- Definition
A comic is a story told mostly through pictures, often with words in speech bubbles, that you read in a sequence of boxes.
In a comic, a speech bubble shows what a character is saying out loud.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A comic is like a photo album that tells a story, with each picture showing what happens next.
Ask your child: How do the pictures tell the story in this comic?
Common mix-up: Kids might think comics are just pictures with some words. The pictures are the main storytellers, working with the words to move the story forward.
Examples
- A row of pictures, or panels, shows the action step-by-step, like a character jumping over a puddle.
- A box with words at the top of a panel can explain where the characters are or what they are thinking.
comic is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
