Five-Week Plan
Year 9 HEAP • Graphic Novel • Five-week sequence
This sequence treats the graphic novel as a visual argument. Meaning is built in the panel, in the gutter between panels and across the page. Students learn to read that grammar, then use it to plan and draft a short comic of their own.
Use cleared examples. The packet does not reproduce copyrighted comic pages. Teachers should supply short extracts that are public domain, openly licensed, created by the class or covered by an appropriate educational licence. Project single pages for analysis rather than distributing copies.
Week 1 - Visual grammar
| Lesson | Focus | Formative checkpoint |
|---|
| 1 | What a graphic novel is, and how it differs from an illustrated story or a film. | Three examples classified by how word and image share meaning. |
| 2 | Visual grammar: line, shape, colour, texture, space and symbol. | An annotation of one panel using the grammar of visual design. |
| 3 | Panels and gutters: the frame, the gap and what the reader supplies. | A description of what happens between two panels. |
| 4 | Closure and inference: how readers connect moments, places and causes. | A six-panel sequence that requires the reader to infer a transition. |
Week 2 - Page and character
| Lesson | Focus | Formative checkpoint |
|---|
| 1 | Page layout and reading path: grids, tiers, splash pages and the direction of the eye. | A traced reading path through a supplied page. |
| 2 | Colour and light: palette, contrast, saturation and symbolic colour. | A colour plan for one scene with a stated effect. |
| 3 | Character design and expression: silhouette, costume, posture and facial expression. | A character sheet with three expressions and a design rationale. |
| 4 | Word and image: captions, dialogue, sound effects, lettering and silence. | A scene rewritten so the image carries more of the meaning. |
Week 3 - Narrative and analysis
| Lesson | Focus | Formative checkpoint |
|---|
| 1 | Narrative structure: beats, turning points and the shape of a short comic. | A beat sheet for an eight-page comic. |
| 2 | Analysing a page: from observation to a claim about the whole text. | One analytical paragraph with a specific panel reference. |
| 3 | Character and conflict: what a character wants, what blocks them and what the page shows. | A conflict map with one visual consequence. |
| 4 | Theme and motif: how repeated images and colours build meaning. | A motif tracker across three pages. |
Week 4 - Plan and draft
| Lesson | Focus | Formative checkpoint |
|---|
| 1 | Planning a comic: premise, character, setting, conflict and ending. | A one-page plan with a clear dramatic question. |
| 2 | Script and thumbnails: panel-by-panel description, dialogue and page turns. | A complete script for four pages. |
| 3 | Drafting: pencils, inks, lettering and a readable layout. | A finished draft of one page. |
| 4 | Peer feedback: can a reader follow the page without explanation? | Three specific responses and one change made. |
Week 5 - Refine and present
| Lesson | Focus | Formative checkpoint |
|---|
| 1 | Revision: clarity, reading path, character consistency and word-image balance. | A before-and-after page with a stated improvement. |
| 2 | Presentation: introduce the comic, explain one page and answer questions. | A short introduction that names the story's question. |
| 3 | Ethics: representation, consent and the use of other people's images or stories. | One ethical choice explained in relation to the comic. |
| 4 | Transfer: analyse an unfamiliar page using the same questions. | A completed analysis without prompts. |
The plan is adaptable. If drawing time is limited, keep the script, thumbnails and one finished page rather than rushing eight pages. A graphic novel unit can be completed through analysis and planning without every student producing a full comic.