Heartstopper: Volume One

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“COMICS TO COMBAT STEREOTYPES”

After students have explored the nature of bullying and stereotypes and how these issues affect LGBTQ+ youth, they will examine ways to challenge those stereotypes and illustrate their ideas in a brief activity.

• Locate 3-4 examples of bias/stereotyping in the text; record what is said and how the victim reacted.
• Create a 1-page comic or splash page that illustrates a stereotype and how it can be challenged.
• Write a brief explanation of your comic and how it relates to the theme The Damaging Nature of Bullying and Stereotyping.

Teaching Suggestion: Students may choose to create their comic digitally or with original drawings or collages. Encourage students to imagine a scenario in which stereotyping might occur and how that stereotype could be challenged in a real-world scenario. For example, in the text people think Charlie cannot play sports well because he is gay; however, he soon proves them wrong by excelling at rugby.