Design Work
︎︎︎ OpenSesame
︎︎︎ Treasure Data
︎︎︎ Jellyfish
︎︎︎ 4ATX Foundation
︎︎︎ A New Library
︎︎︎ The Bon Air Times
Explorations
︎︎︎ Hoax
︎︎︎ Mixtape Zine
︎︎︎ Paris Zine
Teaching
︎︎︎ WordPress VIP Webinar
︎︎︎ OneAmerica Lecture
︎︎︎ NC State Design Camp
︎︎︎ Participatory Design
About
LinkedIn︎︎︎
Resume︎︎︎
How might we teach fourth grade curriculum through a collaborative design project?
The Bon Air Times newspaper is a collaboration with elementary educator Rylei Davis and the fourth grade students in her class at Bon Air Elementary school in Kokomo, Indiana. Together, Rylei and I structured the curriculum for her class' spring 2018 semester around a design project: a class newspaper. I visited Rylei's classroom once a week and taught design lessons while the rest of the week Rylei taught the main subjects using the newspaper as a method for understanding big concepts.
Research: Informal Interviews
Informal interviews with educators, artists, and designers informed my approach to curriculum planning.
Research: Classroom Observation & Teacher Interviews
Rylei and I met weekly throughout the semester in order to check-in on the project and ideate and brainstorm together. In our initial meetings Rylei and I met with her student teaching advisor to get all necessary approvals as well as suggestions to make our collaborative project tangible for the both of us. Following these preliminary meetings Rylei and I would share with each other the goals and details of each of our sides of the project as well as any background information we might have needed.
Rylei and I met weekly throughout the semester in order to check-in on the project and ideate and brainstorm together. In our initial meetings Rylei and I met with her student teaching advisor to get all necessary approvals as well as suggestions to make our collaborative project tangible for the both of us. Following these preliminary meetings Rylei and I would share with each other the goals and details of each of our sides of the project as well as any background information we might have needed.
Design Lesson
In our design lesson, the classroom discussed hierarchy and what makes something stand out on a page. We learned how the size, the placement and even the font can affect how people read it. Using the example front-page in the photo, we saw how the most important news wasn’t eye-catching at such a small size. We were also able to discuss how the person who writes the news can change how people perceive what is true or important.
In our design lesson, the classroom discussed hierarchy and what makes something stand out on a page. We learned how the size, the placement and even the font can affect how people read it. Using the example front-page in the photo, we saw how the most important news wasn’t eye-catching at such a small size. We were also able to discuss how the person who writes the news can change how people perceive what is true or important.
Curriculum Driven Newspaper Content
In math, students learned fractions through the way that the page was divided into halves, or thirds, or fourths, and so on.
In english, students learned narrative structure (beginning, middle, end) through creating comic strips. They also summarized their thoughts and feelings on their class novel in a book report section of the paper.
In social studies, students learned about the history of newspapers and the printing press. Together they also wrote an advocacy piece raising awareness for an organization called Big Cat Rescue.
Students were able to collaboratively vote on sections and titles and we also decided to create a custom class typeface where each student contributed a letter.
In math, students learned fractions through the way that the page was divided into halves, or thirds, or fourths, and so on.
In english, students learned narrative structure (beginning, middle, end) through creating comic strips. They also summarized their thoughts and feelings on their class novel in a book report section of the paper.
In social studies, students learned about the history of newspapers and the printing press. Together they also wrote an advocacy piece raising awareness for an organization called Big Cat Rescue.
Students were able to collaboratively vote on sections and titles and we also decided to create a custom class typeface where each student contributed a letter.
The Finished Product
Most importantly, the final phase of the project involved the fourth grade students walking down a red carpet in their classroom, looking at pictures from the show, being congratulated on being published journalists, and getting their own copy of the work. The students were (rightfully) very pleased with themselves and the work they had done.
