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Make Comics with Big Nate
Middle-grade readers everywhere love the shenanigans and wisecracks of the bestselling Big Nate series. Now they can create comics of their own, just like Nate! In this free printable make-your-own-comic activity, Nate and his squad of sixth-grade pranksters break down comic-creation into easy steps. They open up a world of artistic possibility for fans of the beloved strip. Students can create their own four-panel stories in Lincoln Pierce’s signature style, coming up with their own characters and dialogue along the way. As they work, encourage middle-graders to focus critically on their personal writing and drawing processes. You may be inspiring a future cartoonist!
With this activity, students will be encouraged to think about comics as an art form. Doing so will help them learn how to use this time-honored medium to express their own stories. If aspiring artists have trouble thinking of new ideas, there’s plenty of inspiration to draw from the chaotic fun of Nate’s daily routine. He’s always battling against overzealous teachers, protesting unfair wedgies, and trying to set the all-time record for detentions in a single school year. Implementing this Big Nate activity in the classroom or at home is easy.
First, download the free printable make-your-own-comic template. Then, guide your students through imagining, drawing, and writing their own version of a Big Nate cartoon strip. Show them as many examples of Big Nate comics as you want to get their brains in gear. Creating a comic strip is a great exercise on its own, but pairing it with any of the classic Big Nate stories takes engagement and enjoyment to the next level.
Make Nature Crowns with Wallace and Friends
Snug Harbor is a wondrous escape for each and every reader who turns its pages, and Wallace the Brave is the perfect guide. After exploring the cozy town with him and his pals, middle-graders can use their newfound knowledge of nature to create their very own nature crowns. With this free printable nature craft, students will first have the opportunity to express their creativity. Then, they can learn more about plants and nature, and show off some serious crafting abilities. After completing their crowns, ask students to analyze the materials they used. Whether a poem about autumnal leaves, a labeled drawing of a tulip, or a story about tree bark, be sure to pair the craft with the cranium. This downloadable activity will inspire creativity and curiosity at the same time.
The whimsical, comical, lovable world of Snug Harbor comes to life in Wallace the Brave. Middle-graders will join Wallace, his best friend Spud, and the new girl in town, Amelia, as they navigate nature and neighborhoods alike. The trio never runs out of adventurous expeditions, and readers will tag along on each one. Along the way, students will curate an appreciation of their own hometowns. In turn, they’ll be encouraged and inspired to explore nature so they can gather materials for unique nature crowns. This is the perfect activity for any time of year. In fact, have students make one every season so they can see firsthand the changes nature undergoes. Download and follow this free printable nature craft to bring their creations to life!
Create Your Own Cartoon Strip with Phoebe and Her Unicorn
Phoebe and Her Unicorn is a beloved and bestselling series about finding friendship in the most unlikely places. Middle-grade readers will follow Phoebe, a somewhat awkward girl, as she forges a powerful bond with a vainglorious unicorn who shows her just how special she really is (after getting over the whole hit-in-the-face-with-a-rock thing, that is). This free printable create-a-comic activity template opens up a world of artistic possibility for middle-graders. They can create their own magical best friend and become the inventors of their own fantastical tale of friendship. As they work on this activity, encourage students to think critically about what makes their real-life friendships special.
Making friends has never been modeled so beautifully as it is in Dana Simpson’s magical series. After reading all about Phoebe and Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, readers can create their own magical BFFs in the very same illustrated comic style. Readers will join Phoebe and Marigold in discovering each other’s awesomeness, coming to appreciate their own as a result. Download this free printable create-a-comic activity and guide your students through imagining, drawing, and writing their own version of a Phoebe and Her Unicorn cartoon strip. This activity is a great creative exercise, but it also instills a deeper understanding of the importance of friendship, no matter what differences you may have.
How to Draw Phoebe and Friends – Full Guide
Phoebe and Her Unicorn is the bestselling series from author and illustrator Dana Simpson. The adventures of awkward adolescent, Phoebe, and her mystical, unicorn BFF, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, will endlessly entertain middle-grade readers. Though they have a few misadventures along the way, each zany situation brings the pair closer together. With this free printable drawing template, students have the chance to bring the book’s characters to life. But, that’s not all. This template also helps young fans recreate Dana’s cool comic style so they can dream up their very own gang of magical friends.
After Phoebe accidentally hits a unicorn in the face with a rock, an unlikely but powerful friendship begins. Middle-graders will join the dynamic duo as they meet more mythical pals and learn more about what makes the other special. Once students finish the book, have them follow the simple template to draw Phoebe and Marigold (and several other fun characters) in all their cartoon glory. Be sure to positively acknowledge each student’s innovation! When they’re done, give them time to share their drawings with the rest of the class. Writing and illustration are both fantastic creative outlets, and this free printable drawing template is also a great opportunity to showcase patience and perseverance to blossoming middle-grade artists. After mastering the characters in the book, encourage them to branch out creatively and come up with drawings and stories of their own using the free printable create-your-own-cartoon-strip activity also on AMP Kids.
Dana Simpson’s Cartooning Guide
Like all creative projects, comics can be made in any number of ways! Dana Simpson, creator of the beloved Phoebe and Her Unicorn series, shares her process in this free printable cartooning guide. Phoebe and Marigold, her unicorn best friend, live in a colorful cartoon world where anything is possible (just as long as it’s fun). Pair this downloadable activity with any book in the series for an afternoon of productive and creative brainstorming.
