Design Basics — Digital Futures

🎯 Learning Objectives

✓Apply the four design principles: contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity (CRAP)
✓Create a professional poster using Canva for a real audience
✓Evaluate design choices using design vocabulary

📚 Key Vocabulary

Contrast

Making elements look different to create visual interest and hierarchy

Alignment

Lining up elements so the design looks intentional, not random

Proximity

Grouping related things together so the layout makes sense

Repetition

Using the same colours, fonts and styles throughout for consistency

Hierarchy

Making the most important thing the most visually prominent

⏱️ Lesson Timing (50 mins)

🪝

Hook

5 mins

Show 3 pairs of posters — one designed well, one badly. Students vote and explain why in one word. Reveal the design principles that explain each choice.

👨‍🏫

Teach

10 mins

•CRAP: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity — the four laws of design
•Typography: max 2 fonts, one for headings one for body
•Colour: 60-30-10 rule (dominant, secondary, accent)
•Whitespace is your friend — don't fill every gap
•Canva tour: templates, elements, text, image upload, brand kit, export

🛠️

Create

40 mins

Create a poster for a school digital wellbeing campaign ("Think Before You Post" or "Screen Smart" — student chooses). Must use CRAP principles, maximum 2 fonts, limited colour palette. Use Canva. Export as PDF and PNG. Write 3 sentences explaining their design choices.

Tools:

Canva

📢

5 mins

Gallery walk (digital): class views each other's posters in a shared PowerPoint Online. Leave one positive and one "even better if" comment on two others.

🔧 Tools & Resources

Canva for Education

✅ Free

https://www.canva.com/education/

🤖 AI Angle

Canva has AI image generation and design suggestion tools — explore them but always make the final creative decisions yourself.

📝 Evidence of Learning

Exported poster (PDF + PNG) + design rationale (3 sentences)

📚 Homework

Find a poster or advert you think is well-designed. Screenshot it. Annotate it (on Canva or PowerPoint Online) identifying CRAP principles in action.

⏱️ 20 mins

♿ Differentiation

Support (for students who need help)

Pre-made Canva template with guidance boxes to fill in

Extension (for advanced learners)

Redesign a real school notice that is currently badly designed. Get permission and actually put it up.

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