Character Consistency Challenge

Can AI keep your character the same across panels?

⚠ SPOILER: NOT WITHOUT YOUR HELP
⏱ 20 MINUTES ✏ GRADE 6 + 8 📖 GRAPHIC NOVEL
📍 ACTIVITY 1 — SPOT THE PROBLEM ⏱ 3 MIN

These three descriptions are supposed to be the same character across three graphic novel panels. Read them carefully.

PANEL 1
A teenage boy with short black hair, wearing a muddy brown uniform and a red scarf, carrying a leather satchel.
PANEL 2
A young man with dark curly hair, wearing a green jacket and a striped scarf, holding a canvas bag.
PANEL 3
A boy with brown hair, wearing a grey coat, no scarf, carrying a backpack.

✏ YOUR TURN — Tick every change you spot:

  • Hair changed between panels
  • Clothing colour / type changed
  • The scarf disappeared
  • The bag / satchel changed
  • Age / description shifted
💬 DISCUSS TOGETHER Which change would break your graphic novel story the most? Why?
⚡ AI DOESN'T REMEMBER YOUR CHARACTER — IT GUESSES FROM SCRATCH EVERY SINGLE TIME
🔍 ACTIVITY 2 — PROMPT DETECTIVE ⏱ 4 MIN

Click the coloured buttons to highlight different prompt ingredients in Prompt B. See how much richer it is.

✗ PROMPT A

A boy in World War 1.

8 words. AI fills in everything.

✓ PROMPT B — click to highlight

A 13-year-old WW1 messenger boy with short black hair and tired eyes, wearing a muddy brown uniform and a red scarf, carrying a leather satchel, standing in a dark trench, graphic novel style, muted colours.

💬 DISCUSS TOGETHER Which prompt gives AI fewer chances to guess? Why does every extra detail matter?
Teacher line: "The better your prompt, the fewer surprises you get."
🃏 ACTIVITY 3 — PROMPT CARD SORT ⏱ 5 MIN

Build a full character prompt together. Fill in one detail per card for the shared class character — a WW1 nurse. Then hit Assemble Prompt.

🧍 CHARACTER
🔢 AGE
💇 FACE & HAIR
👕 CLOTHING
🎒 OBJECT
😓 EMOTION
🏚 SETTING
🎨 ART STYLE
🔒 MUST STAY THE SAME
💬 DISCUSS Look at your assembled prompt. Which 3 details absolutely must stay the same in every panel? Why those three?
🧠 ACTIVITY 4 — PARTS, PURPOSES, COMPLEXITIES ⏱ 4 MIN

Now use your own main character. Fill in each column for at least 3 details.

🔵 PARTS
What details make them recognisable?
🟢 PURPOSES
What does each detail show?
🔴 COMPLEXITIES
What might AI accidentally change?

PARTS: Red scarf | Leather satchel | Muddy boots

PURPOSES: Shows identity/home | Shows role as messenger | Shows hardship of war

COMPLEXITIES: AI might change the colour | AI might turn it into a backpack | Boots might disappear entirely

💬 GRADE 8 PUSH For each detail in your table — does it also reveal personality, conflict, or theme? Add a note if it does.
🔒 ACTIVITY 5 — LOCK YOUR CHARACTER ⏱ 4 MIN

Write your own Character Lock Prompt. Each student writes their own — use the template below.

🔒 3 DETAILS THAT MUST NEVER CHANGE

🔒
🔒
🔒

🔒 3 SYMBOLIC DETAILS THAT MUST NEVER CHANGE

🔒
🔒
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✏ GRADE 8 CHALLENGE Pick ONE locked detail and write one sentence: "This detail shows ___ because ___."

🤝 ACTIVITY 6 — PEER TEST SWAP PROMPTS

Swap your written prompts. Read your partner's prompt and tick each question honestly.

  • Can I picture the character clearly in my head?
  • Are there at least 3 locked details?
  • Is the setting described?
  • Is the art style included?
  • Is there anything AI might still get wrong?
💬 SHARE ALOUD Tell your partner your suggestion. Then switch — now they check yours.
🎟 EXIT TICKET — BEFORE I GENERATE… ⏱ 1 MIN

Each student completes these three sentences on their own.

My character must always have…
This detail matters because…
One thing AI might get wrong is…

⚡ NEXT LESSON

We generate and compare. Whose character will AI nail exactly? Whose will it wreck?

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