Students will launch the investigation by meeting a comic creator, comparing how a graphic memoir excerpt and current news about Iran shape understanding differently, and beginning an inquiry notebook with an initial question and evidence-based observations.

Students will study short excerpts from Persepolis and current news about Iran, generate and refine an investigable question about public events and private life, and design a peer-reviewed comparison method they can use in the next phase. They will practice close analysis of graphic memoir techniques, organize early evidence in their notebooks, and revise their plans through critique before a milestone approval.

Students will collect, document, and quality-check evidence from Persepolis, news coverage, and historical research sources while refining their inquiry plan based on credibility, completeness, and contradictions in the record.

Students will analyze patterns and anomalies across their Persepolis evidence, turn those findings into annotated visual analyses and evidence-based conclusions, revise graphic memoir pages through critique, and prepare polished work for a public showing connected to the Portland Comic Book Store.

Students will present their finished graphic memoir investigations and polished pages to families and community guests, explain how their evidence and design choices shape audience understanding, gather authentic feedback, and complete a final reflection on revision, interpretation, and learning across the project.