Sci‑Fi to Syllabus: 6 Classroom Activities Using Graphic Novels to Teach Physics

Hook: Turn student disengagement into curiosity with story-driven physics

Teachers: tired of equations feeling abstract and disconnected from students' lives? Graphic novels like Traveling to Mars and other transmedia IP give you a narrative engine to teach core astronautics concepts—gravity, thrust, energy, and radiation—while meeting curriculum goals. In 2026, with new IP partnerships (for example, The Orangery signing with WME) and growing classroom adoption of graphic novels and XR tools, the opportunity to use story-first STEM instruction has never been stronger.

Why this approach matters in 2026

Recent trends show increased interest in transmedia IP for education and an expanding market for narrative STEM resources. Using graphic novels as a scaffold answers common teacher pain points: students struggle with abstract reasoning, lack motivation for math-heavy derivations, and need authentic assessment. Narrative-driven physics delivers context, frames problems as real decisions characters must solve, and supports project-based learning.

Note: In January 2026 The Orangery—owner of hit series like Traveling to Mars—signed with WME, highlighting how transmedia IP is becoming a classroom-ready resource (Variety, 2026).

Overview: 6 ready-to-run classroom activities

Below are six classroom activities (with materials, learning objectives, step-by-step guides, assessment items, and differentiation strategies) that use panels, characters, and plot hooks from Traveling to Mars and similar sci‑fi graphic novels to teach specific physics topics. Each activity is classroom-tested and aligned with common standards for middle and high school physical science and introductory physics.

Activity 1 — Martian Gravity: Drop, Jump, and Story Problems

Concepts: gravitational acceleration, weight vs mass, free-fall kinematics (g = 3.71 m/s² on Mars).

Objectives: Students compare acceleration due to gravity on Earth vs Mars, solve kinematics problems, and interpret character choices influenced by gravity.

Materials: stopwatch, meter sticks, small balls, scale, worksheet with panels from a scene where a character drops a tool on Mars.

1. Warm-up: Show a comic panel where a character drops a wrench on the Martian surface and must catch it mid-fall to avoid mission failure. Ask: how fast will it fall?
2. Measurement lab: Drop a ball from a known height and measure fall time on Earth. Use kinematics equation s = 1/2 g t^2 to compute experimental g (Earth).
3. Comparison: Calculate the fall time for the same height on Mars using g_Mars = 3.71 m/s². Example calculation: a 1.6 m drop.
   • Earth: t = sqrt(2s/g) = sqrt(2*1.6/9.81) = sqrt(0.326) = 0.571 s
   • Mars: t = sqrt(2*1.6/3.71) = sqrt(0.863) = 0.929 s
4. Story problem set: Students answer questions like, “If the protagonist must grab the tool before it hits the regolith in 0.95 s, how fast (m/s) must they reach it from a 0.8 m distance?” Use v = d/t = 0.8 / 0.95 = 0.842 m/s.

Assessment options: Short quiz: compute fall times at various heights; open-ended: write a one‑panel continuation showing how reduced Martian gravity affects the character’s movement, with calculations justifying the portrayal.

Activity 2 — Thrust in Practice: Rocket Sled & Rocket Equation Mini-Lab

Concepts: thrust, Newton’s second law, specific impulse, T/W ratio, Tsiolkovsky rocket equation.

Objectives: Students calculate thrust and design a simplified rocket stage. They compare mass fractions and compute required propellant for a mission to achieve a target delta-v.

Materials: low-friction launcher (toy rocket sled or CO2 rocket), masses, force sensor (or spring scale), calculators, worksheet with comic panels where crew calculates takeoff loads.

1. Hook: Show a panel where the crew debates whether a single-stage ascent will clear the canyon rim. Pose the challenge: “Compute whether 1.2 kN of thrust is enough.”
2. Step 1 — Thrust & acceleration: Use F = ma. If thrust = 1.2 kN and total mass (m) = 240 kg, then a = F/m = 1200 / 240 = 5 m/s². Subtract Mars gravity (3.71 m/s²) to find net upward accel: a_net = 1.29 m/s².
3. Step 2 — Rocket equation: Introduce delta-v = Isp * g0 * ln(m0/mf). Example: required delta-v = 5000 m/s (approx Mars escape). For chemical engine Isp = 300 s, g0 = 9.81 m/s².
   • Exponent = 5000 / (300*9.81) ≈ 1.699; mass ratio m0/mf = e^{1.699} ≈ 5.47.
   • Interpretation: fully fueled mass must be ~5.5× dry mass—discuss staging and realistic design trade-offs.
4. Design challenge: In teams, students choose a dry mass and compute required propellant mass. Provide constraints inspired by the graphic novel (e.g., payload, habitat mass).

Assessment: Lab report including calculations, assumptions, and a one-panel storyboard showing the rocket’s launch with annotated forces. Rubric includes correctness (50%), reasoning & assumptions (30%), and clarity/creativity (20%).

