Teaching with graphic bios

Becca Horowitz I am registered to attend the session, and this is not the first time I have done so (I have attended other sessions before). I love graphic biographies and, more generally, visuals such as comics, because my students respond very positively to them. For a generation immersed in social media and visual stimuli, this approach offers a valuable opportunity to add a more human dimension to history. Humanizing history by centering personal stories changes the scale of analysis and adds nuance that traditional texts often do not provide.

In every unit of Big History I use at least one graphic biography. I also use the comics that come with the new version of the course. Due to time constrains, I rely on a template I got from another teacher in this community. We read the biographies in class and complete the activity together. When time permits, I divide the class into groups and then we debrief as a whole class.

I've used graphic novels in my classroom with a lot of success--Nat Turner, March, They Called Us Enemy, etc have all been great at reaching my students who avoid reading as much as possible, students who struggle with vocabulary, multi language learners, and students with little to no background information.  I'm excited to incorporate some new comics and think the biography ones may be great to use in stations or as part of warmups.  I'm looking at the Helen Fairchild one as maybe a lead in to the role of women in WWI later this month.  If anyone has used, would love to hear some feedback or ideas!

This was my favorite OER session. The resources are terrific in this. I really liked the Simon Bolivar one and how it gave voice to groups you usually don't see (women and enslaved people). I plan to use several of these in my classroom. I might even do an assignment where students create their own. 

I use a lot of political cartoons, visual timelines, and storyboards, but have not used graphic narratives. I have a number of graphic novels in my student lending library but haven't used them with my whole class. I am now inspired and excited to do so! I love the idea of "multimodal literacy," combining visuals with narrative. I agree that I will have to teach my students how to read a comic, and appreciate the tool. I also think the tool is not just complex, it is complicated, and I would appreciate some practice with it before I use it with students. I would love a hands-on workshop with teachers who are experienced in using it. Also, I teach mainly MLs this year. I am curious about any cultural differences in structure, symbols, etc. when it comes to accessing graphic narratives.

Gretchen, do you use They Called Us Enemy in US or WH2? Do you have any teaching materials to accompany it? I'd love to know how you use it with your class. 

I think some students would love to create their own graphic narratives. This would be a variation on a one-pager, and a great assessment choice for any number of topics.

I feel these could be a really good way to access curriculum for MLLs. The visuals along with text provides a good way for those students to build reading skills while still getting more context. As well the visuals are more compelling in my experience to paragraphs and heavy text based readings.

The idea to use comics to teach history is interesting but the comics provided by OER are shallow and fall into the common history trap of goodies vs baddies. These comics are nothing but fluff pieces that fail to engage students in hard history. For example, Ibn Khaldun was a great social scientist, but he was also a racist. He writings about black Africans are disturbing. The same is true of Ibn Battuta. OER has no problem talking about the evils of European and American racism (as they should) but for some reason the Islamic Empire, Japan, China, and India receive a pass. Teaching "Big History" means looking at the flaws of ALL cultures and not pretending that some cultures are evil while others are good. These comics also discriminate against any mention of the influence of Christianity. Where are the comics about Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, William Wilberforce, Levi Coffin, Amy Carmichael, or Corrie ten Boom. The straw man argument about focusing on the forgotten people of history doesn't apply because most teachers don't know the stories of the people just listed. I guess "Combating Intolerance" only covers certain beliefs and political viewpoints.

Hi Mike — I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. While I can understand parts of your perspective, I take issue with how you’ve presented it.

At the OER Project, our graphic biographies are designed to shine a light on people and perspectives often absent from traditional history textbooks. They’re not “fluff.” They’re carefully researched, evidence-based, and visually engaging — an approach that encourages students to interpret historical narratives through both words and imagery. That combination deepens understanding rather than diluting it.

Of course, a one-page graphic biography can’t capture every detail of a person’s life — nor is that its intent. Each is meant to highlight how an individual’s actions or experiences intersect with broader historical moments. We encourage teachers and students to question and test everything we publish: What’s missing? Whose voices are absent? What additional sources might expand the story? This is critical thinking in action.

Regarding your point about Christianity — our goal is not to exclude any faith or worldview, but to balance the scales of representation. Traditional historical narratives have long centered Western and Christian perspectives, often at the expense of others. Our work aims to widen that lens, making history more complete and inclusive.

The suggestion that our materials reflect partisan or political agendas misrepresents what we stand for. We are historians, educators, and creators dedicated to presenting accurate, balanced, and factually sound history. This is our life’s work, and we hold it — and the students and teachers who use it — in the highest regard.

Might I suggest you review our Graphic Biographies guide to see how you can more fully utilize these materials in your classroom: https://www.oerproject.com/OER-Materials/OER-Media/PDFs/Teacher-Resources/OER-Graphic-Biographies-Guide 

Or feel free to read this recent blog from Professor Trevor Getz about the research he is conducting around graphic biographies and the history of them as reading materials in classrooms: Are Comics Good for Teaching History? | OER Project