LiteratureGraphic NovelsLesson Plans

Teaching Graphic Novel Analysis: Traveling to Mars as a Case Study

llearns

2026-02-11

9 min read

Use Traveling to Mars to teach visual storytelling, pacing, and theme. Ready-to-teach lesson plan with discussion questions and essay prompts.

Hook: Turn student frustration with essays into visual analysis skills using a modern graphic novel

Many teachers and students struggle to make literary analysis stick: essays feel formulaic, visual texts overwhelm unfamiliar readers, and class time is tight. This lesson plan solves those pain points by using the contemporary graphic novel Traveling to Mars as a focused case study to teach visual storytelling, pacing, and thematic analysis—while building media literacy for an era of transmedia adaptations and AI tools (noting recent 2026 industry moves like The Orangery’s high-profile deals that highlight comics' cultural sway).

Quick overview: What this lesson delivers

In two to three 50-minute class periods (expandable into a week-long unit), students will:

Analyze how panel layout, gutters, and visual pacing shape narrative tension.
Identify and interpret recurring motifs and themes in Traveling to Mars as a sci‑fi case study.
Produce a short analytical essay or multimedia response using a clear rubric.
Practice media literacy by tracing how graphic IP migrates across platforms in 2026’s transmedia landscape.

Why use Traveling to Mars now? (2026 trends & classroom relevance)

Graphic novels are no longer niche classroom supplements. By late 2025–early 2026, publishers, studios, and agencies have accelerated transmedia development of graphic IP—highlighted by recent industry deals—making comics central to storytelling pipelines. That shift means students are not only reading texts: they're encountering IP that can become TV, games, podcasts, and marketing content. Teaching with Traveling to Mars gives students a timely lens into narrative design and media ecosystems. It also builds crucial 21st-century skills: visual literacy, critical thinking, and responsible use of AI tools for creative work. For best practices on rights and monetization when IP moves to new formats, see our notes on ethical and legal playbooks.

Learning objectives (aligned to skills)

Literary analysis: Analyze themes, characterization, and symbolism in visual text.
Visual literacy: Explain how panels, gutters, composition, color, and rhythm create meaning.
Argumentation: Write an evidence-based essay citing specific images and captions.
Media literacy: Evaluate how graphic narratives function within larger transmedia strategies and ethical use of AI.

Standards connection (examples)

Tie to Common Core and similar frameworks by focusing on evidence-based claims (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1 / RL.9-10.1) and production of clear written arguments (W.9-10.1). Visual literacy outcomes map to media standards and ISTE competencies for creative communication.

Materials & preparation

Copies (digital or print) of selected pages from Traveling to Mars—choose 3–5 pivotal pages that show varied paneling and a clear thematic beat.
Projector or large-display for shared close-reading; tablets or laptops for student annotations.
Basic art supplies for quick storyboarding (paper, pencils, rulers) or digital tools (Storyboard That, Canva, Clip Studio, Krita).
Handouts: visual analysis checklist, pacing vocabulary sheet, and essay rubric (samples below).

Lesson plan (two 50-minute classes; extendable)

Class 1 — Visual close reading & pacing (50 minutes)

Hook (5 min): Show a single, high-impact page from Traveling to Mars. Ask: "What do you notice first—image, color, text—and why?"
Mini-lecture (8 min): Introduce core visual storytelling concepts—panel, gutter, bleed, splash page, camera angle, composition, and visual metaphor. Reference Scott McCloud’s concept of transitions (moment-to-moment, action-to-action, subject-to-subject) to frame pacing analysis.
Guided practice (12 min): Distribute one selected page per small group. Use the Visual Analysis Checklist to annotate: panel size, sequence type (McCloud transitions), focal points, use of color, and text-image relationship.
Group sharing (15 min): Each group presents 2–3 observations tied to how pacing shapes emotion and expectation. Teacher models linking an observation to an analytical claim ("The long vertical panel slows time, creating tension around the astronaut's choice").
Exit ticket (10 min): Quick-write response—"Identify one panel where time feels stretched or compressed. Explain with 2–3 image-based details." Collect for formative assessment.

