STEM Activity: Pop-Up Comic Book

Happy National Comic Book Day! Comic books grab readers’ attention in fun and easy-to-follow ways. Like comic books, pop-up books also capture attention with exciting features. Did you know the first pop-up books were used among scholars? They were designed to teach technical concepts like the phases of the moon, geometric shapes and brain functions.

You can make your own comic book with an eye-catching pop-up cover by following the steps below!

Materials Needed

• Construction paper
• Crayons
• Glue
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Scissors

Step-by-Step Instructions

Part 1: Write your Comic

1. Using a ruler, draw one vertical line and one horizontal line through the middle of a piece of construction paper, splitting the paper into four equal boxes.
   
   Flip the paper to the backside and repeat.
    
2. Fold the paper in “half hamburger” style.
    
3. Open the paper like a book and create your own awesome comic story using the four boxes inside and the two boxes on the back.

4. Add color to your book using crayons.
    
5. Number the boxes in the corner of each square, so your readers can follow along.

Part 2: Design Your Pop-Up Book

Once your comic story is complete:

1. Take a look at these pop-up card tutorials.
    
2. Select and create a card that interests you.
    
3. To add more 3D components to the card, cut a 1-inch by 3-inch paper strip and fold it like an accordion.
   • Using crayons, draw a design on construction paper and cut it out.
   • Glue the design to the top flat end of the paper strip, and glue the other flat end of the paper strip to the inside of the card.
   • Repeat the steps above to make as many accordion style elements as you’d like.

Take This Activity Further

Not done telling your story? Take this activity further by stretching your imagination and using your creativity to add more pages and pop-up elements to your comic book. Try experimenting with different kinds of paper for a one-of-a-kind creation.

What Are We Discovering?

Adding details like color and pop-up components to a book can help to hook a reader — and one of the best ways to add color to any DIY book is to use crayons. In 1903, National Inventors Hall of Fame^® Inductee Edwin Binney and his cousin C. Harold Smith noticed the need for a safe, quality wax crayon. They were confident the pigment and wax mixing techniques they had developed could be adapted for a variety of safe colors. The name "Crayola" was created by Binney's wife, combining the French word craie (chalk) with oleagineux (meaning oily). The first box contained eight pieces (black, brown, blue, red, purple, orange, yellow and green) and sold for five cents.

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