Using this free printable cartooning guide will help instill a love of art and writing in all your students. It might even inspire a future career for budding artists! Dana gives middle-graders an inside look on the whole comic-creation process. From her initial brainstorming, to conversations with her editor, to the final stages of adding color, readers will learn exactly how such a cool series came to be. After reading about the shenanigans Dana Simpson comes up with for Phoebe and Marigold, readers will be excited to come up with their versions. Remind them that there is no one way to make art, and encourage them to use this guide as just that––a starting point for their own unique stories.
Book Club Discussion Questions
Get the conversation going with these discussion questions about The Ghost Network! Tween readers will race through the thrilling plot of this book, following five very different hacker friends as they attempt to save the world (and themselves) from evil in the tech industry. Don’t let the action end after they finish the book, though. With this collection of free downloadable book club discussion questions, gather a group and keep the momentum of the story going with a deep diver into the plot, characters, and themes.
Jack, Slack, Salome, Akane, and Eva overcome countless challenges in The Ghost Network. They deal with cyberbullying, battle sinister figures, and code like their lives depend on it. Although they come from different backgrounds and parts of the world, they are united in their passion for computers and friendship with each other. After your students finish the compelling first novel, use these free downloadable book club discussion questions to spark conversation in groups both small and large. Either way, they’re sure to ignite a critical discussion focused on digital citizenship, mindfulness, and responsibly navigating a diverse world.
Book Club Discussion Questions
Whether your middle-grade students love playing video games or just appreciate a good story, the Trapped in a Video Game series has something for everyone. Readers will follow 12-year-old Jesse Rigsby as he battles and outsmarts his way through a virtual world. But, if he isn’t careful, he risks being trapped in the video game universe forever! With this set of free downloadable book discussion questions, the fun doesn’t have to stop when the story ends. Use these questions to instigate critical discussions in either large or small groups of middle-graders.
Provide an early education in literary analysis disguised as a super-fun and lively classroom conversation. Middle-grade readers will have plenty to say about Jesse, the (reluctant) gaming aficionado, and his righthand man, Eric. Although Jesse has always hated video games, being sucked into one slowly changes his mind. It’s all fun and games until the two notice a mysterious figure following them through their quest. Have your students split into small groups––or keep everyone together––and discuss their favorite characters, the most heart-racing moments of the plot, and the things they liked and disliked about the book as a whole. They can even complete some interactive activities as they go. Inspire critical thinking and start them on a lifelong path of reading using these free downloadable book discussion questions.
Building Robots with Functions
Programming doesn’t have to be difficult with this free printable robot building exercise. Here is an accessible opportunity to teach your middle-grade students more about technology, while also exploring the exciting world of Trapped in a Video Game: Robots Revolt. This time, it’s not all fun and games. When Jesse accidentally releases robot villains from Super Bot World 3, he must act fast to save the real world from not-so-simulated danger. Facing threats of sewer piranhas, mysterious men in suits, and impending robotic doom, Jesse desperately fights to find his missing friend, Eric, and restore order to his world. Middle-grade readers will be thrust into Jesse’s daring and bold quest each time they open the book.
As students get deeper into the story, begin introducing the concepts of programming and robot-building using the included activity. Students act as robot function factories by tracing or drawing different pieces into one cohesive robot. Each piece has a unique function or power, so encourage middle-graders to get innovative with their combinations. After their drawings are complete, have them write origin stories for their mechanical masterpieces. Then, they can share the finished products with their peers. The robots in the book may be menacing, but your middle-graders can create their own heroes to defeat them. By pairing this free printable robot building exercise with the book, you will inspire students not only to read, but to pursue valuable knowledge in other fields. And who knows, completing this activity might reveal the next great programmer!
Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy Maze
Batman and Robin meet Rocky and Bullwinkle in Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy. With this free printable maze worksheet, middle-grade students can help Rabbit Boy reach Laser Moose by guiding him through toxic waste. This activity is the perfect afternoon brain-break, but you can also pair it with the book to get students more excited about reading. No matter how you use the maze, students will definitely get a kick out of it.
As Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy fight danger in the forest and shoot really awesome lasers at their enemies, their optimistic outlook never wavers. These graphic novels are the perfect way to demonstrate a “lemons-into-lemonade” attitude to a younger audience. Fighting aliens, battling mutant fish-bears, and facing off with mechanical squirrels is all in a day’s work for the heroic and hilarious pair.
Make Snoopy’s Favorite Puppy Chow
Satisfy your sweet tooth with Snoopy’s doggone delicious puppy chow recipe! After reading any of the timelessly fun books in the AMP Kids Peanuts series, release your middle-graders into the kitchen. You can help them create Snoopy’s recommended snack with this free, easy-to-follow, printable puppy chow recipe. Snoopy and his gang of beloved pals have been around for over fifty years, and each new Peanuts installment brings both new and longtime fans together. Follow the friends as they kick footballs, tune out adults, and touch readers’ hearts.
Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Snoopy, and the rest of the group are the perfect company. The nostalgia of a childhood classic shines through each Peanuts book, so readers of all ages will love them. Middle-grade students will definitely love pairing the books with this printable puppy chow recipe. Help them make the delectable treat before they start reading for an easy and delicious snack to turn the pages with! As students are working in the kitchen, encourage a degree of independence to instill a sense of responsibility. Middle-graders will appreciate the trust you put in them, and the reward is pretty sweet too.
Oh, and even though Snoopy loves to make puppy chow, he knows it’s a people treat. Please remember not to give dogs chocolate.
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