Create a Class Yearbook

end-of-year graphic

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Subjects

Arts & Humanities
Language Arts, Visual Arts
Educational Technology

Grades
K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Brief Description

Students create a keepsake yearbook of memories from the school year about to end.

Objectives

Students

create a format for the yearbook pages they and their classmates will make.
create yearbook pages about important memories of the year.
put the pages together in a yearbook.
design a cover for the yearbook.

Keywords

yearbook, end of year, graduation, June

Materials Needed

paper and pens or pencils
digital camera (optional)
art supplies

Lesson Plan

In this activity, each student will create a page in a class yearbook. If available, use a digital camera to take pictures that can be printed and pasted on the pages. Ask students to record vivid memories from the school year on the pages. Younger students can dictate.

In the lower elementary grades, each yearbook page might follow a distinct template or format. For example, a photo might appear at the top of the page with lines for writing on at the bottom of the page. In other grades, the format can be more flexible. Students might brainstorm a list of categories or prompts to select from as they create their yearbook pages. Sample prompts about the school year almost completed might include the following:

a favorite lesson
a time I really laughed
the best book I read
the most challenging lesson
advice for next year's ___-grade students
the career I want to pursue
something I wish I could do over again
a skill I learned that will serve me well in the future

After students have created their personal yearbook pages (in writing or by using a word processing software program), photocopy individual pages so each student can have a yearbook of their classmates' memories too.

Extension Activities

Encourage students to create covers for their yearbooks. Stage a cover-design contest. Ask students to share their designs and have them vote for the best design. Allow students to select any classmate's design (or their own) to use as a yearbook cover.
Include a few pages at the back of the yearbook for students to write messages to one another. (See An Autograph Book from Yesteryear.)
Post the yearbook online so all students have access to it.

Assessment

Students create thoughtful responses to the yearbook prompts.

Lesson Plan Source

Education World

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

National Standards

FINE ARTS: Visual Arts

GRADES K - 4
NA-VA.K-4.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.K-4.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.K-4.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others

GRADES 5 - 8
NA-VA.5-8.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.5-8.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.5-8.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others

GRADES 9 - 12
NA-VA.9-12.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.9-12.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.9-12.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others

LANGUAGE ARTS: English