El Deafo

Use these activities to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity. 

ACTIVITY 1: “Your Superhero Identity”

One of the biggest ways Cece starts to recognize herself as a person with agency is through her alter ego, El Deafo, which is illustrated throughout the book as a powerful heroine whose difference makes her strong. Take a moment to highlight three or four things you like about yourself or that you feel set you apart. Next, come up with a name, description, and drawing of yourself as a superhero that embodies one or more of those traits. Afterward, take a moment to write about what you would do with your abilities and how they make you powerful.

Teaching Suggestion: This activity is most appropriate for younger students in the middle grade range. Beforehand, you may want to look back on the El Deafo identity that Cece constructs and list the key attributes that make her a powerful superhero. You may consider adapting the activity for older students or those who need more of a challenge by having them create a comic strip or their own graphic novel featuring their superhero.