For Educators: The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli

Capt'n Eli in the Classroom - Reading With Pictures

2010-09-16T12:15:00.002-04:00

"Jay Piscopo's The Goblin of the Deep...neatly ties information about undersea life into a pretty cool short story." ~ Gordon Dymowsky

Deep off the coast of Tazmania, the distress call is sent: divers are trapped in a cave by a giant sea monster! Heeding the call in his mini-sub, the Dolphin, is Capt'n Eli, intrepid Sea Explorer and inventor. In the endless depths he discovers everything is not as it seems....

“The Goblin of the Deep” is a new 6-page Capt’n Eli story by Maine comic book artist Jay Piscopo. This story is featured in Reading With Pictures’ first anthology. “Reading with Pictures – Volume 1” is a full color, 192 page collection of works by more than 30 comic creators. A full list of contributors can be found at this link.

Reading With Pictures is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that advocates the use of comics in the classroom to promote literacy and improve educational outcomes for all students. There is a trend in education towards using graphic novels as a teaching tool to motivate and inspire students. Comic books and graphic novels are now being used in classrooms as tools for teaching everything from early reading to course texts for college. A collection of articles on this topic can be found at this link.

Piscopo is the author and illustrator of “The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli” graphic novel series and his new 6-page story “The Goblin of the Deep” is suitable for kids of all ages.

“Reading With Pictures – Volume 1” is available nationally at fine comic shops, including Casablanca Comics in Portland and Windham, Maine. The book can also be purchased in the store section of the Capt’n Eli website.

On Saturday, October 23 Casablanca Comics will host a special signing with Jay in Portland, Maine. A recent review can be found at this link.

A full overview of Nemo Publishing’s educational offerings can be found at this link.

FREE Graphic novel workshop at MECAF

2010-04-23T07:44:00.003-04:00

“The graphic novel is to publishing today very much as rock and roll was when it first entered the music industry mainstream: a strange format already familiar to the popular culture but not yet understood by the established distribution channels." ~ John Shableski, Diamond Book Distributors

WHAT: The World of Graphic Novels

PRESENTER: John Shableski, Diamond Book Distributors

This free presentation is for librarians and educators who are interested in the world of graphic novels and are looking for definitions, explanations, and advice on where to begin or expand your collection or how to effectively use graphic novels in the classroom. John conducts this workshop nationally with librarians and educators and is known for his interactive, conversational style. This is his first time presenting in Maine. You won’t want to miss this unique opportunity!

WHEN: Saturday, May 22, 2010 – 11:00am

WHERE: Maine Comics Arts Festival

Portland Public Library
5 Monument Square
Portland, Maine

www.mainecomicsfestival.com

THE PRESENTER: John Shableski is sales manager at Diamond Book Distributors, the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books, and one of the biggest distributors of graphic novels in the U.S. through its Diamond Book Distributors division. John has been a panelist at BookExpo America, a moderator for graphic novel panels at the New York Comic Con, a guest speaker at library events, regional book shows and a symposium coordinator. He's currently collaborating on several graphic novel symposiums across the country. His focus is on the independent bookstore market, public and school libraries.

FMI: Casablanca Comics – TEL: 207-780-1676 – EMAIL: comics@casablancacomics.com

2010-03-29T08:59:00.000-04:00

This Thursday, April 1st graphic novel artist Jay Piscopo will be the keynote speaker at the Maine Student Book Awards at Blue Hill Consolidated School in Blue Hill. 200 Maine high school students will spend the day learning about drawing, digital storytelling, what goes into creating a comic book, and how books are made.

Jay is the author and illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli graphic novel series and will speak about his influences and creative process.

Watch a short behind the scenes video of Jay at work in his studio at this link.

April 10: Comics drawing workshop with Jay Piscopo - Maine Festival of the Book

2010-03-11T08:19:00.002-05:00

WHAT: The Maine Festival of the Book presents a cartooning workshop with Jay Piscopo

WHEN: Saturday, April 10 from 11:00am - Noon

WHERE: University of Southern Maine -- Abromson Community Education Center
88 Bedford St., Portland , Maine
Free parking will be available in the adjacent USM Parking Garage.
Directions at this link

ADMISSION: Admission is FREE and all attendees will receive a FREE copy of Volume 1 of Jay Piscopo's The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli.

