Common Core Practice | Medical Manga, a Family Grocery and a Restaurant Review

Drum roll, please! I told you earlier this week about The Learning Network's plan to publish a Common Core Practice Feature each Friday, and I'm thrilled to say that it is here!

The series is being done in collaboration with two teachers in New Jersey, Jonathan Olsen and Sarah Gross, and the premiere post includes two argumentative writing tasks and one that is informative. All reference the Common Core Standards that they address.

The one that grabbed my attention is the first, Science: “Manga as Medical Tool,” which refers to a Times news article about Dr. Ian Roberts of London.

To paraphrase from the task description: No pharmaceutical company is willing to devote money to an advertising campaign for a new drug that promotes clotting and should reduce death in trauma patients, so Dr. Roberts has turned to unorthodox means such as cartoons and manga comics to share the information with doctors around the world.

Here is the student task: "Do you think it is a good idea to share research findings through visual media, like manga comics and cartoons? Write a paragraph in which you use information from this article to support your views. Provide at least one example where visual media could be helpful — or harmful — in sharing this kind of information." Students can view the manga comic (the first frame is shown)

and watch the cartoon below before writing. The CRASH-2 comic was created by Dr. Roberts's nephew, and should contribute much to your students' interest in the article!

I want to say "Thank you!" to the writers of this great new feature, so I'm leaving a comment on the post. If you use any of the three tasks proposed this week, I hope you will, too.

Have a fabulous fall weekend! The weather here in Middle Tennessee couldn't be better, and I plan to enjoy it!