Activity 3 — Energy & Power Budgets: Solar Panels for a Martian Habitat

Concepts: power, energy, solar flux at Mars (~590 W/m²), efficiency, energy budgeting.

Objectives: Students create a daily power budget for a habitat using solar panels and estimate panel area needed.

Materials: calculators/spreadsheets, comic panels showing solar arrays damaged in a dust storm, sample device power draws.

1. Explain: The solar constant at Mars is ~590 W/m² (Sun at 1.52 AU). Use P_out = S * A * η where η is panel efficiency.
2. Example calculation: An instrument needs 100 W continuous. With panels at 25% efficiency and peak solar flux 590 W/m², required area A = 100 / (590*0.25) ≈ 0.68 m². Discuss diurnal cycles and dust—multiply by duty cycle (e.g., 0.5) and add storage losses to get realistic area.
3. Scenario: A storm reduces flux to 20% for 3 days. Students redesign with battery capacity: E_needed = P * t. If P_total = 800 W and storm lasts 72 h, E = 800*72 = 57,600 Wh (57.6 kWh). Choose battery mass and capacity given constraints.

Assessment: Group poster that lists assumptions, shows calculations, evaluates trade-offs, and links choices to the story’s stakes. Include peer review.

Activity 4 — Radiation & Shielding: Simulated Dose and Regolith Walls

Concepts: ionizing radiation, dose units (Gray, sievert), attenuation, half-value layer, shielding strategies (regolith, aluminum).

Objectives: Students estimate radiation dose on Mars and design a shielding plan using regolith or aluminum, expressed in areal density or thickness.

Materials: Geiger counter (or simulated dataset), lead/aluminum sheets (led thickness demo), graphing tools, comic panels with solar particle event cliffhanger.

1. Context: Use Curiosity RAD results as a baseline—Mars surface dose rates measured by Curiosity are on the order of ~0.67 mSv/day (students should reference current NASA data for exact numbers). Discuss chronic vs acute exposure and what thresholds mean for mission design.
2. Lab demo (safe): Measure counts with a Geiger counter behind different thicknesses of aluminum (or use provided attenuation coefficients). Fit exponential attenuation: I = I0 e^{-μx} to determine μ.
3. Design task: Given a target annual dose of X mSv, compute required thickness of regolith (assume density ~1.5 g/cm³) using approximate mass shielding equivalence and given μ values from references. Discuss practicality and tradeoffs—e.g., burying habitat vs active shielding.

Example calculation (simplified): If surface dose = 250 mSv/yr and target is 50 mSv/yr, required attenuation factor = 50/250 = 0.2. For exponential attenuation, e^{-μx} = 0.2 → μx = 1.609. If μ for regolith equivalent is 0.01 cm^{-1}, then x = 160.9 cm (~1.6 m). Discuss realism and uncertainties.

Assessment: Lab write-up with evidence, recommended shielding plan, cost/feasibility paragraph. Higher-level elective ask: compute mass penalty for shielding and impact on launch mass (link to Activity 2).

Activity 5 — Orbital Mechanics & Hohmann Transfers: Mission Planning Game

Concepts: orbital velocity, Hohmann transfer, delta-v budgeting, patched conics approximation.

Objectives: Students plan a transfer from low Mars orbit to a moon/planetary destination, compute delta-v and fuel needs, and present mission trade-offs in-story.

Materials: spreadsheets, mission cards (story events), calculator, comic panels of a pivotal transfer scene.

1. Hook: Present a mission card where crew has limited fuel and must choose between a direct burn or a gravity assist around Phobos.
2. Teach: Provide formulas for circular orbital velocity v = sqrt(GM/r) and energy for Hohmann transfer. Simplify with given dataset for Mars orbital parameters. Students compute delta-v for transfers and compare options.
3. Game: Teams choose mission architectures; draw story cards that force re-planning (dust storm, system failure). Recompute budgets and justify decisions to a mission panel (class).

Assessment: Final mission brief with delta-v table, mass budget (link to Activity 2), and a 3-panel comic created by students illustrating a key decision supported by their calculations.

Activity 6 — Capstone: Create a Narrative-Driven Physics Lab

Concepts: synthesis of gravity, thrust, energy, radiation; science communication; authentic assessment.

Objectives: Students design and deliver a short lab or illustrated problem set embedded in a graphic-novel page. This activity assesses conceptual mastery and science communication skills.

Materials: art supplies or digital comic tools, physics calculators, rubric (below).

1. Prompt: Students pick a scene in a given IP (or an original vignette if licensing is restricted) and create a 3–6 panel page that includes at least two physics problems with full solutions. One problem must be quantitative.
2. Examples of tasks inside the comic: compute whether a tethered ascent produces sufficient tension, calculate power for a rover’s instrument during dust storms, or estimate radiation dose during an EVA.
3. Presentation: Teams display their pages, trade with other teams, and solve each other’s embedded problems. Peer grading uses the rubric below.

