Grade 5

Adventures in Summer

Digital Citizen, Creative Communicator
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Overview

Students will be creating a virtual collage of their summer using canva.com. They will be able to upload pictures of their own or use stock photos on the site, use a background, and include text telling a little bit about their summer through labels.

Students will:

  • Be able to create a collage of an event from their summer using words, a background, and pictures.

Vocabulary Words:

  1. Graphic design: Graphic design is using and arranging words, pictures, and colors to inform or impact the viewer using an overall picture.

To prepare for this lesson:

  • Visit Canva.com and create an account using your teacher email.
     
  • Then go to Canva for Education and register for a teacher account that you can use with your students. 
    • Watch the tutorial videos to learn how to add your students and collaborate with them. 
  • Watch the video Opening Canva for the first time | Canva for Beginners.

    • Become familiar with the basic layout of Canva including how to create a project (including the dimensions) and find the tools needed including text, color, and background.

  • Create an example for your students. 

See Accommodations Page and Charts on the 21things4students.net site in the Teacher Resources. 

Directions for this activity:

  1. Show your students the video Opening Canva for the first time | Canva for Beginners. 

  2. Talk about the different parts of graphic design (words, pictures, and background) including the definition.

  3. Show a completed example of what you did this summer that was completed using Canva.

  4. Work through the basic parts of Canva (creating a project and adding words, pictures, and a background.). Show them how to adjust the font size, color, font, picture size, etc so that everything fits with the frame you are creating.

  5. Have students complete the task using either an assigned size or of their choice.

  6. Have students download a picture file and share it with you. If assigned in Google Classroom students can upload into your classroom. 

Different options for assessing the students:

  • Observations
  • Check for understanding
  • Since this is the beginning of year assignment, it would be best to have students complete a self-check of the completed project. This could be done on Google Forms through Google Classroom. Students should indicate they have: chosen size for their project, included a background, words, and picture. After completing, students can upload their completed project onto a Classroom assignment for the teacher to see.

MITECS: Michigan adopted the "ISTE Standards for Students" called MITECS (Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students) in 2018.

Digital Citizen 
2c. Students demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of using and sharing intellectual property.

Creative Communicator
6a. Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.
6b. Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
6c. Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.
6d. Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.

Device: PC, Chromebook, Mac, iPad 

Browser: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, ALL

App, Extension, or Add-on:

Websites:
Canva

Canva for Education

Canva for Education Video Tutorials

Opening Canva for the First Time

CONTENT AREA RESOURCES

This project gives students an opportunity to label their work including a title, while not writing in a complete sentence.

The ability to graphically design is an area many students are familiar with while using phones if they have one. Connecting technology and art skills are important as students consider how to share in a different way their experiences with their teacher and other students.

Depending on the chosen topic, students may include places they have gone to over the summer.

Credits
This task card was created by Andrew Tomashewsky, Carrollton Public Schools, June 2020. Updated January 2022.