Inquiry and Analysis

Design Problem

Specific Instructions: Write a SEEC paragraph that explains the design problem.

Guiding Questions: What will you make? Who will you make it for? How will your product help them?

(state) I will make a comic for PYP students at IST.

(explain) My comic will be about the learner profile caring.
(explain more) Caring means to be friendly, help others in need, care for people
who needs help. Ex. If you see a student seating alone at lunch time, just go and
seat beside them, this is called caring!
(explain more) It will help PYP students to understand the learner profile –
Caring, and hopefully they will follow the definition of caring to be a good
caring student.
(evidence) Example 1 – in the PYP exhibition, you really have to be caring
about the topic that you choose.
Example 2 – During the whole school year (especially when the
school year have just started), there will be lots of students who are new to the
school and needed some help, such as language, friends… That’s when you
should stand up and help them!
(connect) Students who know about the Learner profile can be the best student
they can be.

Research Plan

Specific Instructions: Fill in the table below.

Date Big Idea/Question Source Lines of Inquiry

Aug 28 What can I learn from Primary: Graphic What do I like about
other graphic stories to Novel Evaluation the example?
help me make mine
better? I will find and compare What do I not like
three graphic novels. about the example?

What can I improve on

my comic after reading

Aug 15 - Aug 23 How can I create new
images on Photoshop?
Research and Product Analysis
Similar Solution Analysis
Example 1 -
Image
Strengths I like the explanation for the
small pictures. Because then it
could help the readers
understand what are the little
pictures are drawing. There’s
explanations for every single
picture on page 16. If I add some
explanations to my pictures in
my comic book, it could make my
other comics?
Secondary: Internet What tools are
Research available?
I will find videos and Why types of
text on the internet to pictures/text can I
learn about other use?
elements of the
Photoshop. How can I change the
style of brush to
Primary: Product Trial decorate my poster?
I will use Photoshop
and learn about the
tools by practicing
them.
Example 2 - Example 3
-
I like the background color of the
comic. I like that is because the
background does not let the
readers feel massy and
uncomfortable to look at. The
background color is green and
comfortable to read on page 30
and 31. When I make my comics,
I will make the background color
 comic better.
There’s many interesting
pictures instead of writing too
much texts. If there are too much
texts in the comics, the reader
will get boring and stop reading. I
like that pictures are much more
than texts on page 16 and 17.I
will try my best to put more
drawings than texts in my comic
so readers get interested in it.
Weaknesses I think the comic should be a
little more colorful. So then it
could catch people’s eyes instead
of only one color for the entire
page. There’s only pink on page
16 and 17. I might like to make
my comic colorful so then it could
catch people’s eyes.
easier to read.
They’ve used the little lines
beside the character to show
that the characters are moving.
This way the readers could feel
like the characters are moving,
so then they could imagine that
they are watching cartoons. On
page 30, there are little lines
besides the characters. I will
draw lines beside my characters
in my comic to make it better.
I don’t really like how they leave
a lot of blank areas on some of
the pages. Because I think it
doesn’t have to be too full, but at
least use most of the blank areas,
otherwise it doesn’t look that
good. They’ve left a lot of blank
areas on page 30. I won’t leave
too much blank areas for my
comic, because I wanted to look
good.
Product Trial

Date Skill Possible Uses

Aug 23 Step backward Easily undo things that I don’t want.

Aug 23 Change font I can change the style of the font.

I can change the color of the font.

Aug 23 Add image I can add an interesting that I found on the

internet to my poster.

Aug 23 Change brush style I can change the eraser brush style and the
different little brush style like little stars or
leaves on my poster.

Aug 23 Erase part of the picture If there’s part on the picture that we’ve chosen
we don’t really like or want, I can use the
 erasers to erase it.

Other Research – Interview Survey

Specific Instructions: Tell me your questions. Show me the answers that you collect. Write a paragraph
that shows what you learned.

