Persepolis Marjane Satrapi Graphic Novel Study full novel study lesson can be found HERE.

Persepolis Marjane Satrapi Graphic Novel Study is a powerful, moving graphic novel about the author’s life growing up during the Iranian revolution. It is both a captivating story and an important work of literature and history. Teaching this book to students can be an incredibly effective way to engage young minds in meaningful discussion and critical thinking. Here are some tips for teaching “Persepolis” in the classroom.

Exploring Themes Through Discussion
One of the most powerful aspects of “Persepolis” is its exploration of complex themes such as identity, oppression, censorship, and resilience. Discussions should focus on these topics, allowing students to explore their own thoughts and feelings on them while engaging with each other in a respectful manner. This can help develop interpersonal skills while also encouraging deep thinking about important topics.

Incorporating Other Mediums Into Lessons
The graphic novel format can be especially useful when teaching concepts such as symbolism or visual storytelling. When discussing these topics with your students, try incorporating different mediums into the lesson plan—videos, images, music—to further engage their interest and creativity. For example, you could ask your class to create a short film based on a scene from “Persepolis” or have them draw symbols that represent characters or ideas from the book. This will help make the learning process more enjoyable while also providing opportunities for creative expression.

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Using Projects to Assess Comprehension
Projects are an excellent way to assess student comprehension and engagement with a text like “Persepolis”. You could assign individual projects or group projects depending on what you think will best suit your class dynamic. Projects can take many forms, from creating comic strips that explore certain themes from the novel to writing essays about how characters change over time. Project-based assessments are often more interesting than traditional tests and allow students to demonstrate their understanding in more creative ways than simply writing down answers on multiple choice exams.

Encouraging Discussion
One of the most important aspects of teaching Persepolis is facilitating meaningful dialogue between students. The story deals with complex issues surrounding politics, religion, and family dynamics so it’s important to create a safe space for open discussion. Encourage students to ask questions and share their opinions without fear of judgment or criticism. Ask questions that invite thoughtful responses such as “How did Satrapi’s experiences shape her views on Iran’s government?” or “What messages do you think Satrapi wanted readers to take away from the story?”

Using Visuals
Though it is a book, Persepolis utilizes visuals in an effective way. Take advantage of these illustrations by providing copies of certain images for students to analyze and discuss. This gives them an opportunity to look closely at the details of events in the story like Marji’s interactions with her family or her struggles under Islamic rule. You can also have them draw their own interpretations of certain scenes or characters from the book. This encourages creative thinking while still allowing them to engage with the material in a meaningful way.

Exploring Other Perspectives
It is also important to challenge your students’ perspectives by introducing them to other points of view on Iranian culture and politics beyond what they find in Persepolis. Have them research current events related to Iran such as its nuclear program or its relationship with other countries like Iraq or Israel. This helps bring their understanding up-to-date while also expanding on what they learned from reading Satrapi’s work. Additionally, have them read articles written by people who have different opinions than those expressed by Satrapi; this helps introduce them to multiple sides of any given issue which will be invaluable when making informed decisions later in life about social issues both domestic and international.

Conclusion:
Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis” is a classic graphic novel that provides an invaluable look into life during the Iranian revolution through its main character’s experiences as a young girl coming of age in this tumultuous period of history. As an educator looking for engaging ways to bring this text alive in your classroom, there are numerous options available ranging from discussion-based activities to project-focused assignments that encourage critical thinking and creativity while assessing student understanding of key concepts presented in this work of literature. With these tips in mind, you can help your students gain valuable insight into one of history’s most fascinating stories while developing their language arts skills at the same time!

For the graphic novel, “They Called US Enemy”, blog post, click HERE.