Marlboro High School, Marlboro, NJ

Grade Levels: 11-12

Academic Focus/Core Curriculum Standards:

Language Arts: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

Students are responsible for designing the banners to be used at the graduation ceremony of Marlboro HS as well as for the banners that represent the various disciplines. After an introduction to the purpose of a banner - representation of a place, organization, or person, generally on a rectangular piece of cloth, to be seen at a distance, and often moving, students study the five principles of good banner design. Step by step they then develop a successful product that accomplishes that purpose and will be displayed before the school.

Target Audience: Marlboro High School and Community

(Creative Suites 2)

Career & Technical Ed: Students will research the history of flags and use this information to design a banner/flag that is appropriate for display at the graduation ceremony. Each student will choose two academic areas within the school to showcase and research symbols which represent that discipline.

Mathematics: Students will use the concept of proportion when creating the design.

Technology:Students will utilize technology in creating the design using vector based images to produce maximum quality.

Language Arts: Students read and analyze pertinent material, express their ideas, participate in a reflective discussion and write an analysis.

Correlation with Character Education: Students demonstrate responsibility, teamwork and good citizenship.        

Challenges Encountered:

Choosing which designs to produce- not all students work could be chosen.

The students will receive both a grade and the recognition of having their designs produced and displayed at school functions.

Celebration: Graduation ceremony itself when students’ work is displayed.

Students will be able to see their designs crafted into banners displayed at graduation

Key Findings: Students work harder when they know the design will be produced and displayed.

School-to-Work Transition:Students learn employability skills demonstrated through personal achievement and project completion.

Performance-based Education: Students perfect skills needed for mastery of the design process.

Interdisciplinary Approach: Students do research on the symbols for many different subjects; skills are developed that extend to many different disciplines.

Personal Growth Outcomes: Satisfaction and confidence gained through problem solving, class critiquing, visual expression of ideas and giving service.

Community Involvement: The banners are displayed to the community; coverage by the media.

Reflection Activities: Class discussion on what the activity has taught the students individually and collectively and how they feel at the conclusion of the project. Students may also choose any medium – art, music, technology, etc. – to demonstrate their changing perception during the project.