1) Where did you get the idea for the character or the story for your comic?
His sister drew babymouse on a paper and showed it to him. He practiced drawing the
character to get ready for the book.
Squish was a boy character. They came up with the idea because my mom and dad were
both in the medical field and we talked a lot about germs growing up.
2) What did you do to make the character funny or interesting so that people would
want to read?
He made Squishes hat magic. It shows his mood. He made babymouse an enjoyable female
character which is different than all the other characters.
3) Why did you decide to make comics?
He likes to draw but he never thought about turn it into a job until he read an interview
with the guy who drew Garfield.

Other Research – Internet and Books

Specific Instructions: Use a new table each time the source of your information changes. Use a new
table every time your research question changes. Use a new table every time your source changes.

SOURCE (in MLA):

RESEARCH QUESTION:

KEY WORDS: NOTES:

SUMMARY/RESPONSE:

SOURCE (in MLA):

RESEARCH QUESTION:
KEY WORDS: NOTES:

SUMMARY/RESPONSE:

Design Brief

Guiding Questions: What is your solution to the design problem? What are the key elements of your
solution? Why?

PYP students who are caring can be more successful in life and in school. I will make a comic to help
them learn if they help and be caring of other people, other people will help and be caring of them
when they need it. My comic will have light color background. So then my readers won’t feel massy
and uncomfortable by reading my comics. Here’s an example in other comics:

Adding light background into my comic will make it neat and let the reader feel comfortable when
they are reading it.

Design Specification
Specific Instructions: Put your criteria for your graphic novel in the table below. You can add or
remove bullet points. Each bullet point should include a specific goal for your product. It is even better
if your goals are easy to measure. Use the examples provided in class to help you write your goals well.
Purpose
What is your product? What is your
product for? What information will
your product share?
Aesthetics
What will product look like?
How will information be
organized? Will there be any
audio/visual components?
How will the product function?
Target Market
Who is your product for?
(be specific)
Wish List
What realistic special features
would your dream design
have?
Developing Ideas
 My comic must teach PYP students about the learner profile
caring.
 My comic must teach PYP students being caring to the
nature.
 Be respectful to the nature is what we should do.
 My comic must have words in it. In my comic, I won’t put too
many words in it because then people will lose their interest
and stop reading. But I can’t too less because otherwise
people won’t understand what’s happening.
 My comic must have light color background. Because it
makes the reader’s eyes comfortable to look and read.
 My comic must have borders. Because it makes the comic
looks more neat and organized, also it could tell the readers
the order of the story.
 My comic would have sound effect. Because my audience for
the comic would be PYP students, so I will try to make it
funny, I think adding some sound effect can make the comic
funny sometimes. This is why I would have sound effects in
my comic.
 My audience for the comic would be grade 3-5 students at
IST.

 I wish my comic could look neat and organized.
 I wish my comic could pass the message that I want people
to know to my my audience for the comic.
 I wish people could get interested and not think is boring
while reading my comic.
Design Ideas

Brainstorm

Design1
Design2
Evaluation of Design

Specific Instructions: Outline the strengths and weaknesses of your designs. You should use examples
that show the ways in which your design meets your criteria.

Interview with Ye Ji Interview with Yu-chi Interview with Jennifer

Strengths -Interesting border. -The character is cute. -The picture for the
comic is really detailed.
-The picture for the -The story is very
comic is very detailed. interesting. -The character is cute.

-The story is interesting -The story is telling a -The panel and the font
and it’s telling a good very good message to for the title are really
message. the reader. good.

-The thinking bubble -The font for the title is

and the sound effects a really good choice.
are good.

-good font size.

Weaknesses -The borders needs -The layout for the -Too many texts.
more space between comic is a bit rigid,
 each other. should use No. 2 in the -On picture No. 3, too
brainstorm. many things are
squished together.

-The earth is too small.

