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lenny

Tick-Tock Design Block

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cyoung

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Tick-Tock Design Block

Students will learn and apply time management strategies to graphic design projects, including breaking down tasks, setting deadlines, and prioritizing effectively.

Effective time management is critical for graphic designers to meet client expectations, manage multiple projects, and reduce stress. This lesson equips students with practical tools to succeed in their design endeavors and beyond.

Audience

10th Grade Students

Time

30 Minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, practical activity, and project application.

Materials

Whiteboard or Projector, Time Management Slide Deck, Design Project Discussion Prompts, Project Breakdown Activity, Time Management Quiz, Graphic Design Project Guide, and Project Rubric

Prep

Review Materials

10 minutes

  • Review the Time Management Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
    - Print copies of the Project Breakdown Activity (one per student).
    - Review the Design Project Discussion Prompts and prepare to facilitate.
    - Familiarize yourself with the Time Management Quiz, Graphic Design Project Guide, and Project Rubric.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Time Crunch (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Begin with a quick discussion question: "What's the biggest challenge you face when starting a new design project?"
    - Introduce the concept of time management as a key skill in graphic design. Show Time Management Slide Deck Slide 1-2.

Step 2

Introduction to Time Management (10 minutes)

10 minutes

  • Present the Time Management Slide Deck (Slides 3-7) covering:
    - Breaking down projects into smaller tasks.
    - Setting realistic deadlines.
    - Prioritization techniques (e.g., urgent vs. important).
    - Avoiding common time-wasters.
    - Facilitate a brief class discussion using Design Project Discussion Prompts.

Step 3

Activity: Project Breakdown (10 minutes)

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Project Breakdown Activity worksheet.
    - Instruct students to choose a hypothetical graphic design project (e.g., designing a logo, a poster, a website layout).
    - Guide them through breaking down the project into steps, estimating time, and setting mini-deadlines using the worksheet.
    - Circulate and offer assistance and feedback.

Step 4

Wrap-Up & Next Steps (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Briefly review key takeaways from the lesson.
    - Introduce the Graphic Design Project Guide and Project Rubric as future assignments.
    - Administer the Time Management Quiz as an exit ticket or assign for homework.
    - Conclude by emphasizing the importance of consistent practice in time management.
lenny

Slide Deck

Welcome! Ever Feel Overwhelmed?

Starting a new design project can be exciting... but also a little scary.

What's the biggest challenge you face when starting a new design project?

Welcome students and get them thinking about project challenges. This is a quick hook.

Tick-Tock Design Block: Time Management!

Today, we're going to unlock a superpower for designers: Time Management!

It's not just about finishing on time; it's about making your creative process smoother and less stressful.

Introduce the topic and its importance. Link it to their future careers or school projects.

Breaking It Down: The Big Picture

Big projects can be intimidating.

Imagine eating an entire pizza in one bite! Impossible!

Solution: Break your project into smaller, manageable chunks.

Emphasize breaking down large tasks. Give a relatable example.

Project Chunks: What Does That Look Like?

  • Phase 1: Research & Brainstorming (Gather inspiration, sketch ideas)
  • Phase 2: Initial Concepts (Develop a few strong ideas)
  • Phase 3: Refinement & Feedback (Polish designs, get input)
  • Phase 4: Final Production (Prepare files, deliver)

Provide examples of how to break down a design project.

Setting Deadlines: Your Design GPS

  • Why Deadlines? They keep you on track and motivated.
  • Realistic Deadlines: Don't promise what you can't deliver.
  • Mini-Deadlines: Set smaller goals for each project chunk. This is your design GPS!

Explain the importance of deadlines and how to set them realistically.

Prioritization: What's Most Important?

  • Not all tasks are equal!
  • Urgent: Needs to be done NOW (e.g., client call).
  • Important: Helps you achieve your main goals (e.g., conceptualizing).
  • Focus on Important tasks first, then Urgent!

Introduce prioritization methods. Briefly explain urgent vs. important.

Time-Wasters: The Creative Kryptonite

What typically eats up your time when you should be working?

  • Endless scrolling on social media
  • Over-analyzing tiny details too early
  • Getting lost in YouTube tutorials for hours

Strategy: Identify YOUR time-wasters and plan to minimize them.

Discuss common distractions and how to avoid them in a design context.

Your New Superpower Unlocked!

You now have tools to manage your design time like a pro:

  1. Break it Down
  2. Set Deadlines
  3. Prioritize
  4. Avoid Time-Wasters

Now, let's practice!

Conclude with a summary of key points and transition to the activity.

lenny

Discussion

Design Project Discussion Prompts

To facilitate a rich discussion about time management in graphic design, use the following prompts. Encourage students to share personal experiences and insights.

Opening Questions:

  1. Think about a time you had a creative project (design, art, writing, etc.). What was the hardest part about managing your time for it?



  2. Why do you think time management is especially important for graphic designers compared to, say, a writer or a scientist?



During the Lesson:

  1. We talked about breaking down projects. Can you give an example of a graphic design project and how you would break it into 3-4 main phases?



  2. What are some common "time-wasters" you encounter when you're trying to focus on creative work? How could you minimize them?



Reflective Questions:

  1. How might practicing good time management skills impact your overall stress levels and creative output for design projects?



