transmediacourse creationstorytelling

Transmedia Storytelling for Course Creators: Turning a Graphic Novel into a Curriculum

ggooclass

2026-02-10

11 min read

A practical 2026 guide for educators and creators to adapt graphic novels like Traveling to Mars into multiformat curricula: print, video, roleplay, and online modules.

Hook: Turn classroom struggle into a rich, multiformat learning journey

If you’ve ever wanted to convert the visual energy of a graphic novel into a full-blown learning experience but felt stuck on logistics, copyright, or how to structure lessons across video, print, roleplay and online modules — this guide is for you. Many educators and creators worry that adapting a beloved title like Traveling to Mars into a curriculum will be prohibitively complex or legally risky. In 2026, with transmedia production booming and agencies like WME signing transmedia studios, the opportunities are bigger than ever — and so are the practical tools to do it right.

The 2026 context: Why transmedia matters for curriculum creators now

Over late 2025 and early 2026 the industry accelerated around transmedia IP development. European transmedia studio The Orangery — owner of graphic novels including Traveling to Mars — signed with WME in January 2026, signaling growing institutional interest in multi-platform adaptations. That means educators and course creators who learn to adapt graphic novels into multiformat learning will be in demand for partnerships, licensing, and funded pilots.

"Transmedia IP Studio the Orangery, Behind Hit Graphic Novel Series ‘Traveling to Mars’ and ‘Sweet Paprika,’ Signs With WME (EXCLUSIVE)" — Variety, Jan 16, 2026

In classroom terms, the rise of transmedia intersects with other 2026 trends: AI-assisted media creation (text-to-image/video), widespread LMS modularization, AR/VR affordability for experiential learning, and an emphasis on cross-disciplinary, skills-based standards. That creates a perfect moment to build a curriculum around a story world, not just a book.

What is transmedia storytelling for curriculum? A concise definition

Transmedia storytelling means telling a single story world across multiple platforms and formats — each format adds unique content and learning value. For course creators, that translates into a curriculum where printed graphic-novel readings, recorded video lessons, live roleplay simulations, and interactive online modules each teach different competencies while reinforcing the same story world.

Why choose a graphic novel like Traveling to Mars?

Visual engagement: Comics combine art and text to support diverse learners, including ELL and neurodiverse students.
Interdisciplinary themes: Crime, science, culture, and ethics in many graphic novels map well to ELA, STEM, and social studies.
Transmedia-ready IP: Popular series already feature expanded universes that lend themselves to spinouts and targeted modules.
Market interest: Publishers and transmedia studios are actively looking to place educational partnerships in 2026.

Eight-step roadmap: From graphic novel to multiformat curriculum

Follow this practical workflow to move from idea to pilot.

Secure rights & assess permissions. Contact IP owners (for example, The Orangery or their agents at WME) to confirm educational licensing options and derivative-rights for multimedia. If licensing is not possible, design a story-inspired curriculum using comparable themes and original characters.
Define learning outcomes and standards alignment. Map story themes and scenes to learning standards (ELA, NGSS, Social Studies standards, and SEL competencies). Create 3–6 measurable objectives per module.
Create a story bible for educators. Build a one-page canon: characters, timeline, locations, technology, social rules and core conflicts. This keeps every format consistent and helps collaborators build on the same foundation.
Choose formats by learning function. Decide what each medium will teach. Use print for close reading and visual literacy, video for background lectures and artist interviews, roleplay for empathy and debate, and online modules for assessment and practice.
Design modular units (microlearning). Break content into 15–30 minute modules so teachers can mix formats by class period or micro-credential.
Prototype and test. Pilot with a class, collect formative feedback, and measure outcomes using pre/post assessments and rubrics. Consider lightweight creator setups described in guides to mobile production like mobile studio essentials when you need quick field capture for pilots.
Iterate for accessibility and inclusion. Add alt-text, transcripted video, adjustable text-size comic PDFs, and multi‑language support.
Scale and partner. Package your curriculum as an LMS-ready course, approach schools, districts, or transmedia IP holders for licensing and distribution deals.

How to map story world elements to curriculum outcomes (example using Traveling to Mars)

Below is a compact example of aligning story elements to outcomes across disciplines.