MORE: Children ages 7-12 are invited to try their hand at cartoon art. Using simple shapes, comic book artist Jay Piscopo will demonstrate how to build figures and perspective to create art that tells a story. Stand by for adventure in this hour-long, interactive workshop!

Jay Piscopo: March School and Library Visits

2010-03-01T12:31:00.002-05:00

In March, graphic novel artist Jay Piscopo will present his interactive Draw on Your Creativity workshop at the following schools and libraries.

View his full appearance schedule at this link.

Jay Piscopo is the author and illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli all ages graphic novel series.

In his interactive Draw on Your Creativity drawing workshop, he uses simple geometric shapes to teach kids how to build anatomy and perspective to create art that tells a story. Check out photos at this link.

The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli is the perfect way to Make a Splash @ Your Library in Summer 2010! For more information and to book Jay Piscopo for a visit at your school or library, contact Tami Kennedy at tami@maine.rr.com.

March 3
5:30 - 7:00pm
Guys Read Book Group
Orono Public Library -- Orono, ME

March 11
10:00 -- Reiche Community School -- Portland, ME

March 22
2:00 -- TEACH -- Waterboro, ME

March 24
12:15pm -- Veazie Community School -- Veazie, ME

March 31
3:00 -- Blue Hill Public Library -- Blue Hill, ME

Science of Superheroes Expo

2010-02-17T19:48:00.001-05:00

The Science of Superheroes Expo puts the "S" in Superheroes and Capt'n Eli puts the "S" in Submersibles! Presented by Bronx Community College and Kids' Comic Con.

STAND BY FOR ADVENTURE!
Educators: Don't miss this chance to bring comic books into your classroom and inspire your students to dive into science! Your students will research superheroes' abilities and how science plays into their powers and gadgets. Your work will be presented in a science expo at Bronx Community College in the Spring of 2010. OVERVIEW HERE.

GRAPHIC NOVEL
The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli graphic novel series makes it easy with FREE on-line CURRICULUM your students will love.

Capt'n Eli is drenched in possibilities for Oceanography and other scientific studies. CURRICULUM HERE.

In the science lesson, students perform a series of experiments, learning about the relationship between mass, buoyancy and density. After understanding how a submarine works, students discover the legendary Alvin, the first deep-sea submersible able to carry passengers. Through research, students learn about hydrothermal vents and come to understand how scientists conduct underwater studies.

Educators interested in Jay Piscopo's The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli all ages graphic novel series should contact:

Tami Kennedy
Nemo Publishing
207-838-0816
tami@maine.rr.com

Jay Piscopo February Workshop

2010-01-30T15:37:00.001-05:00

In February, Jay Piscopo will present his interactive Draw on Your Creativity workshop at Walker Memorial Library, 800 Main St. in Westbrook, Maine.

DATE: Wednesday, February 17
TIME: 10:15am

To register:
854.0630, option number 4
chenningsachs@westbrook.me.us

Jay Piscopo is the author and illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli all ages graphic novel series. In his interactive Draw on Your Creativity drawing workshop, he uses simple geometric shapes to teach kids how to build anatomy and perspective to create art that tells a story. Check out photos at this link. The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli is the perfect way to Make a Splash @ Your Library in Summer 2010! For more information and to book Jay Piscopo for a visit at your school or library, contact Tami Kennedy at tami@maine.rr.com.

Jay Piscopo: January Appearance Schedule

2010-01-05T14:17:00.001-05:00

View Jay Piscopo's full appearance schedule at this link.