Class 2 — Theme exploration & writing prep (50 minutes)

Warm-up (5 min): Read aloud a short exchange or caption from the same pages. Ask: "What theme is hinted at here?"
Mini-lecture (8 min): Discuss themes common in Mars/space narratives—exploration vs. exploitation, isolation, technology and agency, colonialism, and human ambition. Emphasize evidence-based claims and avoiding plot summary.
Analytical pairs (15 min): Students form pairs to develop a one-paragraph claim connecting a visual motif to a theme (e.g., recurring red light symbolizes loss of home). They must cite two specific image features and a caption or line of dialogue.
Compare media forms (10 min): Short class discussion on transmedia—how elements that work in a graphic novel might be adapted for screen or game. Use the 2026 example of publisher and studio interest to spark media-literacy questions: who owns the story, and how might meaning shift across platforms? For practical notes on turning IP into merch and events, see From Panel to Party Pack.
Assign essay (homework): Choose one of the provided prompts (below). Students prepare a 750–900 word analytical essay with at least three image references and a visual appendix of annotated panels.

Practical activities and extensions

1. Silent-page rewrite (45–60 minutes)

Students pick a page from Traveling to Mars and rewrite the narrative as a silent page—remove captions and speech, reconstruct meaning only with image edits (crop, reorder, add panels). Reflect on how text controls pace and clarity.

2. Storyboard an emotional beat (30–45 minutes)

Choose a 2–3 page emotional sequence and create a 6–8 frame storyboard that shifts pacing. Students should label transition types (moment-to-moment, action-to-action) and annotate camera directions. Useful for standards in both ELA and art classes. If you want to experiment with AI-assisted quick drafts or offline workflows for image tests, consider lightweight setups described in our local LLM lab guide.

3. Transmedia pitch (project, 2–3 class sessions)

In small groups, students create a one-page pitch to adapt a sequence of Traveling to Mars into a short film, podcast episode, or interactive game. They must explain what changes for the new medium and why, addressing audience and ethical considerations (representation, colonial themes). For classroom examples of turning IP into merch, event kits, and audience-facing products, review From Panel to Party Pack. When preparing a pitch for a live showcase or market, our field-marketing guide explains practical logistics for meetups and events.

Discussion questions (tiered by depth)

Comprehension

What image or panel most clearly advances the plot in the selected pages? Why?
How do speech bubbles and captions interact? Which one drives the reader’s interpretation?

Analysis

Choose a repeated visual motif. How does its placement change meaning across scenes?
How does the author use panel size and shape to manipulate pacing and reader emotion?

Evaluation & media literacy

Considering recent industry interest in the series, how might adaptation to screen alter a theme—intentionally or unintentionally? See small-label strategies for adaptation case studies.
What responsibilities do creators and adaptors have when translating culturally sensitive material from page to other media? Use the ethical & legal playbook as a discussion prompt.

Essay prompts (select one)

Analytical: "Argue how visual pacing in Traveling to Mars conveys a central theme. Use three panels as evidence and explain the narrative effect of each."
Comparative: "Compare how a specific theme (e.g., isolation) appears in Traveling to Mars and one short story or film. Focus on visual strategies versus language-based strategies."
Argumentative/Media Literacy: "Should graphic novels with complex cultural themes be adapted for major streaming platforms? Use examples from Traveling to Mars and current 2026 transmedia developments to support your position."
Creative-Analytical: "Rewrite a one-page sequence from the graphic novel as a short script (no images). Then write a 300-word analysis on what is lost and what is gained in the translation."

Assessment rubric (essay)

Use a 20-point rubric to make grading transparent.