Theme: Exploration & Ethics — Outcome: Students write a policy brief arguing an ethical stance on colonizing ecosystems. (ELA + Social Studies)
Technology: Mars terraforming tech — Outcome: Students model atmospheric changes and run simple simulations. (NGSS/Physics/STEM)
Character arc: Protagonist’s cultural negotiation — Outcome: Roleplay negotiation scenarios to develop perspective-taking and debate skills. (SEL + Social Studies)
Visual motifs: Color palettes and panel framing — Outcome: Students create a storyboard and short video emulating the novel’s visual style. (Art & Media Literacy)

Design patterns: Which format does what best?

Use this quick-reference when deciding which learning task fits which format.

Print (comic/graphic novel): close reading, visual literacy, annotation exercises, literature circles.
Video: background context, author/artist interviews, process walkthroughs, short documentaries.
Roleplay & live simulations: debate, ethical decision-making, language practice, community-building.
Online modules/LMS: quizzes, adaptive practice, branching scenarios, AR/VR experiences, peer review workflows.

Sample 4-week module plan (ready to drop into an LMS)

Each week is modular; teachers can reorder. All activities include formative checks and rubrics.

Week 1 — World & Vocabulary
- Read: Traveler’s Prologue + Chapters 1–2 (print)
- Watch: 8-min video — "Making the World of Traveling to Mars"
- Activity: Create a glossary, annotate panels for implied meaning
- Assessment: 5-question comprehension quiz
Week 2 — Science & Systems
- Read: Scientific brief in story bible
- Interactive: Run a simple atmosphere model in the LMS (H5P integration)
- Project: Build a basic simulation and present findings
- Assessment: Lab report rubric (claims, evidence, reasoning)
Week 3 — Ethics & Roleplay
- Roleplay: Diplomatic council debating colony policy
- Prep: Students prepare briefs and position statements
- Assessment: Peer and teacher rubrics on argumentation and collaboration
Week 4 — Create & Reflect
- Production: Students storyboard and shoot a 2–3 minute scene
- Publish: Upload to LMS; class provides structured feedback
- Assessment: Summative portfolio (comic annotation, simulation results, roleplay reflection, video)

Rubrics & assessment examples

Use concise rubrics to measure both content knowledge and creative skills. Here are three quick rubric dimensions you can adapt.

Comprehension & Analysis (0–4): Accuracy of interpretation, use of textual evidence, depth of insight.
Application & Technical Skill (0–4): Simulation/modeling accuracy, video production quality, creative design choices.
Collaboration & Communication (0–4): Contribution to group work, clarity, respect, and responsiveness in peer review.

Production checklist: Short-form video & roleplay

Keep production costs low and learning impact high with this checklist.

Define learning objective for each video/scene (15–30 seconds per objective).
Write a 1-page storyboard and 60–90 second script.
Assemble assets: artwork (panels), B-roll, voiceover text, music with appropriate licenses.
Record: Smartphone or entry-level mirrorless camera; lavalier mic for clear dialogue.
Edit: Use accessible tools (OpenShot, Adobe Premiere Rush, or AI-assisted editors like Runway in 2026).
Caption & transcript for accessibility (required for universal design).
Upload to LMS and tag with learning objectives and timecodes.

Legal & licensing essentials (practical checklist)

Before you publish any derivative content, cover these bases. Licensing negotiations are easier when you present a clear education plan and revenue model.

Identify rights holder: The Orangery, publisher, or an agency such as WME.
Request educational license: Specify formats, territories, distribution channels, and revenue terms.
Negotiate derivative rights: Video, audio, roleplay scripts, digital modules, and merchandising.
Fair use vs. license: Fair use is narrow; for structured courses sold broadly you usually need a license.
Student privacy & data: Ensure LMS and tech tools comply with COPPA/FERPA and regional laws (e.g., GDPR for EU students).

Tech stack recommendations for 2026

Pick tools that support multiformat delivery, privacy, and low production friction.