Chosen Design

Specific Instructions: Use your evaluation above to pick your best design idea. Identify any parts of this
design that you must improve. Draw and annotate an improved design. It is acceptable to reuse (copy)
unchanged elements of your earlier design drawings.

Justification of Final Design

Guiding Questions: Why did you choose the design that you did? How does your chosen design meet
your goals that you listed in your specification?

I have chosen this design because I met all my goals that I’ve set before and my audience like it. My
first goal was to tell a good message to the audience about caring. You can see the story in my comic is
about a bird saving the nature, and two of my audiences both said I am passing a really good message.
The second goal was to put the appropriate amount of texts in the comic, and I did. Because is for
grade 3-5 students, so the amount of texts is not too much but also not too less. My third goal was to
have light color backgrounds, and I have been putting some light colors, such as light blue, grey… My
forth goal was to have borders, you can see that I did put some really interesting borders for my comic,
most of my audiences liked it and it looks nice and neat. My last goal was to add sound effects into my
comic, which I did, I added a few sound effects to make my comic funny, interesting and vivid. This is
why I have chosen my comic.
 Creating the Solution

Production Plan

Step Task Resources Description

1 Add panel for Photoshop, Search for panel that I want on Goggle, have
scenes internet(Google to choose picture that are labeled for
) noncommercial reuse with modification, and
then do file place in Photoshop to put the
picture into my comic.

2 Add title and the Photoshop, Use Photoshop to find the right font and size
tape image internet(Google for title, then type it using the text tool. After
around it ) that, find the tape picture that is labeled for
noncommercial reuse with modification then
do file place to insert it.

3 Add panel for title Photoshop Use the line tool in Photoshop to draw the
panel for title.

4 Add background Photoshop Insert the right color for each of the scenes
for all scenes using the shade tool.

5 Draw objects and Pixlr Create(draw) my objects and characters in

characters for the comic on Pixlr.
scene 1

6 Insert the Photoshop Insert the things that has been drawn into
characters and scene 1 on my comic by doing file place.
objects in scene 1

7 Add in the text for Photoshop Type in all the text into the right space using
scene 1 the text tool in Photoshop.

8 Draw objects for Pixlr Create(draw) my objects and characters in

scene 2 the comic on Pixlr.

9 Insert the Photoshop Insert the things that has been drawn into
characters and scene 2 on my comic by doing file place.
objects in scene 2

10 Add text for scene Photoshop Type in the text by using the text box tool on
2 my comic.

11 Draw objects for Pixlr Create(draw) my objects and characters in

 scene 3 the comic on Pixlr.

12 Insert characters Photoshop Insert the things that has been drawn into
and objects for scene 3 on my comic by doing file place.
scene 3

13 Add text for scene Photoshop Type in the text by using the text box tool on
3 my comic.

14 Draw objects for Pixlr Create(draw) my objects and characters in

scene 4 the comic on Pixlr.

15 Insert characters Photoshop Insert the things that has been drawn into
and objects for scene 2 on my comic by doing file place.
scene 4

16 Add text for scene Photoshop Type in the text by using the text box tool on
4 my comic.

Gantt Chart

Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4

Task
Oct. 30
Add panel for scenes

Add title and the tape image around it

Add panel for title

Add background for all scenes

Draw objects and characters for scene 1

Lesson 5 Lesson 6 Lesson 7 Lesson 8

Task

Insert characters and objects in scene 1

Add in the text for scene 1

Draw objects for scene 2

Insert the characters and objects in scene 2

Add in the text for scene 2

Draw objects for scene 3

Insert characters and objects for scene 3

Add text for scene 3

Draw objects for scene 4

Insert characters and objects for scene 4

Lesson 9
Task

Add in the text for scene 4

Final Product

The final product is in a separate file. The name of the file is ‘NameProduct’.

Modifications to Product

Specific Instructions: Place a picture of your hand-drawn chosen design in the ‘Design Drawing’
column. Place a picture of you computer-generated solution in the ‘Product Picture’ column. Compare
the images. State all of the changes between the images.

