Imaginary Worlds: Creative Writing and Graphic Novel Camp
For Children currently in grades 6-8
This camp will have both avid and reluctant readers/writers growing in skills and having a blast! The stories the class reads are an excellent way to build comprehension and reading skills. This is NOT a remedial, summer school, or English-as-a Second Language (ESL) program.
Campers will be reading, writing, discussing, and drawing. Each camper will be working at their own level. This is a full day program that will have breaks for outside play, lunch, and creative free time.
Each day will follow a similar pattern.
FIRST PART OF EACH DAY: CREATIVE WRITING
For the first portion of each day, after reading and discussing a story from one of six genres (Sci-Fi, Memoir, Eerie, Dystopian, Adventure, and Fantasy) campers will write from prompts following Natalie Goldberg’s “Wild Mind” writing style, a practice that “allows us to connect with and write from first thoughts.” (Read more about Natalie Goldberg’s Wild Mind approach by clicking on Wild Mind). The instructor will read camper work aloud to start; as the course progresses, campers will be invited to read their work aloud by choice. The class will receive direction on how to offer feedback that is supportive (negative ‘critique’ is not allowed).
SECOND PART OF EACH DAY: GRAPHIC NOVELS
Afternoons will be spent creating our graphic novels. Campers will have the opportunity to explore several different types of graphic story-telling as we will engage in exploratory drawing exercises designed to spark characters and stories. Each camper will create a graphic narrative, either as a group, with a partner, or independently.
As the camp session draws to its final days, campers will compile their writing and art into a bound book, of which each camper will get a copy. The camp will conclude on the last day with a Family Reading, where campers can present their work from camp to invited family members and guests!
This camp is held on the Birmingham campus of The Roeper School. Before and After Care are NOT available.
About the Instructor: Lisa Bagchi
Lisa Bagchi. Lisa grew up in Birmingham and taught English at The Roeper School’s Middle and Upper School for two decades. She designed and taught several electives in her years at Roeper, including Creative Writing, Fairy Tale Studies, and Comic Writing and also headed up the school’s creative arts magazine The Phoenix, an annual book of middle school art, comics, poetry, and stories.
Currently, Lisa is developing and teaching classes on Outschool, an online learning platform, while working towards completing her first graphic memoir, which chronicles some ‘highlights’ of her high school days.
Lisa is very excited to offer this creative writing and graphic novel camp for the first time this summer.
What is needed for the class:
Campers will be provided with all of the reading materials, notebooks, pens, pencils, and drawing supplies for the class. Campers may choose to bring and use a laptop or other materials from home with instructor approval. All work will take place during the camp day with no required or assigned homework.
Sample Daily Schedule
9:00 - Arrival, Gather, Welcome, Plan for the day 9:20 – Lesson 1: Genre and Stories (reading & discussion)
10:10 – Break and Recess
10:40 - Wild Mind prompt writing and sharing
11:30 - Lunch and recess
12:30 – Lesson 2: Graphic Arts (exploratory drawing and storytelling)
1:20 - Break
1:50 - Independent and Group Graphic Novel work 2:45 - Prepare for end of day and dismissal 3:00 - Dismissal
Session Offered
July 6 - 17
Hours & Cost
9:00 am-3:00 pm
Imaginary Worlds: Creative Writing and Graphic Novel Camp is $1,005 per session
Daily Hot Lunch and snack are included in the tuition
Before and After Care are not available