This is my curriculum for the 20-21 school year. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak I'm not sure I'll actually get to teach it this way. that Being said please read this to get up to speed on a particulars of my program, like equipment and style of teaching.
- This is taught to mixed ability levels of students, most have never touched a computer for extended periods of time. It is taught to 9-12 grade, so while some of it is simple, imagine teaching top level seniors and low level freshmen in the same class. The class periods are 54 minute intervals, minus about a 5 minute login/setup time. The assignments are short or long depending on how much repetition your require, check the criteria and adjust accordingly. These classes are also year long so this is, at Unit 13 more than 180 contract days of lessons that last anywhere from 20 minutes to a whole week.
- I teach by demonstrating one step or a cluster of steps, I stop, then walk around on a timer of 3-4 minutes to help fix issues, then I move onto the next step. The last 20 minutes of class is for repetition and practice, they then hand in their practice file. I almost never look at and individually grade each practice file. If they hand in a practice file, that means they were working. More sophisticated multi-step assignments are graded with rubrics later in the year.
- This is primarily an illustration heavy/focused curriculum for year 1. Units 1-13 are considered Graphic Design 1, I will eventually split off Type and onwards into Graphics 2. There is a gradual release of responsibility. The same process of sketch, outline, color, edit after color is repeated in the unit structure and individual project structure.
- Projects are chunked into one or two skills. Skills and projects repeat the same skill. A practice file or JPEG accompanies each skill practice session. If it says "teacher" in the file name that is for demonstration purposes. Most practice files are from free stock vector art websites, they have been heavily modified and should not be used for commercial purposes.
- Each file folder has a project title that is the name of the assignment for the LMS (more on this later); a PowerPoint with criteria, visual examples, and student examples, and sometimes instructions are included for the teacher and students; and then there is a project file in the form of an .AI file to download and open and complete or a JPEG to trace. If your confused about the purpose of the assignment contact me, or adapt the process to whatever you want. some project folders are empty because they're student choice, so students just need to draw what they want with what they know.
- We are a Microsoft school so our learning management system is Teams. My introductory computer unit is Microsoft focused. You might want to scrap it if you borrow these files or modify it to match your login procedures. A pretty definite knowledge of MS office 365 is needed if you want to use those materials.
- I use Adobe CC 2018 which is just before the switch to student licenses, you need a pretty in depth knowledge of the software to use this whole curriculum. I also use snapchat's Lens Studio which is free to download and install, their online resources will get you up to speed in no time. I also bought a onetime license for the fontself Illustrator extension. I use this to make fonts with the kids, you only need a single license if you want to make fonts easily with their illustrator files.
- I do demonstrations using Netop Vision Pro, its buggy but it works. Windows magnify utility is helpful, and I also install greenshot for making tutorials as it is free and better than window's snip tool. Camtasia is what I use to make my instructional videos although nowadays I simply use what's at the top of YouTube.
- Feel free to use these materials and contact me any time using the info on the contact page.