January 20

12:15pm
Veazie Community School -- Veazie, ME

6:00pm
Bookgroup: Guys read, too!
Orono Public Library -- Orono, ME

Jay Piscopo is the author and illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli all ages graphic novel series. In his interactive Draw on Your Creativity drawing workshop, comic book artist Jay Piscopo uses simple geometric shapes to teach kids how to build anatomy and perspective to create art that tells a story. Check out photos from his workshop at this link. The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli is the perfect way to Make a Splash @ Your Library in Summer 2010! For more information and to book Jay to visit your school or library visit this link or contact Tami Kennedy at tami@maine.rr.com

Maine Community Literacy Project: Grants Available

2010-01-05T14:06:00.002-05:00

Maine libraries are eligible for Maine Community Literacy Project planning and implementation grants from Maine Reads. Implementation grants range from $500 to $2,000. More at this link.

Over the past four years, more than forty Maine libraries have received funding through the Maine Community Literacy Project.

Graphic Novel Artist Jay Piscopo in the Classroom

2009-11-19T08:28:00.003-05:00

“Not only is the art incredible but the stories are well written. This is such a value to our kids." ~ Stephanie McSherry, Literacy Coach, Penn Brook Elementary

Artist and author Jay Piscopo shares tips with Georgetown students
By Theresa DeFranzo/ Correspondent
Wed Nov 18, 2009, 07:03 PM EST

Georgetown, MA - For Jay Piscopo, comic books were his entryway into reading. But since then he’s done much more than just read comics.

Piscopo, the author and illustrator of “The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli,” an all-ages graphic novel series, has been making state-of-the-art children’s entertainment for nearly 20 years. Last week, the Georgetown PTA sponsored an appearance by Piscopo at the Penn Brook School, where he introduced students in grades 2-5 to the art of graphic storytelling.

Piscopo said it was comic books “that got me into reading. Comics are a great way to get kids to read.” The ’40s, he said, were known as the Golden Age of comics and the ’60s and ’70s were the Silver Age. These two periods had the biggest influence on him.

“Batman and the TV show were a huge influence,” he said. “Tarzan was also a big hero of mine.”

To date there are two volumes of “The Undersea Adventure of Capt’n Eli,” with a third volume scheduled to come out next year. According to the author, Capt’n Eli is a graphic novel series in the tradition of Jules Verne, Herge, and classic comic strips like Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers.

With his companions Jolly Roger, a 200-year-old parrot, and the faithful seadog Barney, Capt’n Eli takes readers into a mesmerizing world of time travel, high-tech ships, flying mini-subs, robots, lost civilizations and undersea empires in conflict.
Piscopo’s passion for using the computer as his canvas led him to develop his unique signature style of combining 2D characters with 3D backgrounds.

What Piscopo did last week with the students was not only talk to them about storytelling, but also show them how to draw — step by step — two famous characters: Dracula and Frankenstein. And for those students who were hesitant to give it a try, Piscopo had this advice for them.

“It doesn’t matter how well you draw,” he said. “It matters how well you get your idea across.”

The great thing about creating just one character is that many more come from it.

“Cartoonists do this all the time,” he said. “They take one character and make more than one from it.”

If you ever find yourself running out of ideas of what to draw, just ask someone to scribble quickly on a blank piece of paper. That’s right — he said you’d be surprised what ideas will come to you using this technique.
After he had a student volunteer scribble for him he said, “I see so many things in this one.”

Stephanie McSherry, literacy coach at Penn Brook, seconded Piscopo’s assertion that graphic novels can help kids get involved in all different kinds of reading.

“I’ve learned over the last year and a half that you can engage kids through graphic novels,” said McSherry. “I got interested last year on how a great piece of artwork and a great story going together can capture a reader.”

She added, “Not only is the art incredible but the stories are well written. This is such a value to our kids. It’s our responsibility to expose our kids to as many different genres as possible.”

This Saturday: Capt'n Eli Family Fun Day

2009-11-11T07:18:00.001-05:00

Check out photos from last year's event at this link.

WHAT: 2nd Annual Capt'n Eli Family Fun Day
WHEN: Saturday, November 14 -- Noon-4:00
WHERE: Regatta Banquet & Conference Center
Route 236 - Eliot Commons - Eliot, Maine
Directions at this link

Calling kids of all ages! Join the Capt'n Eli crew for a day of family fun. Come get your hands on a free superhero sketch by Jay Piscopo, creator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli graphic novel series.