Design Drawing Product Picture

There are no changes between my design drawing and my product picture.

There are some changes between my design drawing and my product picture.
I changed the position of the text box from right up to right down. Because the words didn’t fit in
the original position and it looked too squished.

There are some changes between my design drawing and my product picture.

I changed the arrow from 3D to 2D. Because it was too hard to draw all the lines for 3D.

There are no changes between my design drawing and my product picture.

There are some changes between my design drawing and my product picture.

I changed the position of the two speech bubbles. Because it seems like they are on top of each
other, so I changed it into a different place.
I also changed the position of the text box. Because after changing the position of speech bubble,
there’s no place for the txt box then, so I changed into a different place.
There are (no/some) changes between my design drawing and my product picture.

They are:
-
-

Process Challenge

I had some challenge when I’ve only finished two scenes, but realized that there’s only a few
classes left and thought that I won’t to get it done in the time that I have, I got a little stress. But Mr.
Diegel told me to try the method of copying and using the images I’ve already got, and just change
the very little detail by using the brush tool. After I learned that method, I got a lot faster and
finished my comic before the deadline.
 Evaluation

Testing Methods

Specific Instructions: Write a short paragraph that explains how you will gather feedback about your
comic book. You should tell me what you will do to collect feedback and why you have decided to use
that method. Present your testing tools and your results.

I will print out my comic and a collection sheet that I will create with a few questions, then I will go to
the cafeteria during elementary lunch time. I will go up to one of the table, and ask the student if I can
read them a short story that I have created. I will read it out loud while showing them my comic. After
I’m done reading it, I will ask them the questions on my collection sheet and write down what they
said.
Evaluation of Design against Specification

Specific Instructions: Copy your goals in column 2. You will find them in the Developing Ideas
document. State whether or not you met each goal in column 3. You should use the results of your tests
explain how you did or did not met your goals.

Specification Statement of Achievement Level

 My comic must teach PYP  Met. Because we could see from

students about the learner the feed back which all the
profile caring. students that I’ve read the story
to learned one way of being
 My comic must teach PYP
Purpose caring, which is saving the
students being caring to the nature
nature.  Met. Because the feedback shows
that all three students said they
Be respectful to the nature is what we should be caring to the nature.
should do.
 My comic must have words in  Met. Shows in my comic that I
Aesthetics it. In my comic, I won’t put too have the right amount of words.
many words in it because then  Met. Shows in my comic that I
people will lose their interest have all light color backgrounds
and stop reading. But I can’t for all four scenes (panels).
too less because otherwise  Met. Shows in my comic that I
people won’t understand have borders and it looks
what’s happening. organized.
 My comic must have light  Met. Shows in my comic that I
color background. Because it have one sound effect in my
makes the reader’s eyes comic.
comfortable to look and read.
 My comic must have borders.
Because it makes the comic
looks more neat and
organized, also it could tell the
readers the order of the story.
 My comic would have sound
effect. Because my audience
for the comic would be PYP
students, so I will try to make
it funny, I think adding some
sound effect can make the
comic funny sometimes. This
is why I would have sound
effects in my comic.
  My audience for the comic  Met. Because I read my comic to
would be grade 3-5 students three of the grade 3-5 students in
at IST. IST, and I got feedbacks from all
Target Market  of them.

 I wish my comic could look 

neat and organized.
 I wish my comic could pass
the message that I want
people to know to my my
Wish List audience for the comic.
 I wish people could get
interested and not think is
boring while reading my
comic.

Further Improvements

Specific Instructions: Describe the ways in which you would improve your work to make it better. Tell
me how the change will improve your work. Pictures can be included to explain your ideas more
clearly.

Impact of Solution

Specific Instructions: Write two paragraphs. In the first paragraph, restate your design problem and
your approach to solve it. In the second paragraph, describe the ways in which your solution helped to
solve the problem. You should try to use examples and evidence to show how your solution has had an
impact.