C&I 335 /Spring 2007
Social Studies
Power Point Assignment: Creating a Storyboard
Using Basic Visual Design Principles
The purpose of this assignment is to allow you to demonstrate (1) Technical skills in the
development of a storyboard using PowerPoint software and (2) Knowledge and
application of basic visual design principles to produce a high quality and aesthetic visual
message.
Description of the Project
Part 1 (90 points): Using PowerPoint Software, develop a storyboard. You may choose
a topic related to the following general areas: geography, civics (politics/government) and
history. The assignment can be used to support a lesson plan on a particular topic. Some
topic examples are: President Lincoln and the Civil War (history), Brazil’s deforestation
policy (civics/geography) or the Diaspora of Africans related to the geopolitics of slavery
(geography/politics/history). You may want to discuss the choice of your topic with your
content area instructors. Keep in mind that your audience will be middle school or high
school students.
While the content/topic is very important, the emphasis for this project, in terms of
grading, is on the application of visual design principles to communicate effective and
aesthetic visualization of the content. It is important to think about the content in a visual
form. The purpose of using PPT is not to replicate the use of overheads or to simply
create numerous slides of bullet lists of text on templates. Rather, it is to use the
powerful features of this presentational tool as a creative and expressive medium -- but to
do so in such a manner as to not distract from the content. In doing so, you will have also
demonstrated technical knowledge of the software’s features. You are asked to think out
of the box, thus use of templates is not appropriate.
Part 2 (10 points): You will be asked to collaborate with one other student in class to
critique and comment on each other’s PowerPoint project. This activity invites you to
reflect on your knowledge of both technical skills and basic design principles as you
review a fellow student’s work. The understanding, and thus critique of, visual aesthetic
quality requires the cultivation of a heightened sensibility to such phenomenon. Both the
creation of your PPT presentation and the experience of critique provide a means to
support such development. You may consider how, as a future teacher, you can further
develop and express your own individual aesthetic style as you use this tool in your
professional career.
See the handout “Power Point Peer Evaluation Form” for more details. More information
will be given on guidelines later in the semester.
Due Dates:
PowerPoint Peer Evaluations: February 8, 2007 (5 PM)
PowerPoint Project: February 20, 2007 (5 PM)