Blue Ocean Society will take you inside a life-size finback whale and introduce you to real life sea creatures you can hold in your own hands. Rock out with the Rick Miller Trio and hilarious all-ages improv comedy with The Escapists.

Meet 13-year-old race car driver Sulo Burbank and check out his cool car. Enjoy Shield's hot dogs and delicious Capt'n Eli's Soda.

Admission is free but you can help Capt'n Eli support healthy oceans with an optional donation to Blue Ocean Society.

Capt'n Eli in Brodart PRIME

2009-11-11T07:04:00.001-05:00

Kat Kan lists Jay Piscopo's The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli in Brodart's PRIME Kid Safe Graphic Novels.

Capt'n Eli Curriculum on Curriki

2009-10-17T11:42:00.006-04:00

"Rating of 3-Exemplary...These cross-curricular lessons, by using both graphic novels and technology, will no doubt be engaging for the targeted age group." ~ Curriki

Check out this CURRIKI REVIEW of lesson plans created for Jay Piscopo's The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli graphic novel series.

This resource was reviewed using the rubric for Curriculum: Lesson Plan and received an overall Curriki Review System rating of 3-Exemplary, as of 06/28/09.

Component Ratings:
o Technical Completeness.....3
o Content Accuracy...........3
o Appropriate Pedagogy.......3

Reviewer Comments:
An unusual place to find lesson plans, this resource points the Curriki community to the commercial website for Cap’t Eli’s Soda and its accompanying graphic novel series about a boy with extraordinary scientific abilities and unique ties to the sea. Maine educator and technology integrationist Laura Richter developed some excellent lessons structured around these novels to be used in grades 4 – 8. Each lesson includes objectives and an assessment. In Language Arts and History, students can participate in a webquest that allows students to delve into some of the historical events of the stories. There is a mapping activity for Geography, including extensions for model-building and using Google SketchUp. In Science, students will experiment with mass, buoyancy and density, eventually learning more about submarines. In Art, students will create an original comic strip in groups, after they examine and discuss social and political issues of today, choose a cause, imagine how Eli would respond to this cause and develop a storyline with characters. These cross-curricular lessons, by using both graphic novels and technology, will no doubt be engaging for the targeted age group.

Brigid Alverson: Reading Comics is Reading

2009-10-17T10:25:00.001-04:00

Check out Brigid Alverson's new post on Good Comic for Kids. She leads with a great link to the organization Reading With Pictures, a non-profit organization that facilitates the use of comics and graphic novels in the classroom in order to promote literacy and the visual arts.

She also makes mention of:

"Indefatigable Capt'n Eli artist Jay Piscopo" touring Pennsylvania this week.

Read more about Jay Piscopo's interactive drawing workshop at this link.

Comic Book Artist Jay Piscopo Will Draw on Your Creativity at Pennsylvania Schools

2009-10-11T10:48:00.004-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nemo Publishing

Contact:
Tami Kennedy
207-838-0816
tami@maine.rr.com

Comic Book Artist Jay Piscopo Will Draw on Your Creativity at Pennsylvania Schools

COATESVILLE, PA – (October 11, 2009) – The week of October 19th, Maine comic book artist Jay Piscopo will present his “Draw on Your Creativity” interactive drawing workshop at select Pennsylvania schools. This summer he toured Pennsylvania libraries as part of “Be Creative @ Your Library” summer reading program and, based on the success of that tour, was invited by area schools to return.

Piscopo is the author and illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli all-ages graphic novel series. In this interactive workshop, he invites kids to try their hand at cartoon art and demonstrates how anyone can learn to draw and create comics. Using simple geometric shapes, he teaches how to build anatomy and perspective to create art that tells a story. For a behind the scenes look at this workshop, visit this link.

