In today's world, images and graphics are of utmost important when trying to convey a message. Just a few examples are social media posts, presentations/projects, logos, and advertisements. Each of these utilize eye-catching imagery to hold the attention of their audience. There are many ways that these graphics can be created, but one of my favorite ways is to use a website called Canva! They have pre-made templates that you can customize to fit your needs, but you can also start from scratch and you have tons of resources at your disposal to make awesome graphics for just about anything. 

In each week of this course, I will post an instructional video demonstrating how to use part of the Canva website. In addition to learning about the functions and features of the site, we'll cover some information about the principles of design and color theory to take your Canva projects to the next level.

For each project, students will be have the option of sharing their work on Nearpod to receive feedback and advice from their fellow classmates. There will also be fun weekly activities like polls, open-ended questions, and quizzes designed to help students stay in touch and learn more about their peers. On the last day of each week, there will be an optional "office hours" time when students can join a live video call to ask questions, brainstorm ideas, and chat with their fellow classmates.

Week 1: I will show students how to navigate the Canva workspace, and teach them about the different tools and templates available to them. 
Week 2: We'll learn about the importance of choosing the correct font for your project, how to search for and change fonts, and how to add font effects. We'll also learn how to design an eye-catching layout.
Week 3: Students will learn about color theory as it applies to digital design, and how to use different colors to portray a different mood or aesthetic in their project.
Week 4: We will look at how to re-size designs for a variety of different platforms and uses, and how to tweak your designs so they still look eye-catching, regardless of the dimensions.

Parents please note:
-Students are encouraged (but not required) to complete the Nearpod activities to interact with their fellow students.
-This class is geared towards Canva beginners, but if your child is already familiar with Canva it may be a nice review, as well as a chance to interact with fellow students and provide advice!