Comic Strip Creativity by RAPS Young Artists

The fantastic imaginary world of acclaimed illustrator Quentin Blake has inspired children at Ramsgate Arts Primary to create their own comic strip.

Creative girls and boys in Year 3 have explored the core text of Blake’s story The Green Ship as part of their ongoing literacy studies.

Pupils recreated the adventure using its main events and learnt how to use and include captions, speech bubbles - and thought, whisper and scream bubbles - and onomatopoeia.

They also planned and designed their own illustrations linked to each box in the strip.

Teacher Kiki Amin explained: “We really loved the story for its sense of discovery and adventure when the main characters find a ship made of trees and shrubs and go on some amazing imaginary adventures.

“It linked brilliantly with our topic work on plants, so the classroom was filled with books about plants, plants we were growing and, of course, our Green Ship related learning.”

Year 3 enthusiastically enjoyed the planning, creating, editing and publishing process and particularly loved being able to explore and read each other's final pieces to celebrate their learning and efforts.

The staff are so impressed with the imaginative output from all of the children that it is planned to create a book of their contributions once the comic strips are taken down from their current display.

Miss Amin added: “As their teacher, my favourite part was seeing the children starting to actively search for comic books to read at school during free reading and spotting and sharing key features they'd learnt about with friends. It really is amazing to see.”

Head of School Nick Budge is delighted with the project. He said: “Literacy is an important part of our curriculum. Interactive learning such as the comic strip initiative demonstrates just how engaged our children are with their work.

“They really enjoyed understanding the mechanics of this type of storytelling as well as researching such an immensely talented and inspiring author. Their interpretations and creativity are excellent.”

*Sir Quentin Saxby Blake is an English cartoonist, caricaturist, illustrator and children's writer. He has illustrated over 300 books, including 18 written by Roald Dahl, which are among his most popular works.

Ramsgate Arts Primary School is part of the Viking Academy Trust with Upton Junior School at Broadstairs and Chilton Primary School, Ramsgate.

For more information contact Head of School Nick Budge on 01843 582847.