Dear Great Immigrant, Dear Great American Comic Letter
- Preview |
- Resources & Preparation |
- Instructional Plan |
- Related Resources |
- Standards
Overview
Students analyze Palestinian American stand-up comedian and actor Mo Amer’s comic from Great Immigrants, Great Americans and create their own comic letter to an immigrant figure.
This lesson invites students to explore themes of identity, immigration, and belonging by analyzing Mo Amer’s two-page comic in Great Immigrants, Great Americans. Students will then create a personal response in the form of a comic letter addressed to an immigrant figure—either Mo Amer or someone from their own life—combining visual storytelling and reflective writing.
Featured Resources
- Mo Amer’s comic strip in Great Immigrants, Great Americans
- Digital or paper-based comic creation tools
- Comic Analysis Worksheet (included)
- Comic Letter Planning Template (included)
- Student Reflection Guide (included)
- Comics in the Classroom as an Introduction to Narrative Structure (ReadWriteThink)
Alternate Immigrant Story/Comic Options
To give teachers flexibility, consider:
- Excerpts from Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
- American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
- The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
- Graphic essays from The Nib on immigration
Materials and Technology
- Access to Mo Amer’s comic (print or digital)
- Art supplies (markers, pencils, comic panels) or digital drawing apps
- Projector or display for modeling
- Optional: Devices with comic strip software (e.g., Pixton, Canva, Storyboard That)
Printouts
Websites
An easy-to-use platform for students to create digital comics with customizable characters and scenes.
Provides background materials and student-facing resources on immigrant narratives and social justice.
A site dedicated to engaging youth in literacy and the arts through comic creation.
Preparation
- Preview and prepare copies of Mo Amer’s comic.
- Create accounts or confirm access to comic-making tools.
- Print all student handouts and plan for any accommodations.
- Set up a gallery space for final presentations or digital folder.
Student Objectives
Students will:
- analyze the themes and structure of Mo Amer’s comic.
- reflect on personal or cultural experiences related to immigration.
- create an original comic letter that expresses identity and voice.
- use visual storytelling techniques to communicate a message.
Session Introduction and Activities
(Session One)
- Introduce Mo Amer and the context of his comic strip.
When introducing Mo Amer's comic, consider highlighting:
- How visual elements reinforce his message about identity.
- The balance between humor and serious themes.
- The significance of specific cultural references.
- Read and analyze Great Immigrants, Great Americans together.
- Complete Comic Analysis Worksheet in small groups.
- Discuss themes: identity, voice, cultural pride, and belonging.
(Session Two)
- Introduce the “comic letter” concept.
- Model how to plan a comic response.
- Students brainstorm their immigrant figure and personal story.
- Begin sketching comic layouts using the planning template.
(Session Three)
- Students complete their comic letters.
- Peer-share and revise.
- Final gallery walk or digital share-out.
- Complete Student Reflection Guide.
Extensions
- Compile all student comics into a printed anthology for the school library.
- Display comics at a local coffee shop, donut shop, or community center.
- Host a community “Immigrant Stories” night where students display their comics.
- Pair with memoir readings like Persepolis or American Born Chinese.
- Invite students to write a traditional letter alongside their comic.
From Theory to Practice
This lesson is grounded in multimodal literacy theory, which recognizes that students make meaning not just through written language but also through visual and spatial modes (National Council of Teachers of English, 2005). By analyzing and composing comics, students build critical literacy and explore their identities through narrative.
Work Cited
National Council of Teachers of English. (2005). Position statement on multimodal literacies.
Student Assessment / Reflections
- Assess with a rubric focused on: visual design, narrative clarity, personal connection, and effort. (Example)
- Student Reflection Guide will include questions on learning, process, and personal growth.
- Optional: self-assessment checklist for visual and narrative elements.
Related Resources
Standards
A complete listing of the standards can be found here.
1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).