LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Faces Tell Feelings - Part 5 - Typefaces

Students will study various typefaces in terms of their line quality and shape. Then they will use various editing functions in a word processor to create a text document whose typefaces "show" a particular emotion.

A lesson plan for grades 3–5 Visual Arts Education

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • recognize that different fonts (typefaces) have different qualities based on their shape and line quality.
  • create a word processing document.
  • highlight, copy, and paste words within a word processing document.
  • change the properties of text within a word processing document - font style, size, and color.
  • use upper and lowercase letters in a word processing document.
  • save and print a word processing document.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 hour

Materials/resources

File cards with different emotion words written on them (happy, sad, angry, etc.), one for each student in the class.

Technology resources

  • Computer for each student
  • Word processing software
  • Computer for teacher
  • Color printer
  • Computer projector and screen or monitor large enough for whole class viewing (for use with teacher’s computer)

Pre-activities

Lessons 1-4 in this unit on emotion in art will have been completed before students participate in this lesson.

Activities

  1. Use the PowerPoint (presentation) to review how people’s faces in works of art show their emotions. Continue to use the PowerPoint presentation to discuss how typefaces (or fonts) can also show emotion by their shape and line quality.
  2. Instruct students to open a blank word processing document.
  3. Review editing words in a word processor with the students by leading them through the following activities:
    • Type a single word in lower case letters.
    • Practice using the mouse or the arrow keys to move the cursor around the word. Capitalize the first letter of the word using shift + the letter.
    • Highlight the word. Change the typeface (font name) and see how the letters change shape (and line quality). With the word highlighted, change the font size.
    • With the word highlighted, make a copy of the word. Then paste it several times to make multiple copies of the same word. Note how this saves you from having to type it over and over!
  4. Tell the students that they are going to get a file card with an emotion word on it (happy, sad, etc.) When they get the card, they are to fill one page with that word in different typefaces, sizes, and colors that express the emotion of the word. An example file is attached
  5. Students will work independently on their document and print their page upon completion. Collect these pages for review. They are to be given to the art teacher (they will use these in their next art lesson).

Assessment

Initial assessment will occur as students work, by circulating and looking at font choices based on the emotion. Suggestions can be given to students if needed. For example: using a very “happy” looking font when they’re supposed to be focusing on “angry”.

Additionally, student documents will be turned in and can be reviewed for understanding of shape and line quality, as well as for the ability to properly change font properties.

Supplemental information

A sample of the intended results of this lesson is attached

A viewer for PowerPoint presentations is available through the the WebLinks section of LEARN NC http://www.learnNC.ORG/index.nsf/Documents/Freeware#office

Related websites

There are many freeware font sites. Teachers can visit these sites before this lesson and have the fonts pre-installed on the computer before the students arrive. (This lesson doesn’t involve students getting on the Internet).
Astigmatic One Eye: http://www.astigmatic.com/
Font Face: http://www.fontface.com/
Font Garden: http://www.fontgarden.com/

just to name a few!

Comments

This lesson is the fifth in a series of six lessons created by Jan Kimosh and Susan W. Getter, the elementary art and computer teachers at Our Lady of Lourdes School during a summer LEARN NC/NCSSM/Ackland Art Museum workshop. Look for lessons 2, 3, and 6 in the Arts section of the lesson plans.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Visual Arts Education (2001)

Grade 3

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop critical and creative thinking skills and perceptual awareness necessary for understanding and producing art.
  • Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.
    • Objective 3.11: Consider numerous solutions during the problem-solving process.

Grade 4

  • Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.
    • Objective 3.02: Differentiate horizontal, vertical, parallel, and diagonal lines.
    • Objective 3.04: Exercise flexibility when approaching a problem-solving situation.

Grade 5

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop critical and creative thinking skills and perceptual awareness necessary for understanding and producing art.
    • Objective 1.01: Use the imagination as a source for symbolic expression
  • Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.

Computer Technology Skills (2005)

Grade 3

  • Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
    • Objective 2.08: Use menu/tool bar functions (e.g., font size/style, line spacing) to format and change the appearance of word processing documents as a class/group. Strand - Keyboard Utilization/Word Processing/Desk Top Publishing

Grade 4

  • Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
    • Objective 2.07: Recognize, discuss, and use proper keyboarding techniques. Strand - Keyboard Utilization/Word Processing/Desk Top Publishing

Grade 5

  • Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
    • Objective 2.08: Use proper keyboarding techniques to improve accuracy, speed, and general efficiency in computer operation. Strand - Keyboard Utilization/Word Processing/Desk Top Publishing