OF INSIGHTS WILL RESULT IN YOUR CONCLUSION, AND POSSIBLY YOUR ENTIRE ESSAY, NOT BEING ACCEPTED.
- Keep the conclusion short: about 100-125 words.
- Restate the thesis in a clear way, using different words.
- Briefly remind the reader of the main point from the theory paragraph and the main point from the comic book analysis.
- End by explaining why your discovery matters: what does this teach us about superhero stories, immigration, or social integration?
Two options for the ending (why it matters):
- If applicable, refer back to the real-world issue or opening idea from the introduction so the essay feels unified.
- Or, if your thesis argues that, in the end, the author supports conservative immigration goals or guidelines, the conclusion can end by discussing one or two negative effects of that policy. For example, you can mention negative effects for immigrants, such as who gets excluded or rejected, and negative effects for the larger community. This gives the conclusion a stronger sense of importance and offers your reader valuable insights to consider.
3) EDITING: EDIT YOUR DRAFT BY FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES:
Revisions can be done with or without AI. If you use AI, you can only use the prompts on Moodle in the AI Section: "1st Essay: TO EDIT YOUR DRAFT."
1. All revisions (with or without AI) must be clearly disclosed by inserting a comment in the margin for each modification: In Microsoft Word, select the specific word(s) you've modified, click on Insert and then on Comment. In the comment, indicate briefly the nature of the modification and (if you used AI) which permitted prompt you used.
2. No need to insert a comment when correcting punctuation (a comma, period, or semicolon), when correcting the spelling of a word, when correcting verb-subject agreement errors ("he says"), when correcting or adding determiners ("the," "a," "an," "this," "that," "these," or "those") or when deleting a word or sentence without replacing it.
3. No more than four words in a given sentence can be added or replaced.
4. One sentence per paragraph can be modified beyond four words, including the introduction and conclusion.
4) TITLE: USING THE TITLE PROMPT ON MOODLE, YOU CAN COLLABORATE WITH CHATGPT OR GEMINI TO GENERATE LISTS OF TITLES FOR YOUR ESSAY.
Don't forget to select your title and insert a comment to disclose your use of AI.
5) WORKS CITED & MLA FORMATTING: INCLUDE A WORKS CITED PAGE (link) ON THE PAGE THE FOLLOWS YOUR CONCLUSION & FORMAT YOUR FINAL COPY IN MLA STYLE (click).
6) LAST PROCESS TASK: WHETHER YOU USED AI OR NOT FOR THIS PROJECT, INCLUDE AN AI USAGE REPORT -- placed at the end of your essay following the works cited page:
This report should include:
1. A detailed description of whether you used AI for this project and how,
2. In multiple sentences, a thoughtful reflection on your experience using (or choosing not to use) AI in this project and its overall impact on your thinking and writing. If you did not use it, please share the reason(s) and reflect on the use of AI to support writing in an academic setting.
7) SUBMISSION: SUBMIT YOUR FINAL COPY TO LEA.
Take care.
WEEK 7 (1/2) (due March 16)
1) REVIEW: TO IMPROVE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE 2ND PARAGRAPH, EXAMINE CLOSELY THIS FICTIONAL EXAMPLE.
You may print a copy and bring it to class as a guide when you will draft your 2nd paragraph.
As you type, you can only correct spelling, punctuation, and verb-subject agreement errors (e.g., "he says" > "he says").
AI Usage: You can give ChatGPT your draft (one photo at a time) and ask it to extract the handwritten text word-for-word, exactly as it is. Since your final copy must match your draft, verify ChatGPT’s transcription (every single word) to make sure it hasn’t misread your handwriting.
3) EDITING: NOW EDIT and FINALIZE YOUR NOT-YET-COMPLETE DRAFT BY FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES:
Revisions can be done with or without AI. If you use AI, you can only use the prompts on Moodle in the AI Section: "1st Essay: TO EDIT YOUR DRAFT."
1. All revisions (with or without AI) must be clearly disclosed by inserting a comment in the margin for each modification: In Microsoft Word, select the specific word(s) you've modified, click on Insert and then on Comment. In the comment, indicate briefly the nature of the modification and (if you used AI) which permitted prompt you used.
