Desktop Publishing Quarter

• Students will learn what text/graphic resources are available to them for desktop publishing
• Students will learn about Positive & Negative Space
  
• Students will learn about Formal & Informal Balance
  
• Students will learn that contrast is used to catch your eye by
  • Making some element larger
  • Making some element brighter
  • Making some element have an unusual perspective
• Students will learn that when everything is emphasized, nothing is emphasized
• Students will learn how to use direction to lead the eye
  
• Students will learn how to achieve unity through theme & tone
  • Graphics and Type that go with the message
  • Keeping the overall look and feel consistent
  • Don't mix formal & informal elements
  • If an element feels like it doesn't belong, it doesn't.
  • Leaving out elements that don't help communicate your message
  • Too many typefaces destroy unity (visual distractions are mental distractions)
• Typography [Widows, Orphans, Text Wrap, Spacing]
• Students will learn the basic categories of typefaces
  • Sans Serif
  • Serif
  • Display
  • Script
  • Graphic
• Students will take a poem they have written and create a background for it
• Background could be a color blend, border, graphic or color area
• Students will choose a typeface and layout that works well for the poem
  
• Students will create a template in for a personal business card
• Postcards (research must be done outside of class time)
• Students will create a template in for a postcard (front & back)
• Students will check with a primary, intermediate, or middle school teacher and create flash cards for them
  • Math facts, animal facts, presidents, states, vowel sounds or other subject areas
• Students will check with a primary or intermediate teacher and create happygrams to send home to parents

Desktop Publishing - Business Cards

• Open up Appleworks (directions are for Appleworks, you will have to adapt for WORD)
• Draw a box with the box tool
• Go to Options & Object Info
• Make sure the box is 3.5 inches by 2 inches
• Create a text box for your name, etc.
  • hold the Option key down & make sure you have the text tool [A]
  • Make sure you justify the text box
    • left, center, or right
• Choose one or two graphics from the libraries or the scrapbooks
• Make sure the overall card is well balanced
• Select each item & go to arrange to group
  • hold down the shift key to select more than one item

Desktop Publishing - Autobiographical Posters

• Students will open up the Word template called Bio.doc
• Students will change the text to reflect their interests
• Students will change the fonts and colors of the text
• Students will use at least one wing ding style letter to replace a normal letter
  • Such as using a flower wing ding instead of an O
• Students will use at least one graphic in the same way
  Such as using a soccer ball clip art instead of an O
• Students will add clip art that compliments the overall design

               

Database - Personal Favorites Database

• Students will start a new database
• Students will brainstorm things that are their favorite things
  • Such as Last, First, Author, Movie, Animal, Sport, Hobby, Color
• Students will create several fields agreed upon by the class voting
• Students will change the fonts and colors of the text
• Students will change the background color
• Students will add a piece of clip art

Spreadsheet - Graphs - Color Wheels

• Students will start a new spreadsheet
• Students will list the twelve colors of the color wheel in the first column
  • This includes Primary, Secondary, and Intermediate colors
• Students will list equal values for each in the second column
• Students will change the colors to reflect the correct colors of the wheel
• Students will experiment with various patterns of values
• Students will experiment with various line widths

Spreadsheet - Party Budgets

• Students will start a new spreadsheet
• Students will brainstorm various items needed for a party
  • Such as specific foods, entertainment needs, paper goods
• Students will list several items in the first column
• Students will format the second column for currency
• Students will list costs for each item in the second column
• Students will list the number of each item in the third column
• Students will use a multiplication formula in the fourth column
• Students will understand that a spreadsheet is a dynamic document
  • Changing the costs and numbers of items changes the totals
• Students may change the fonts, colors, sizes, and add graphics

Spreadsheet - Crossword Puzzles

• Students will start a new spreadsheet
• Students will choose a theme based on their interests
  • This can be almost anything as long as it is appropriate
• Students will create a list of vocabulary associated with the theme
• Students will create a list of questions answered by the vocabulary
• Students will create a crossword puzzle grid by inputting the vocabulary
• Students will create an answer sheet based on their grid
• Students may change the fonts, colors, sizes, and add graphics

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