This is the replay for a webinar held on August 28th! You’ll find all the links mentioned in the webinar at the end of this post. The discounts and goodies mentioned will only be available THIS WEEK (ending on September 4th). So, make sure you take advantage NOW!
I think making a curriculum map in graphic design or digital photography has so many possibilities! While other fields have a lot of black and white, we live in a very nice grey area. We don’t have to have the exact answer to every problem (since so many of the problems are creativity based), so we often get to sit alongside students and be a coach or a guide as they work through creative blocks or difficulties.
That being said, there is definite merit to having a curriculum plan. With so many directions one could take, there is simply no perfect curriculum design for any art field. However, below is a summary of the webinar held on Saturday, August 28, 2021. In it I not only review my curriculum example, but guide through an effective curriculum mapping process for any artistic field.
Plan a (flexible) timeline
You may be thinking, “Yeah, a timeline sounds great, but you just never know how long a lesson will take!” And you’re right! Sometimes there will be snow days. Sometimes you’ll have students who work at a slower (or faster) pace. Sometimes you’ll want to slip in an extra lesson that you found online that just looks like too much fun to pass up!
While you never really know how long a unit will take, you can have a general plan for a direction that you want to go. One way that I do this is staying firm on the topics that I want to cover (Elements and Principles of Design, Color Theory, etc), and switching up the projects that go with them from time to time.
Have a Scope and Sequence
I mentioned this above, but knowing a general direction can make a big difference in your planning. You can be free to add a random unit about your favorite graphic designer if it fits in with your general plan for the year. Keeping things relatively open can help to relieve stress throughout the year.
Consider Standards
I know, I know… following standards doesn’t sound fun, but many districts have that expectation for their teachers… even art teachers!
But you need not despair! Many art standards are relatively open and you can usually fit your favorite project into art standards without much difficulty! The curriculum map that I am providing for you uses the National Core Arts Standards, but you can likely fit other standards in there if you need to.
Make it fun for students (within reason 🙂
While it’s great to have a fun and loose environment in your classroom, make sure that you are teaching them what they need to know. It is good to make graphic design fun (we’ve all had students who come to school solely so that they can do art), you need to make sure that you are teaching with direction so that they can look back on the year and be proud of how much they learned!
Now for the Freebie!
Here’s what you’ve been waiting for! While you won’t get the extra special free gift mentioned in the webinar, you can get to the free curriculum map organizer by clicking the button below. Make sure that you follow the instructions laid out in the video or read the instructions in the first tab of the Google sheet. Thanks for watching, Enjoy!
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