More about The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli: With his companions Jolly Roger, a 200-year-old parrot, and the faithful seadog Barney, Capt’n Eli takes readers into a mesmerizing world of time travel, high-tech ships, flying mini-subs, robots, lost civilizations, and undersea empires in conflict. This all-ages graphic novel series is perfect for children ages 6-13. This series also has strong retro appeal for adults who enjoy classic adventure comics or TV cartoons like Jonny Quest and Space Ghost.

Capt'n Eli's origins are quite unique. He’s the namesake of real-life World War II veteran Eli Forsley who was also the inspiration for a line of hand-crafted sodas from Portland, Maine. Read the story behind the story at this link.

Volumes 1 and 2 of The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli are available now and Volume 3 is scheduled for release in 2010. This series is published by Nemo Publishing and distributed nationally by Diamond Comics Distributors. Read more about the series at this link.

More about Jay Piscopo: Jay Piscopo is the author and illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli all-ages graphic novel series and has been making state-of-the-art children's entertainment for nearly 20 years. He served as an art director at Tom Snyder Productions, where he led the creative team in the production of educational CD-ROMs, including the award-winning Fizz and Martina Math Adventures and was as an animator on the ABC Saturday morning show Squigglevision. He was also the co-creator of the internationally distributed comic book series featuring the world’s first disabled superheroes, The Scrap City Pack Rats, which he created in partnership with Goodwill Industries. They published a six issue series which received national media attention for its groundbreaking approach and subject matter. He has conducted hundreds of comics workshops and classroom events teaching drawing and storytelling techniques. He resides in his home town of Portland, Maine.

Website: www.captneli.com
Blog: www.captneli.blogspot.com
Appearance Schedule: www.captnelievents.blogspot.com
Educators and Librarians: www.captnelikids.blogspot.com

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Jay Piscopo: October School Visits

2009-10-03T13:06:00.001-04:00

View Jay Piscopo's full appearance schedule at this link.

October 8
Glenburn School -- Glenburn, ME

October 9
Orono Middle School -- Orono, ME

October 16
Laura Richter -- The Way Learning Should Be
ACTEM 22nd Annual Technology Conferece

Week of October 19th
Pennsylvania School Tour
Rainbow Elementary -- Coatesville, PA
Friendship Elementary -- Coatsville, PA
East Fallowfield School -- East Fallowfield, PA

Jay Piscopo is the author and illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli all ages graphic novel series. In his interactive Draw on Your Creativity drawing workshop, comic book artist Jay Piscopo uses simple geometric shapes to teach kids how to build anatomy and perspective to create art that tells a story. Check out photos from his workshop at this link.

The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli is the perfect way to Make a Splash @ Your Library in Summer 2010!

For more information and to book Jay to visit your school or library visit this link or contact Tami Kennedy at tami@maine.rr.com

ACTEM 2009 Conference: The Way Learning Should Be

2009-10-02T12:14:00.003-04:00

On Friday, October 16 Skowhegan Area Middle School educator Laura Richter and principal Bruce Mochamer will present a special session at the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine's (ACTEM)22nd Annual Technology Conference "The Way Learning Should Be." View full conference schedule at this link.

Their session is titled "Technology Integration @ Skowhegan MS: Special Emphasis on Literacy and Graphic Novels" and will provide an overview of a wide variety of technology integration projects at the Skowhegan Area Middle School. A special emphasis will be on an interdisciplinary approach to teaching graphic novels. The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli, is a book written by Maine writer Jay Piscopo and has inspired reluctant readers to become engaged in many exciting learning activities ranging from map creation to a WebQuest based on literature and history! All activities integrate
programs provided on the MLTI laptops including NoteShare, Studywiz, Pages, and Comic
Life! Free copies of the book will be available for participants.

Check out classroom curriculum Laura Richter created for The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli graphic novel series at this link. Read more about resources for educators and librarians at this link.

Fiddlehead Center for the Arts - Comics Workshop

2009-07-16T14:53:00.000-04:00

Check out photos of Maine comic book artist Jay Piscopo and his fantastic students at the Fiddlehead Center for the Arts in Gray, Maine.

