Comic Quest: Storyboarding the Ultimate Adventure

Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

Students will be able to investigate audience needs for a community-relevant interactive narrative using empathetic research and evidence-based design.

Students will be able to analyze comic-book visual language—including panel sequence, composition, camera angle, movement, timing, lighting, and sound—as tools for communicating a 3D animation narrative clearly.

Students will be able to prototype a comic-style storyboard that communicates narrative structure, character action, branching interactions, and audience experience through sequential visual design.

Students will be able to integrate staging, camera, lighting, sound, animation, and interactive technologies into a complete production plan by coordinating artistic and technical systems.

Students will be able to visualize audience-testing data about narrative clarity, accessibility, and engagement to communicate findings and guide design decisions for diverse audiences.

Students will be able to refine and justify storyboard choices in response to critique by connecting user feedback, creative risk-taking, shared decision-making, and reflective practice.

Products

individual

Audience Research and Comic-Storyboard Design Dossier

Each student develops an audience-needs summary, annotated comic-style storyboard prototype, technology plan, feedback-data visualization, and reflection explaining how testing informed revisions. The dossier demonstrates independent mastery of narrative, interaction, visual storytelling, production technology, and user-centered design.

team

Production-Ready Interactive Comic Storyboard and Showcase Presentation

Teams synthesize members’ research and prototypes into a polished branching comic storyboard, visual style guide, complete 3D animation technology plan, and audience-data visualization. At the showcase, they present and justify how critique, shared decisions, and iterative revisions improved clarity, accessibility, and engagement.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies	Critical Thinking & Problem Solving	I can identify a simple design challenge in the storyboard task and choose one or two basic ideas to help communicate the narrative or interactive experience With support, I can explain why my choice may work for a comic-style storyboard and animation project.	I can compare a few possible storyboarding tools, such as panel sequence, framing, and camera angle, and select choices that help communicate the story more clearly I can use evidence from peer feedback or observation to revise parts of my storyboard and improve how the narrative is understood.	I can analyze how multiple storyboard tools, including timing, lighting, sound cues, movement, and interactive moments, work together to solve the design problem for a 3D animation project I can justify my decisions with audience feedback or data and make purposeful revisions that strengthen clarity, creativity, and communication.	I can independently evaluate several innovative storyboard approaches and synthesize the best tools to create a polished, production-ready comic-book storyboard for a 3D animation project I can use feedback data to refine my design choices, communicate my reasoning clearly to diverse audiences, and show how my storyboard effectively supports narrative, interaction, and technical planning.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Collaboration	I can contribute to a team task by sharing my ideas, listening to others, and completing assigned storyboard work with support I can help the group make simple shared choices about the comic-style storyboard and participate in feedback conversations.	I can work with my team to make shared decisions about the storyboard’s sequence, visuals, and interactive moments, and I can explain my ideas using evidence from our draft I can respond to peer feedback and help the group revise parts of the storyboard, data visualization, or technology plan.	I can collaborate with my team to co-design a clear comic-book storyboard that connects narrative, camera choices, technology, and audience experience I can take an active role in solving disagreements, using peer/audience data to guide revisions, and helping the team communicate ideas clearly to different audiences.	I can lead and sustain collaborative design work by helping my team integrate narrative, interactive design, visual style, technology, and feedback data into a polished storyboard for a 3D animation project I can support shared decision-making, resolve challenges productively, and help the group present a coherent final design that shows how our choices strengthen the audience experience.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Effective Communication	I can share my storyboard ideas with my team using simple visuals and basic explanation, and I can listen to feedback from others I can point to a few choices in my comic-style panels, such as character action or scene order, to help communicate the narrative.	I can explain my storyboard choices clearly and use relevant visual and technical details, such as framing, camera angle, timing, lighting, or sound, to support the story’s meaning I can present my ideas to peers and revise parts of my storyboard based on feedback or discussion.	I can communicate a complete storyboard concept for a 3D animation or game experience with clear, organized panels that show narrative flow, interactive moments, and technology plans I can use audience feedback and data visualization results to explain why certain design choices improve clarity for different audiences and to guide revisions with my team.	I can communicate an original, polished storyboard and presentation that clearly connects visual storytelling, interaction, and production technology for a 3D animation project I can adapt my communication for diverse audiences, justify design decisions with evidence from feedback and data, and lead collaborative discussion that strengthens the final product.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Content Expertise	I can use basic storyboard tools and comic-book conventions to show a clear beginning, middle, and end for my story I include some character action, setting, and camera or panel choices so the viewer can follow the main idea.	I can use comic-style storyboard tools more intentionally to show narrative flow, interactive moments, and key production choices I include clear panel sequencing, camera angles, staging, and simple technology notes that help communicate how the story could work in a 3D animation project.	I can apply a range of storyboard tools to create a complete, coherent comic-book storyboard that communicates the narrative and interactive experience for my project I make purposeful choices about framing, movement, timing, lighting, sound, and technology so the storyboard supports the intended audience and production plan.	I can combine comic-book storytelling, dramatic design, and technology planning to create a polished storyboard that is ready to guide a 3D animation project I justify my creative and technical choices with clarity, use audience feedback or data to refine the design, and communicate how each element strengthens the story and interactive experience.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Academic Mindset	I can identify my strengths, interests, and areas for growth as I contribute to a team storyboard project, and I can use feedback to try one revision that improves my work I can connect part of the project to my identity, my group’s goals, or a community-relevant issue.	I can explain how my ideas, choices, and effort support my team’s storyboard goals, and I can revise my work using feedback from peers or audience testing I can name how the project connects to our audience and why our design choices matter.	I can independently set goals, use feedback and peer-testing data to improve my contribution, and show how my choices strengthen the storyboard’s clarity, creativity, and impact I can reflect on how my role and decisions help our team communicate the narrative and interactive experience effectively.	I can consistently lead my own learning by identifying needs, seeking feedback, and making purposeful revisions that improve the storyboard, technology plan, and data visualization for different audiences I can clearly explain how my work reflects my identity, supports my team, and responds to community needs while preparing for next steps in production.