Name: Jeff Frame, Alexandra CaoYing, Erik Lopez-Arias, Le Pham,

Lucia Nguyen
Lesson Title: Graphic Design 2: The Intersection of Design and
Environmental Activism
Grade Level: 11-12 Length of 2 weeks (two 90 minutes periods per
Lesson: week)
Description/Rationale This project consists of students utilizing Adobe Illustrator to
design a logo that will serve as the anchor of a brand identity
that champions ocean conservation through the use of
sustainable, recycled, or repurposed products. In addition to
translating manual skills to a digital platform, this project will
help build a foundational understanding of design that will
facilitate future projects which continue exploring brand
identity, collateral, and community engagement. Students will
also develop the critical thinking skills necessary to plan and
execute a work of visual art through the use of brainstorming
activities, journal activities and discussions. Student self-esteem
and resilience will be built and reinforced through the use of a
class critique at the end of the project.

Vocab, Art History, Interdisciplinary Connections

Artist/Culture/Movement Connections Interdisciplinary Connections

Ansel Adams, Andy Goldsworthy, Robert Biology/ecology: Marine ecosystem
Smithson, Land Art Movement

Art Vocabulary: Elements/Principles of Art

actions panel, anchor point, arc, bounding Principles of Design: contrast, emphasis,
box, direct select, group selection tool, unity, movement, variety, proportion,
image trace, layer panel, low fidelity photo, balance (symmetry, asymmetry, radial)
pathfinder, pen tool, pixel

Media and Materials needed:

Computer, Adobe Illustrator software, pencil, paper, colored pencils, printer

Content Standards
CREATING
Anchor Standard 1:​ Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Adv.VA:Cr1.1 ​Visualize and hypothesize to generate plans for
ideas and directions for creating ​art ​and ​design​ that can affect social change.

RESPONDING

1
Anchor Standard 7: ​Perceive and analyze artistic work
Acc.VA:Re7.1 ​Recognize and describe personal aesthetic and
empathetic responses to the natural world and ​constructed environments​.

CONNECTING
Anchor Standard 10: ​Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to
make art.
​Adv.VA:Cn10 ​Synthesize knowledge of social, cultural,
historical, and personal life with ​art-making approaches​ to create meaningful
works of ​art​ or ​design​.

Learning Objectives
1. Understanding the human impact on environmental changes.
2. Designing a logo with artistic investigation in the field of marine conservation.
3. Gaining proficiency in using digital design tools, namely Adobe Illustrator.

Anticipatory Set:

Day 1:
1. The class shall begin with a discussion, first on their prior knowledge about sea
turtles (images of Sea Turtles will be presented on projector prior to students
coming in to class).
2. What do you know about sea turtles? (to start it off, I shall ask students if they
think they are ​cute​).
3. Record the data on the board/projector, so the students may see as a whole on how
they think.
4. Then present youtube video, “The Survival of the Sea Turtle.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-KmQ6pGxg4
5. After the video, we will have a final discussion on what they found interesting,
were surprised about, and what are their thoughts on Sea turtles now?
Day 2:​ (something related to illustrator or not)
1. Introducing to the class my pet/friend turtle, Michelangelo.
2. Then informing them that he shall be with us for the rest of the week.
Day 3:
1. Begin class with a question? “How many of you have parents that recycle? Inform
them to raise their hands if the answer is “Yes.”
2. Follow up question to students, “How do their parents recycle?”

2
 3. Show Youtube video, “​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6xlNyWPpB8​”, that
shows the life of a water bottle (or plastic) in different perspectives.
Day 4.
1. After Presentations, students can relax, and the class shall be concluded by
watching a video.
2. The class shall see a video that involves ways/tips to save the sea, that they can
then incorporate into their daily lives and others (family,friends,neighbors).
3. Video: “How To Save Our Seas From Plastic Pollution “
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE9bDq1UZQA
Big Idea:

To raise environmental awareness of marine/ocean conservation

Essential Questions:

How does knowing the contexts, histories, and traditions of art forms help us create
works of art and design?