Jay is at Fiddlehead this week teaching a comics drawing workshop. In this hands-on class, kids learn the basics of how to create characters and tell a story.

Everyone's work is amazing. It is exciting to see all the young creators turn their ideas into a visual story. Tomorrow, there will be an exhibit of all the students' work and a special treat of Capt'n Eli's Soda.

Jay is the author and illustrator of the all ages graphic novel series, The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli. Read reviews of Capt'n Eli at this link.

Exciting Comic Book Exhibit at the Wenham Museum

2009-05-30T08:34:00.001-04:00

June 9 - September 13, 2009
Colorful Characters: Storytelling Through Comics
Wenham Museum - 132 Main St., Wenham, Massachusetts

Artwork courtesy of featured artist Jay Piscopo

It’s a bird. It’s a plane...It’s Superman! The Man of Steel will be one of the many characters in this action-packed exhibit with over 125 comic books, original artwork, graphic novels, and collectibles. Little superheroes can have adventures with family-friendly interactives like Superman’s phone booth and Batman’s Batmobile!

SUPERHERO SATURDAY:
Saturday, June 27; 4-7pm
Free with museum admission
Dress as your favorite superhero, chat with local comic book artists, fly in the bouncy house, watch Jay Piscopo – author and illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli – draw your favorite superhero, and top the day off with SUPER ice cream sundaes and hand-crafted Capt'n Eli's Soda!

CARTOONING WITH JAY:
Thursday, July 23; 1-3pm
Pre-registration required: $25(non-members); $20(members)
Call: (978)468-2377
Author and Illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli, Jay Piscopo, offers a step-by-step comic strip drawing course for aspiring artists. Ages 7+.

Maine's 2009 Spring Teacher Institute: Capt'n Eli Curriculum

2009-05-06T17:18:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, Maine educators Laura Richter and Katie Yando took part in the 2009 Spring Teacher Institute: Pictures Sounds Numbers Words…Teaching and Learning with Technology. A first for Maine, this Institute is completely online. Laura and Katie presented their workshop "Literacy and Technology across the Curriculum with a Graphic Novel." They shared a language arts classroom experience infused with technology and using the graphic novel, The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli, by Portland, Maine author/illustrator Jay Piscopo.

Watch their presentation at this link.

This session focused on a 7th grade classroom experience in a language arts class at the Skowhegan Area Middle School.

Check out the Capt'n Eli curriculum at this link.

Free Graphic Novel Workshop for Educators and Librarians: Super-Powered Comics Reading at the Maine Comics Arts Festival

2009-05-04T12:02:00.002-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Tami Kennedy
207-838-0816
tami@maine.rr.com

Free Graphic Novel Workshop for Educators and Librarians: Super-Powered Comics Reading at the Maine Comics Arts Festival

PORTLAND, MAINE – (May 4, 2009) – On Sunday, May 17, acclaimed national speaker Peter Gutiérrez will present “Super-Powered Comics Reading: Building Literacy and Having Fun” -- a special graphic novel workshop for educators and librarians at The Maine Comics Arts Festival. This free presentation will be held at the Ocean Gateway Terminal in Portland, Maine from 10:30am to Noon as part of the day-long Maine Comics Arts Festival. This is Gutiérrez’s first time presenting in Maine.

Gutiérrez will provide an overview of the ways graphic novels, comics and manga foster and enhance a love of reading. His tips and techniques work across all age levels and translate perfectly into librarian-led book circles and read-alouds. He will share kid-centered ways to leverage the unique strengths of the medium to read with expression, expand vocabulary, practice visual literacy, identify story elements and master comprehension strategies.

His hour-long workshop will lead into a half-hour session with award-winning Maine educator and technology integrationist Laura Richter. She will present her new curriculum for The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli graphic novel series. The curriculum is available for FREE at this link and complimentary copies of the graphic novel will be provided to workshop attendees. The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli is written and illustrated by Jay Piscopo of Portland, Maine.

