Finding Evidence in a Graphic Memoir
A short student handout for 8th graders that teaches them to locate and cite evidence from *They Called Us Enemy*, using both the words and the pictures of this graphic memoir. It builds close-reading skills, visual analysis, and the habit of supporting claims with specific details, and it includes a key-terms box (panel, gutter, speech bubble) to ground the vocabulary.
“Can you create a handout instructing students how to find evidence from the book They Called Us Enemy”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use this as a launch for a unit on graphic memoir, either before students begin the book or during the first few chapters, in a single 45-minute block or as a short warm-up across two days.
- Discussion question: Why might George Takei have chosen to show a moment in pictures rather than only in words, and what does the image add that the text alone would miss?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: Pair them with a partner, and have them first identify one panel, then one speech bubble, and only then write a claim about what it reveals before adding a citation.
- Extension for advanced students: Ask them to compare how the gutter (the white space between panels) creates time jumps or emotional pauses, and to write a paragraph arguing which technique is most powerful.
- Estimated time: About 10 minutes to read the guide and key terms, plus 20 to 30 minutes of guided practice finding and citing evidence.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free“Can you create a handout instructing students how to find evidence from the book They Called Us Enemy”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use this as a launch for a unit on graphic memoir, either before students begin the book or during the first few chapters, in a single 45-minute block or as a short warm-up across two days.
- Discussion question: Why might George Takei have chosen to show a moment in pictures rather than only in words, and what does the image add that the text alone would miss?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: Pair them with a partner, and have them first identify one panel, then one speech bubble, and only then write a claim about what it reveals before adding a citation.
- Extension for advanced students: Ask them to compare how the gutter (the white space between panels) creates time jumps or emotional pauses, and to write a paragraph arguing which technique is most powerful.
- Estimated time: About 10 minutes to read the guide and key terms, plus 20 to 30 minutes of guided practice finding and citing evidence.
Finding Evidence in a Graphic Memoir
A short student handout for 8th graders that teaches them to locate and cite evidence from *They Called Us Enemy*, using both the words and the pictures of this graphic memoir. It builds close-reading skills, visual analysis, and the habit of supporting claims with specific details, and it includes a key-terms box (panel, gutter, speech bubble) to ground the vocabulary.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free