How do life experiences influence the way you relate to art? How does learning about art
impact how we perceive the world? What can we learn from our responses to art?

How does engaging in creating art enrich people's lives? How does making art attune
people to their surroundings? How do people contribute to awareness and understanding
of their lives and the lives of their communities through artmaking?

Objective/Purpose:

Upon the completion of this lesson, students will gain knowledge of the environmental
issues with a focus on marine conservation and the environmental contemporary art
practices. They will be able to utilize the digital tool, Adobe illustrator, to develop and
produce a logo design to reflect their understanding.

Model:

Intro to Adobe Illustrator (outline)

A. Creating a new project

B. The Tool Bar
C. Using the tools
a. The pen tool
b. The rectangle tool
c. The Type tool
d. The selection and direct selection tools

3
 D. Saving and Exporting
Check for Understanding:
1. Students will fill out a worksheet with questions related to their chosen topics and
the logo design based on the topic.
2. Students will have a checklist to check their learning progress of the digital tool,
Adobe Illustrator.
Step by Step Instruction of Lesson
Instructional Strategies
Day 1 ​(90 min)
Goal: Instruct students to create their
logo designs.
1. Anticipatory Set: (15 min)
- Introduce the project
2. Project introduction: (15 min)
- Lecture: the concept of
marine conservation and
history slides
3. Activity (40 min)
- Demo: online research for
the project and how to make
a sketch for the logo design
- Requirements for the logo
design:
● Find an image of an
ocean creature/plant;
● Design a logo based on
the animal/plant with the
concern of ocean
conservation;
● Incorporate a text that
reflects your concern;
● Use at least 3 colors.
4. Journal activity (10 min)
- Once the students submit
their journal entries online,
the instructor will review
Activities
Day 1 ​(90 min)
Goal: Complete a drawing of logo
design.
1. Warm-up: (15 min)
- Participate in the
anticipatory set
2. Project introduction: (15 min)
- Take notes
3. Activity: (40 min)
- Use computer to examine
related information for
generating ideas.
- Make a sketch to actualize
the ideas for a logo design
and produce a colored
drawing.
4. Journal activity: (10 min)
- Examine their logo designs
in terms of the design
principles and its relevance
to marine conservation
5. Clean-up: (10 min)
- Maintain the cleanliness of
the studio/computer lab.
4
 them and provide timely
individual feedback.
5. Clean-up (10 min)
- Supervise the appropriate
clean-up of the
studio/computer lab
Day 2 ​(90 min)
Goal: Familiarize and facilitate the
students in using the Adobe illustrator.
1. Anticipatory set (15 min)
2. Activity: Illustrator (55 min)
- Demonstrate the basic skills,
such as import images,
adjust color/size, etc;
- Provide tech support to
students individually.
3. Journal activity (10 min)
- Offer timely feedback to the
students’ journal entries.
4. Clean up (10 min)
- Supervise the appropriate
clean-up of the
studio/computer lab.
Day 3 ​(90 min)
Goal: Assist students in using the Adobe
Illustrator.
1. Anticipatory set (15 min)
2. Activity: Illustrator (55 min)
Day 2 ​(90 min)
Goal: Gain experience in using digital
tools.
1. Warm-up: (15 min)
- Participate in the
anticipatory set.
2. Activity: (55 min)
- Follow the instruction to
import their designs in the
Adobe Illustrator;
- Utilize the digital tools to
achieve desired effect;
- Problem solving.
3. Journal activity: (10 min)
- Save their logo designs
digitally; record their
process of using the digital
tools to create the logo
design; make notes on any
difficulties during the
process.
4. Clean-up: (10 min)
- Maintain the cleanliness of
the studio/computer lab.
Day 3 ​(90 min)
Goal: Complete the logo design using the
Adobe Illustrator.
1. Warm-up: (15 min)
- Participate in the
anticipatory set.
2. Activity: (55 min)
5
 - Continue to provide tech
support to students
individually;
- Demonstrate the final
touch-ups for the design and
export the file using the
Adobe Illustrator
3. Journal activity (10 min)
- Offer timely feedback to the
students’ journal entries.
- Check the completion of the
checklist.
4. Clean up (10 min)
- Supervise the appropriate
clean-up of the
studio/computer lab.
Day 4 ​(90 min)
Goal: Facilitate the presentation and the
group discussion; provide constructive
criticisms.
1. Activity: (60 min)
- Provide instructions for
students to print out their
final designs. (10 min)
- Organize and curate the
students' presentations. (10
min)
- Facilitate students’ group
discussion (20)
- Critique/feedback (20 min)
2. Journal activity (10 min)
- Instruct students to complete
the self evaluation sheet
3. Clean up (10 min)
- Supervise the appropriate
clean-up of the
studio/computer lab.
4. Conclusion (5min)
- Students shall watch an
informative video.
- Continue to utilize the
digital tools to achieve
desired effect of their logo
designs;
- Problem solving.
- Follow the instructions to
finalize the digital design.
3. Journal activity: (10 min)
- Save their logo designs
digitally; record their
process of using the digital
tools.
4. Clean-up: (10 min)
- Maintain the cleanliness of
the studio/computer lab.
Day 4 ​(90 min)
Goal: Discuss the making process and
the answers to the essential questions.
1. Activity: (60 min)
- Print out the design (10 min)
- Display the project (10 min)
- Group discussion: share the
making process and answer
the essential questions. (20
min)
- Respond to the
critique/feedback (20 min)
2. Journal activity: (10 min)
- use the rubric to complete
self evaluation sheet
3. Clean-up: (10 min)
- maintain the cleanliness of
the studio/computer lab.
4. Conclusion (5min)
- Watch video that involves
ways/tips that save the sea.
6
Critique/Discussion:

Critique will be held on day 4. First, students will share their processes after displaying
their projects; then the teacher will address the success of this project, and facilitate
students to discuss the answers to the essential questions; finally, students will use the
rubric to complete the self assessment.

7
 Assessment/Scoring Rubric

25 points 18 points 10 points 5 points Score

Criteria

Social and Exceptional Good Basic Poor

Cultural understanding understanding understanding understanding
Relevance of the of the of the of the
environmental environmental environmental environmental
issue and issue and issue and issue and
successful appropriate acceptable failed to adapt
adaptation to adaptation to adaptation to to the logo
the logo the logo the logo design. design.
design. design.

Design Design has a Design has a Design has few Design lacks
clear message. message and is details. It is focal point,
Shapes, somewhat primarily type, and color
patterns, detailed. Little representational OR it is
shading and use has been with very little unclear what
texture are made of use of pattern, the message is
used to add pattern, shading or intended to be.
interest. shading, or texture.
texture.

Creativity Work Work generally Work Work not

exceptionally unique, somewhat unique,
unique, detailed and unique, detailed or
detailed and interesting. detailed, or interesting and
interesting. Shows some interesting. shows no
Explore developing Shows minimal original ideas
several ideas but risks taken. or risks taken.
options and without a true Similar to
taks many sense of examples
creative risks. originality shown.

Effort and Work shows Work shows Work shows Work shows
Participation exceptional good effort and sufficient effort minimal effort
effort and planning. and planning. and planning.
planning. Participated in Participated in a No
Participated in most class few class participation
all class discussions. discussions. in class
discussions. Kept a good Kept an discussions.
Kept an journal entry. acceptable Minimal or no
excellent and journal entry. journal entry.
detailed
journal entry.

8
Art Student Self-Evaluation

Name:
Class:
Project:

Grading on: Student Score Teacher Score

Goal (20) -Achieve all the
requirements.
-All the graphics are
related to the topic
and are easy to
understand.
Creativity (40) -Well-developed idea.
-Demonstrates a
unique level of
originality.
Art skills and -Use of media,
techniques (40) elements/principles.
-Outstanding and
finish with a great
detail.
Total: 100

Point system:
40/20: Outstanding, excellent
30/15: Good, acceptable
20/10: Average, needs more work
10/5: Unacceptable, poor

Adaptations: None