Richter will demonstrate how teachers can integrate these interactive and engaging lesson plans to expand their curriculum to an interdisciplinary experience where students learn language arts skills, geography mapping, scientific research techniques, ancient mythology, world history, and art. Authentic assessment strategies, technology integration, 21st century skills, and real life learning are all integral to the learning process embedded in these lessons.

More about the Maine Comics Arts Festival:
Presented by Casablanca Comics, this first-year festival was created to celebrate the wonderful world of comic books, comic strips, graphic novels, and web comics. The festival will be held Sunday, May 17 from 10:00am – 5:00pm in the Ocean Gateway Terminal on Thames Street on the waterfront in Portland, Maine and will feature writers, artists and publishers from the field of comics. Admission is $5 and kids 12 and under are free. www.mainecomicsfestival.com

More about the presenters:
Peter Gutiérrez specializes in graphic novel professional development programs for librarians and educators throughout the United States. A member of the Commission on Media of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Peter writes for ForeWord Magazine, School Library Journal, BookShelf, and Graphic Novel Reporter. His book on scriptwriting (including comics) will be published by Scholastic in 2010. Recent graphic novel workshops include: New York City School Library Conference, Massachusetts Library and School Library Annual Conference, New York Comic Con, Kids Comic Con, Fordham University’s Graphica in Education Conference. This November, he will be a featured speaker at NCTE’s New Media Gallery in Philadelphia.

Laura Richter is an award-winning educator and technology integrationist at Skowhegan Area Middle School in Skowhegan, Maine where she has taught for the past 24 years. Laura trains middle and high school teachers in creative and effective ways to integrate technology into their curriculum. She has been a Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) NTTI Master Teacher, MPBN Teacher of the Year, Apple Distinguished Educator, and a finalist for the ACTEM Technology Leadership Award. This summer, she will present workshops at Summer Tech 2009 in Belfast on the many ways to integrate technology into the classroom, including: how to empower learners with Noteshare, motivate students with Garage Band, engage learners with iPhoto, integrate Comic Life, and applications for Wiki.

WHAT:
Special graphic novel workshops for librarians and educators by Peter Gutiérrez (Super-Powered Comics Reading: Building Literacy and Having Fun) and Laura Richter (The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli).

WHEN:
Sunday, May 17
10:30am – Noon

WHERE:
Ocean Gateway Terminal
Portland Waterfront
Thames St.
Portland, Maine
(Follow Commercial St. to Thames St.)

COST:
Registration is not required and admission to the presentation is free.

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Great Resource for Educators: Teach Comics

2009-05-02T09:49:00.002-04:00

Ian Carlson is an English teacher at Brewer High School in Brewer, Maine. He has a great blog packed full of great comics and graphic novels to use as teaching tools.

Check it out at teachcomics.blogspot.com!

Ian describes this blog at virtual ideas (and occasional rants) of a high school English teacher and lifelong comic book geek. This blog is primarily a collection of lesson plans and resources for educators interested in incorporating the comic medium into their classroom at any grade level or subject.

He'll be reviewing Jay Piscopo's The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli graphic novel series in the weeks ahead and sharing the curriculum created by Laura Richter to go with this new series.

New Capt'n Eli Curriculum

2009-04-29T19:39:00.002-04:00

Around the world with Capt'n Eli
Grades: 4-8
Subject: Art Lesson

Overview of Lesson:
This lesson incorporates both art and writing. After having read The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli, students learn about the history of newspaper adventure strips. In groups, students collaborate as they examine and discuss social and political issues of today. Ultimately, they choose a cause, imagine how Eli would respond to this cause, develop a storyline with characters, and create an original comic strip. All of the comic strips will then be published in an online classroom newspaper. Elements of art and principles of design will be integrated as students learn specific vocabulary and techniques of comic strip creation.

Authored by educator Laura Richter. Read more HERE.

Charlotte, North Carolina Educators: Don't Miss Jay Piscopo

2009-04-05T13:17:00.006-04:00

This week, Portland, Maine comic book artist Jay Piscopo tours the Charlotte, North Carolina library system.
Check out his full appearance schedule at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County system HERE. Educators and librarians will not want to miss this opportunity to learn more about The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli graphic novel series. Follow THIS LINK for a summary of Nemo Publishing's educational offerings.

