A futuristic sci-fi and fantasy comic book app, we love this app for its fluid incorporation of mixed media, its foundation in aboriginal culture and history, and the fact that its making and development relied on young people. This unique collaboration infuses energy and playfulness into the story like few other interactive story apps out there.
Prepare to use the app by introducing one of these activities:
- Australia.What does your child know about Australia? Ask them to tell you about this country and continent. Then see what you learn from the story and extend it further with the Read and Learn activity in the Branch Out section.
- What’s in a Name?Tell your child that the two main groups of characters in NEOMAD are called the "Love Punks" and the "Satellite Sisters". What do they think the names mean? What do they expect these characters will be like based on these group names? How will they act?
Help your child get the most out of an app experience by trying the following activities:
- Radiation.One of the first questions posed in the story is "what is radiation?". Radiation continues to worry the Love Punks in Episode 1 when the booster crashes. Help your child conduct research to learn about radiation. What examples can they find in history where radiation had a major impact on people and/or the environment? Why does radiation remain a concern for the future?
- Tourism.Ask your child to think through the role that tourism plays in the story. When is tourism first mentioned? Where is the tourist ship trying to go? Why does that present a problem? How are tourist ships and fuel connected? What might the story be suggesting about tourism in Australia today? About tourism anywhere today? Can your child think of reasons why tourism can be both good and bad for local communities and/or the environment?
- Story Effects.Urge your child to pay attention to the format of the story. How would the story be different if there were comics but no video? Video but no comics? No voice-overs at all, or voice-overs performed by a single actor? Spoken and written dialogue that was only in English? This activity will help your child understand the way technology and format can affect storytelling.
- Get Creative.NEOMAD Interactive Comic uses a mix of live video and comic book style art to tell a story, and young people were essential to its making (read more about it here). First, watch the “We Made this Comic” video in the Extras of the app. Then, encourage your child to create their own story using these mixed media techniques. They can make up an original story or use one of their favorites for inspiration. Practice script and dialogue writing, make costumes, plan scenes, get the camera rolling, and draw some comics!
Extend the app experience with these real life activities:
- Imagine.NEOMAD opens in the year 2076. Ask your child to imagine the future. What do they think the world will look like? Will it be similar to the story? Have them write their own story that takes place in 2076. What type of dwelling will they live in? How will they travel? What will they eat? In what ways will the world be the same as it is today? In what ways will it be different?
- Read and Learn.Although NEOMAD takes place in the future, it is set in Murujuga, a real place. Visit your local library to learn more about Murujuga, petroglyphs, and Aboriginal culture in Australia. Look for stories such as Yellow-Eye, which helps teach cultural awareness.
- Protect Your World.One of the take-aways from the Love Punks and Satellite Sisters is to care for and respect the environment. Help your child think of something they can do to protect the world they live in. It could be a one-time event such as cleaning up a local park and playground, or a small action that you can adopt as a family and sustain over time such as starting to compost or switching from using plastic bags and/or paper towels to reusable bags and fabric towels.