Thesis and focus (4 pts): Clear, argumentative thesis tied to visual evidence.
Evidence and analysis (6 pts): Specific image citations, detailed visual description, and interpretation that links to the thesis.
Organization and coherence (4 pts): Logical structure, clear topic sentences, and transitions that reinforce pacing of the argument.
Style and conventions (3 pts): Correct grammar, formatting, and integration of images or appendix.
Media-literacy insight (3 pts): Thoughtful consideration of adaptation, ownership, or ethical concerns relating to transmedia trends.

Differentiation & accessibility

For readers with visual impairments, provide descriptive transcripts of selected pages and audio read-alouds.
For ELL students, focus tasks on visual evidence and offer sentence starters for claims: "The panel shows ___, which suggests ___."
For advanced learners, add a research component: trace the graphic novel’s IP path and predict adaptation challenges using 2026 case studies such as the small-label playbook and monetization models.

Integrating 2026 tools and ethical considerations

By 2026, classroom tools include AI-assisted storyboarding and image generation. Use these for iterative drafting (e.g., quick composition experiments) but teach responsible use: always disclose AI assistance, verify copyright, and prioritize original student composition. Discuss deepfakes, image rights, and how transmedia firms manage IP—students should understand that a popular series can become licensed content across platforms. For rights, licensing, and ethical sale guidance, review the ethical & legal playbook.

Tip: When students create adaptive pitches, require a short rights-and-ethics paragraph: who owns the story, who is represented, and how are cultural elements treated? See resources on turning IP into audience products like merch and event kits and collector kit strategies.

Sample student timeline and deliverables

Day 1: Visual close read & exit ticket.
Day 2: Theme workshop & essay assigned.
Days 3–5: Drafting, peer review, and teacher conference (can be blended online).
Day 6: Final essay due with annotated image appendix and short reflection on media implications.

Teacher reflection & classroom management tips

Pre-select pages that are age-appropriate and provide content warnings if needed.
Model one strong paragraph in class; show how to cite image panels (e.g., "p. 34, top-left panel").
Use peer review rubrics to keep feedback focused on visual evidence and argument quality.

Case study: Classroom snapshot (experience-driven example)

At a suburban high school in early 2026, an 11th-grade teacher used this plan with a 3-page arc from Traveling to Mars. Students initially focused on plot, but pairing panel annotations with short claims shifted attention to technique. One student argued that a recurring horizon line created a sense of exile; their multimedia pitch later reframed that horizon as a motif driving both visual and marketing identity for adaptation—mirroring real-world transmedia thinking teachers should encourage. For classroom-friendly pop-up and sales tactics tied to student projects, see weekend stall kit reviews.

Checklist for ready-to-teach delivery

Select 3–5 pages demonstrating varied pacing.
Create a one-page visual-analysis checklist.
Prepare digital annotation tools or printed copies.
Share rubric in advance and model strong evidence-based analysis.
Add a media-literacy mini-lecture on transmedia and AI ethics (10 minutes).

Closing: Why this unit matters

Graphic novels like Traveling to Mars are pedagogically rich: they teach students to read images as arguments, to track pacing as a rhetorical tool, and to situate texts in a modern media ecosystem where adaptation and AI shape cultural meaning. This lesson plan gives teachers practical, scaffolded steps—from quick in-class activities to summative essays—so students leave with stronger analytical writing skills and a clearer understanding of how stories travel in 2026 and beyond.

Actionable takeaways

Annotate images first: Teach students to gather image-based evidence before writing.
Focus on transitions: Use McCloud’s transition types to discuss pacing concretely.
Connect to media literacy: Use 2026 transmedia trends to frame ethical adaptation discussions and resources like the ethical & legal playbook.

Call to action

Ready to teach this unit next week? Download the editable lesson packet (annotatable PDFs, rubric, and student handouts) or sign up for a live walkthrough where we model the silent-page exercise in real time. Click to get the materials and bring the world of Traveling to Mars into your classroom as a tool for stronger writing, sharper analysis, and future-ready media literacy.

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