2. No need to insert a comment when correcting punctuation (a comma, period, or semicolon), when correcting the spelling of a word, when correcting verb-subject agreement errors ("he says"), when correcting or adding determiners ("the," "a," "an," "this," "that," "these," or "those") or when deleting a word or sentence without replacing it.
3. No more than four words in a given sentence can be added or replaced.
4. One sentence per paragraph can be modified beyond four words, including the introduction and conclusion.
Take care.
WEEK 6 (2/2) (due March 12)

NEXT CLASS: THURSDAY, MARCH 12
Mandatory 2nd drafting session of the 1st essay
PREREQUISITE: A SATISFACTORY OUTLINE
and (if needed) a new printed copy of your outline.
IMPORTANT: An outline is a structured set of keywords or very short phrases (3-4 words) that provides a framework for your essay, like a skeleton structure. Only the thesis can be a fully developed sentence.
Workflow to choose your thesis and to outline your 2nd paragraph:
1. First, choose one extended scene or character the author uses to comment on the conservative immigration policy, such as the cemetery scene, Clark's integration into the Daily Planet, Superman's second trip to Borada, or the character of Eddie Monroe.
2. Second, identify which one guideline or one goal of the policy the author is commenting on in this scene or through this character. This will be the topic of your 2nd paragraph.
3. Third, identify two key details or panels in this scene or related to this character. These two panels/details need, together, to support your thesis. In your second paragraph, you will describe and analyze these two panels/details one at a time. Determine the best order to discuss them; for example, you can discuss them in chronological order, or you can move from a detail that supports the conservative element to another detail that challenges it.
4. Fourth, identify the specific "quotes" that will support your analysis.
Remember to bring a paper copy of your revised outline to class. You will need it to guide you during the drafting process.
4) PREPARATION: TO IMPROVE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE 2ND PARAGRAPH, EXAMINE CLOSELY THIS FICTIONAL EXAMPLE.
You may print a copy and bring it to class as a guide when you will draft your 2nd paragraph.
Take care.
WEEK 6 (1/2) (due March 9)
Answering questions about your printed outline,
and beginning hand-writing your essay in a booklet.
your device, which can only be used to access Superman: Earth One.
Here is the list of process tasks for this project (representing 33.33% of the final grade).
Important: An outline is a structured set of keywords or very short phrases (3-4 words) that provides a framework for your essay, like a skeleton structure. Only the thesis can be a complete sentence.
Choose a valid thesis that aligns with our class discussions: your thesis is a clear and single claim about Straczynski's position on the conservative immigration typically promoted by superhero narratives.
Essays (final outputs) that merely argue that Superman: Earth One is fully conservative, fully anti-conservative, or equally both cannot achieve a grade higher than 65% on the final output.
1. First, choose one extended scene or character the author uses to comment on the conservative immigration policy, such as the cemetery scene, Clark's integration into the Daily Planet, Superman's second trip to Borada, or the character of Eddie Monroe.
2. Second, identify which one guideline or one goal of the policy the author is commenting on in this scene or through this character. This will be the topic of your paragraph.
3. Third, identify two key details or panels in this scene or related to this character. These two panels/details need, together, to support your thesis. In your second paragraph, you will describe and analyze these two panels/details one at a time. Determine the best order to discuss them; for example, you can discuss them in chronological order, or you can move from a detail that supports the conservative element to another detail that challenges it.
4. Fourth, identify the specific "quotes" that will support your analysis.
In your outline, include, in bullet points, the context of each detail or panel (when? where? who? what?). A person who has not read the book should be able to visualize the panels, details, and words on the page.
Only Permitted AI Use for the Outline: You may use ChatGPT to suggest different logical sequences for your points in your first paragraph on the theory (you may also simply follow the teacher's sequence in the outline). Use the prompt in the AI section on Moodle. Choose the sequence that makes most sense to you (as a storyteller), and keep in mind that your target audience knows very little about superheroes.
Have a most pleasant Reading Break!





