In MYP Design, it's always exciting to have a real client, and in Semester 1 the Grade 9 students were fortunate to work with Ms. Nnadozie (and the middle school!) as their client when they were asked to design book covers for the Middle School Planner for the next school year. Now that they have moved into the high school, this gave them the opportunity to give back to the Middle School through this legacy project.
Grade 9 certainly took this on with creativity and enthusiasm. They have refined their design skills over the last year and used all the knowledge they had accumulated in Grade 8 to design some very effective covers with the overarching theme of "Courage". They talked to their client, asked questions and discussed their client's needs and wants in relation to this very important job. They then worked within the constraints the client provided — first researching similar products and delving into the world of book cover design before making detailed sketches of their original ideas. Finally, they discussed their ideas with their fellow designers which helped them to settle on their final design idea. Collaboration is key to successful design!
The students then used professional design software Adobe illustrator (and a lot of skill and patience!) to create their digital designs. The limited color palette was challenging for them, but in the end their designs were very cohesive because of this very constraint. This process taught them a lot about effective design and working within a client's needs, and their design proofs were then submitted to Ms Nnadozie who was very impressed with what they had produced. A top ten were chosen by Ms Nnadozie and now the middle school will vote on which covers they most enjoy. The top four designs will then become the front and back covers as well as the inside covers for next year's middle school planners!
This has been a very enriching unit for the students. The chance to work within an authentic design context has allowed them to inquire into what work as a designer is truly like, and they have truly been inspired by the challenge — and their creation will have a positive impact on the middle school that will last throughout the school year.
If you would like a closer look there is currently a display of their work in the entrance to the Raymond building. Congratulations Grade 9, both for your excellent work and for being such dedicated and talented designers. You have demonstrated many attributes of the IB Learner Profile throughout Semester 1 in Design — well done!