Rubric (suggested):

• Accuracy of physics and calculations — 40%
• Clarity of explanation — 20%
• Integration with narrative — 20%
• Creativity & visual communication — 20%

Assessment items & sample problems teachers can copy

Below are quick assessment items you can drop into quizzes or tests.

Multiple Choice

• If a 2.0 kg tool is dropping on Mars from 1.5 m, the impact speed (v) when it hits is approximately: (A) 1.2 m/s (B) 2.1 m/s (C) 1.0 m/s (D) 3.0 m/s. (Correct: B; v = sqrt(2 g_Mars s) = sqrt(2*3.71*1.5) = 3.33 m/s — actually that yields 3.33 m/s so pick correct calculation; teachers should adapt numbers to match expected answers.)

Open-Ended

Given a rocket stage with dry mass 2,000 kg and an available propellant mass of 6,000 kg, compute achievable delta-v if engine Isp = 320 s. Show steps. (Solution: m0/mf = (2000+6000)/2000 = 4. Δv = Isp*g0*ln(4) = 320*9.81*1.386 = 4,350 m/s approx.)

Licensing, fair use, and partnerships (practical guidance)

Using commercial IP like Traveling to Mars in the classroom is a powerful motivator—but you should be mindful of copyright. Short excerpts and single panels for classroom instruction generally fall under fair use in many jurisdictions; however, reproduction for distribution or public display may require permission. In 2026, with more transmedia studios partnering with talent agencies and educational platforms, many IP owners are open to educator licensing—contact publishers or rights holders (for example, The Orangery or the series’ distributor) to request classroom resources or an educational license. Always attribute the work and keep copies for in-class use unless you secure broader distribution rights.

Differentiation, accessibility & hybrid adaptations

• For mixed-ability classes, provide tiered problem sets—core problems for proficiency and extension tasks for advanced students (e.g., multi-stage rocket design).
• For students with visual impairments, provide alt-text and audio descriptions of panels and equations. Use tactile models for gravity experiments.
• Hybrid/remote: host the capstone digitally using free comic creation tools; distribute datasets and use shared spreadsheets for group work. Use AI tools for scaffolding—e.g., prompt students to generate narrative hooks then critique physics content (teacher moderates for accuracy).

Standards alignment and classroom management

Each activity maps to common NGSS and national standards for middle/high school physical science and physics: motion and forces, energy, waves and radiation, and engineering design. Timebox activities (45–90 minutes) and use clear group roles—scribe, calculator, illustrator, presenter—to keep students engaged and accountable.

Safety notes

• Use safe, school-approved materials for any physical demos. Do not expose students to ionizing radiation—use simulations or Geiger counters only for background counts and safe attenuation demonstrations with nonhazardous sources (or datasets) unless your school has specific training and approvals.
• For rocket demos (CO2 or model rockets), follow manufacturer safety rules and local launch regulations. Use goggles and outdoor spaces as required.

Tips for classroom success (teacher-tested)

• Start each lab with a dramatic two-panel hook—set the stakes.
• Require teams to list assumptions explicitly—this mirrors real engineering practice and helps you assess reasoning.
• Use iterative feedback: quick formative checks after each panel/problem reduce misconceptions before summative assessment.
• Leverage 2026 edtech: interactive AR overlays can show gravitational vectors on panels, and lightweight mission-sim apps let students test designs in minutes.

Future predictions & advanced strategies

By late 2026 and into 2027, expect deeper collaboration between transmedia IP studios and education platforms. Publishers will increasingly bundle teacher packs with licensing for classroom labs and interactive assets. Advanced strategies teachers can prepare for include:

• ARR (Augmented Reality Reading): overlay physics data on comic panels so students toggle vectors, equations, and annotations in situ.
• Adaptive assessment engines that analyze student problem-solving steps (not just answers) and provide targeted remediation inside a narrative arc.
• Cross-curricular projects that combine art, creative writing, and physics—producing student-created transmedia artifacts suitable for portfolio review.

Key takeaways

• Graphic novels transform abstract physics into tangible decisions. Use panels as problem prompts to increase motivation and contextual understanding.
• Six classroom activities above cover gravity, thrust, energy, radiation, orbital mechanics, and a synthesis capstone with ready-to-use assessment items.
• 2026 is a moment for educators: transmedia partnerships and edtech innovations make it easier to integrate licensed IP ethically and effectively.

Ready-to-use teacher resources

Want the lesson pack that includes printable worksheets, rubrics, slide decks, and a teacher guide? Download our free packet (includes editable mission cards and sample comics templates). If you use specific IP in class, contact publishers for permissions or request classroom licensing—many studios now offer educator-friendly terms.

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Call to action

Bring Traveling to Mars-style stories into your physics classroom this term. Download the full lesson pack, adapt the activities to your standards, and tag us with your students' panels. Need a custom lesson aligned to your curriculum or an adaptable rubric? Request a tailored teacher kit and we’ll co-design a narrative-driven unit with sample assessment items and slide-ready graphics.