Jay is the writer and artist of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli. On this six stop tour he will present a drawing workshop, talk about his Capt'n Eli graphic novels and talk in general about comics and graphic novels. This program is intended for children aged 7 - 12 years old and their family members. This will be a very special event for children of all ages who love comics, graphic novels, and art. Registration is not required to attend, but strongly encouraged.

April Appearance Schedule -- Jay Piscopo

2009-04-01T14:24:00.003-04:00

View full schedule HERE.

April 3: Maine Festival of the Book. Special Maine Reads Youth Outreach program with Jobs for Maine's Graduates. Hosted by UNUM in Portland, ME

April 6-7: PLCMC Sytem - ImaginOn Library Tour, Charlotte, NC

April 11: Maine College of Art

April 13: On-location storyboarding with 217 Films for new John Marin documentary

April 22: Baxter Memorial Library -- Gorham, ME

April 29: Jobs for Maine's Graduates Career Development Conference -- Augusta, ME

April 2009: Create a New Colony in Space at King Middle School with Jay Piscopo

2009-04-01T14:16:00.002-04:00

King Middle School in Portland, Maine is embarking on an exciting new classroom project with the launch of a special learning expedition called: "The Final Frontier: Creating a Colony in Space."

It is York 7's mission to construct a space colony containing the prime specimens of humanity. This space colony must be able to sustain human life for 1,000 Earth years. Students will use all their skills and knowledge of ecology, architecture and sustainability to achieve this mission.

Jay Piscopo author/illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli will be a part of this exciting new curriculum. He will help students brainstorm the visual elements of their universe using a single concrete scene of survival. How does a person get to work or school in this new colony? What does that workplace look like? How do people find the food they need and how is it prepared? Jay will lead students through the creation of several rough graphic panels that show that process visually.

April 3: Jay Piscopo Kicks off JMG's Urban Adventure

2009-04-01T14:14:00.001-04:00

"It’s important to offer young students the opportunity to learn different ways to communicate better. The combination of writing and drawing is a great way for students to learn how to organize their ideas and express them to others.” ~ Jay Piscopo, The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli

On Friday, April 3rd, more than 170 students from the Jobs for Maine’s Graduates (JMG) middle school program, Project Reach, will take part in Urban Adventure, an educational Scavenger Hunt in Portland, Maine. The assignment for these 8th grade students will be to practice their communication and team-building skills by interacting with Old Port merchants and city officials.

When the students first arrive in Portland, they will participate in a “Draw on Your Creativity Workshop” led by Jay Piscopo, the Maine-based author and illustrator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli all-ages graphic novel series. This workshop is sponsored by Maine Reads as part of its Maine Festival of the Book celebration to showcase career pathways in Maine's creative economy.

Explore Beneath the Waves

2009-03-04T21:12:00.002-05:00

Explore beneath the waves in your classroom with The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli! New Language Arts/History curriculum HERE.

Auhtored by educator Laura Richter. Read more HERE.

Capt'n Eli in Your Classroom or Library

2009-03-01T14:13:00.000-05:00

Stand by for adventure in your classroom or library with The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli!

Laura Richter is the educator behind the creation of classroom curriculum for Jay Piscopo's new all-ages graphic novel series The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli. She is an educator and technology integrationist at the Skowhegan Area Middle School in Skowhegan, Maine where she has taught for the past 24years. Laura trains middle and high school teachers in creative and effective ways to integrate technology into their curriculum. She has been a Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) NTTI Master Teacher, MPBN Teacher of the Year, Apple Distinguished Educator, and a finalist for the ACTEM Technology Leadership Award.

Laura's "Around the World with Capt'n Eli" Mapping Lesson Plan is completed and a Language Arts / History is coming soon -- it's a webquest! 50 intrepid 7th graders are test-driving this lesson plan now....

Be sure to keep your eye on Capt'n Eli's blog for educators and librarians!