  2. What is one specific time management strategy you learned today that you will try to apply to your next design project?

lenny
lenny

Activity

Project Breakdown Activity: Design Your Schedule!

Goal: Practice breaking down a hypothetical graphic design project into manageable tasks and estimating the time needed.

Instructions:

  1. Choose Your Project: Imagine you have been given one of the following graphic design projects. Circle or write down your choice:

    • Option A: Design a new logo and brand identity for a local coffee shop.
    • Option B: Create a poster and social media graphics for a school event (e.g., a talent show).
    • Option C: Design a simple 3-page website layout for a small business.


    My Project Choice:


  2. Break It Down: In the table below, list at least 5-7 major tasks you would need to complete for your chosen project. Think about the entire process from start to finish.

  3. Estimate Time: For each task, estimate how many hours (or minutes if it's a very small task) you think it would take to complete. Be realistic!

  4. Set Mini-Deadlines: If you had 2 weeks (10 working days) to complete this project, suggest a realistic mini-deadline for each major task.

Task Description (What needs to be done?)Estimated Time (Hours/Minutes)Mini-Deadline (Date/Day)
1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


  1. Reflect:
    • What was challenging about breaking down the project or estimating time?



    • How might this exercise help you with real design projects in the future?
lenny
lenny

Quiz

Time Management Quiz

lenny

Project Guide

Graphic Design Project Guide: Time Management Challenge

Project Title: My Managed Design

Objective: To apply effective time management strategies to a real-world graphic design project, from concept to completion.

Project Description:
Choose a graphic design project of your interest (e.g., designing a poster for a cause you care about, creating a logo for a fictional business, or developing a social media campaign for a school club). You will be responsible for planning, executing, and reflecting on your time management throughout the project.

Deliverables:

  1. Project Proposal (Due: Day 3)

    • Project Title & Brief Description
    • Chosen Design Medium (e.g., digital poster, logo suite, social media graphics)
    • Target Audience & Purpose
    • Detailed Project Breakdown: A list of at least 7 major tasks with estimated time for each and self-imposed mini-deadlines. (Use the structure from the Project Breakdown Activity as inspiration).

  2. Progress Log (Ongoing, daily check-ins)

    • A simple log (digital or physical) where you briefly note:
      • Tasks completed today
      • Time spent on tasks
      • Any challenges or successes related to time management
      • Adjustments made to your schedule

  3. Final Design (Due: Day 10)

    • Your completed graphic design project, exported in an appropriate format (e.g., JPG, PNG, PDF).
    • Design Presentation: A brief presentation (2-3 minutes) to the class or small groups, showcasing your final design and highlighting how you managed your time effectively (or what you learned when you didn't!).

  4. Time Management Reflection (Due: Day 10)

    • A short written reflection (250-300 words) addressing:
      • How did your initial project breakdown and mini-deadlines work out?
      • What were your biggest time management challenges during this project?
      • What strategies did you use that were most effective?
      • What would you do differently next time to improve your time management?

Assessment:

Your project will be assessed based on the quality of your design, the thoroughness of your project proposal and progress log, and the insights demonstrated in your time management reflection. Refer to the Project Rubric for detailed criteria.

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lenny

Rubric

Project Rubric: My Managed Design

Criteria4 - Exceeds Expectations3 - Meets Expectations2 - Approaches Expectations1 - Needs Significant Improvement
Project ProposalProposal is exceptionally detailed, with a clear project vision, comprehensive breakdown (7+ tasks), accurate time estimates, and logical mini-deadlines.Proposal is detailed, with a clear project vision, thorough breakdown (5-6 tasks), reasonable time estimates, and appropriate mini-deadlines.Proposal is somewhat detailed, with a project vision, basic breakdown (3-4 tasks), some time estimates, and general mini-deadlines.Proposal is incomplete or lacks a clear project vision, breakdown, time estimates, or deadlines.
Progress LogLog is consistently maintained daily, offering insightful reflections on time management, challenges, successes, and adaptive strategies.Log is regularly maintained, notes tasks, time, and includes some reflections on time management.Log is inconsistently maintained, with minimal detail on tasks, time, or reflection.Log is rarely or never maintained, or lacks relevant information.
Final DesignThe design is visually outstanding, highly creative, professionally executed, and clearly meets the project objectives and target audience.The design is visually appealing, creative, well-executed, and meets most project objectives and target audience.The design is functional but lacks significant visual appeal or creativity, and partially meets project objectives.The design is incomplete, unclear, or does not meet the project objectives.
Time Management ReflectionReflection is exceptionally thoughtful, demonstrating deep understanding of personal time management strengths/weaknesses and offering concrete, effective strategies for future improvement.Reflection is thoughtful, addressing challenges, successes, and offering some strategies for future improvement.Reflection is somewhat superficial, briefly mentioning challenges or successes but lacking deeper insight or practical strategies.Reflection is absent, very brief, or shows little understanding of time management concepts.
PresentationPresentation is engaging, clear, concise, and effectively communicates design choices and time management insights.Presentation is clear, communicates design choices, and includes some mention of time management.Presentation is somewhat unclear or lacks detail on design or time management aspects.Presentation is absent or difficult to understand.
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lenny