LMS: Canvas, Moodle, or Thinkific for creator-to-consumer models.
Interactive authoring: H5P for branching scenarios and AR/VR hooks in WebXR.
Media creation: AI-assisted tools (GPT-4o/2026-class models for script drafting), Runway/Stable video tools for visuals, Midjourney/SD-equivalents for concept art — always verify licenses for student use.
Collaboration: Miro for storyboarding, Google Workspace for scripts and asset management.
Assessment & analytics: LMS-native analytics + learning record store (LRS) for xAPI tracking.

Pedagogical best practices for multiformat learning

To maximize learning, design each format to deliver a distinct cognitive task and then provide explicit scaffolding to connect them.

Chunk content: Short modules prevent cognitive overload and improve transfer across formats.
Scaffold across media: Preview in video, practice in online module, demonstrate in roleplay, reflect via print annotations.
Use transfer prompts: Ask students to explain how a concept learned in a simulation appears in the comic panels.
Differentiate: Offer simplified transcripts, extension tasks, or alternate production roles to reach diverse learners.

Case study concept: Pilot using Traveling to Mars (example outcomes)

Imagine a district pilot in Spring 2026 where a middle school uses a licensed Traveling to Mars curriculum. In five weeks students completed simulations on atmospheric engineering, wrote persuasive public notices for settlers, produced short scenes that emulated the novel’s visual language, and participated in a simulated colony council. Post-pilot data showed a 22% gain in argument writing scores and a 30% increase in engagement among the lowest-quartile readers.

Measuring success: metrics and KPIs

Track both learning and engagement. Core KPIs:

Pre/post content mastery (standardized or rubric-based).
Engagement minutes per module (LMS analytics).
Production artifacts completed per student (videos, roleplay briefs).
Equity indicators: participation by subgroup, accessibility adjustments implemented.

Monetization and partnership strategies

If you aim to sell or license your curriculum, consider these models:

Subscription: District or individual teacher subscriptions to the LMS course package.
Per-seat licensing: Standard for school adoption; negotiate multi-year discounts.
Co-branded partnerships: Work with transmedia studios or publishers for co-marketing and revenue share (the WME/Orangery deal shows studios want educational extensions that protect brand canon). For publicity and distribution tactics see guides on turning press into discoverable programs like From Press Mention to Backlink.
Sponsored modules: Grants or corporate partnerships for STEM/science modules.

Risks and mitigation

IP risk: Always get written agreements; keep a legal record and scope documents.
Tech risk: Offer low-tech alternatives (print packets) if schools lack reliable devices.
Quality drift: Maintain a story bible and version control for canonical updates.

Templates you can copy (quick starters)

Use these starting prompts and mini-templates to speed creation.

One-sentence module objective: "Students will be able to [skill] by [task] using evidence from [story element]." Example: "Students will be able to evaluate the ethical implications of colonization by drafting a policy brief referencing Chapter 3 characters' actions."
Story bible headings: Title, Core Themes, Timeline (5 bullets), Characters (1-paragraph each), Key Locations (2–3 sentences), Rules/Tech Limits, Visual Motifs.
Video script prompt (AI-ready): "Write a 90-second script that introduces the planet's ecosystem and poses two essential questions students will investigate in Week 2."

Final checklist before launch

Rights cleared or story-inspired content approved.
Learning outcomes mapped to standards.
Accessibility & privacy compliance confirmed.
Pilot tested with formative evaluation plan.
Clear marketing and partnership plan for scale.

Parting prediction: the future of story-driven learning (2026+)

In 2026 the education ecosystem is primed for transmedia curricula. Agencies and studios are actively packaging IP for educational use. At the same time, advances in AI and WebXR make it possible to generate immersive learning artifacts faster and at lower cost. Course creators who can blend strong pedagogical design with transmedia story discipline will be the sought-after partners for schools and IP holders alike.

Actionable takeaways

Start with rights — you can’t scale without permission.
Build a compact story bible to keep formats aligned.
Design each medium for a unique learning task and scaffold transfer across formats.
Use AI tools for efficiency but verify licenses and accessibility.
Pilot small, measure outcomes, iterate — then scale with partners.

Call to action

Ready to adapt a graphic novel into a multiformat curriculum? Download our free Transmedia Course Kit (lesson templates, story bible starter, rubrics and video script prompts) and join a live workshop where we'll build a pilot module together. Sign up to get notified about the next cohort and one-on-one licensing checklist review.

gooclass

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.