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Course Description

This high school course focuses on the creation and design of the school’s yearbook, offering students a hands-on experience in journalism, photography, graphic design, and project management. Students will work collaboratively to capture the essence of the school year, documenting key events, student life, academics, sports, and special milestones.

Throughout the course, students will learn the fundamentals of yearbook production, including layout and design principles, photo editing, and copywriting. They will explore software tools for graphic design and develop skills in organizing content, choosing themes, and creating visually engaging pages. The course also covers photography techniques, emphasizing composition, lighting, and photojournalism.

Students will be responsible for gathering and curating content, conducting interviews, and collaborating with various school groups and faculty to ensure the yearbook accurately reflects the year’s activities. They will also learn the business side of yearbook production, including budget management, fundraising, and marketing strategies for yearbook sales.

Teamwork is a central component of this course, as students will work in committees to manage different aspects of yearbook production. They will gain valuable experience in meeting deadlines, resolving conflicts, and ensuring high-quality work.

By the end of the course, students will have created a professional-quality yearbook that serves as a cherished keepsake for the school community. This course is ideal for students interested in journalism, photography, graphic design, or project management, and it provides a unique opportunity to contribute to a significant school tradition.

Course Details

Yearbook

Ninth Grade Tenth Grade Eleventh Grade Twelfth Grade

Units

Designing a high school yearbook involves multiple steps to ensure it captures the essence of the school year and reflects the experiences and memories of the students. We will follow these steps through the design process:

  1. Establish a Theme: Brainstorm and select a theme that encapsulates the spirit of the school.
  2. Create a Planning Committee: Form a team of students and faculty advisors responsible for overseeing the yearbook production.
  3. Set Deadlines: Establish clear deadlines for each stage of the yearbook creation process to ensure timely completion.
  4. Gather Content: Collect photos, articles, quotes, and other materials from throughout the school year.
  5. Organize Content: Categorize content into sections such as academics, performance groups, and events.
  6. Design Layouts: Create page layouts using templates, considering visual hierarchy and balance.
  7. Choose Fonts and Colors: Select fonts and color schemes that complement the chosen theme and enhance readability.
  8. Design Cover: Design a cover that represents the theme and includes the school name, year, and prominent imagery.
  9. Assign Pages: Assign specific pages or sections to individual team members to oversee.
  10. Write Captions: Write informative and engaging captions for photos and articles to provide context and detail.
  11. Incorporate Quotes: Include memorable quotes or excerpts from students, faculty, and staff throughout the yearbook.
  12. Proofread Content: Review all text for accuracy, grammar, and spelling errors, and make necessary revisions.
  13. Select Photos: Choose high-quality photos that best represent each aspect of the school year.
  14. Edit Photos: Crop, resize, and enhance photos as needed to ensure consistency and clarity.
  15. Create Collages and Montages: Compile multiple photos into collages or montages to maximize space and showcase various events.
  16. Design Section Dividers: Create visually appealing section dividers to separate different parts of the yearbook.
  17. Review Progress: Conduct regular meetings to review progress, address challenges, and make adjustments as needed.
  18. Compile Proof: Compile a digital proof of the entire yearbook for final review and approval.
  19. Solicit Feedback: Gather feedback from students, faculty, and staff on the draft yearbook to identify any necessary revisions.
  20. Make Revisions: Incorporate feedback and make final revisions to the yearbook content and design.
  21. Finalize Printing Details: Select a printing company, determine print specifications, and finalize printing arrangements.
  22. Submit Files for Printing: Prepare and submit print-ready files to the printing company according to their specifications.
  23. Review Proof: Review a final printed proof for quality assurance before proceeding with full production.
  24. Print Yearbooks: Print the desired number of copies of the yearbook based on pre-orders and anticipated demand.
  25. Distribute Yearbooks: Organize a distribution process for students to receive their yearbooks.
  26. Host Signing Parties: Arrange opportunities for students to gather and sign each other’s yearbooks to commemorate the school year.
  27. Archive Digital Files: Archive digital files of the yearbook for future reference and reproduction, if necessary.
  28. Celebrate Completion: Celebrate the successful completion of the yearbook project with the planning committee and school community.

Please check back for updated syllabus.

Please check back for any additional required texts. 

Ms. Micole Mayfield

Micole graduated with a Bachelors in Communication: Public Relations from Brigham Young University. Ms. Mayfield is thrilled to be teaching at the new AHS campus in Salt Lake City. As someone who has seen how Drama can positively affect every aspect of someone’s life, she is excited to share her passion with her students. Micole has been performing and working in theater for over 15 years. She has seen how drama engages students with literature in a way that simply reading printed words cannot. When we use drama skills to study literature and history, we help students to engage interactively with the past, to re-enact and explore historically significant moments, situations and events, and meet historical characters.