Overview
This lesson will expose students to the concept of fonts and font design. They will create their own font and use it in a Microsoft Word document.
At a Glance
Grade Level: 2+
Time Required: 45 minutes or more (depending on how much design time you want to allocate.
Curriculum Connection: This project can be tied to Art class.
|
Vocabulary
NOTE: click here to learn the difference between font and typeface |
Tech Skills
|
Planning Ahead
Resources
Optional Activity
Optionally, students can use an online font creator to create their fonts. This is probably more suitable for older students and expect to spend more time on the font creation part of the project.
|
Preparation
Students can design their font in class, as homework or as part of an Art class. You should explain to them how to use the light blue lines as guides. They also need to be aware of the height of the characters. For example, if they put a comma in the middle of the box, then the comma will not be lined up properly when they use it. It will be too high. You should also explain to them that the light blue letter in each box, is the key that is pressed when you want that character to appear. This is important if you want to do something unusual such as have a "smiley face" appear when you type a capital A.
NOTE: For younger students, I have them create the font with pencil, then I trace them with a fine tip sharpie pen. This way I ensure the letters stay within the light blue guide lines. Here is an example of a completed form (without the Optional Letters): |
Instructional Plan
Start the class off by talking about fonts and typeface.
|
|
Show some examples and talk about how each font conveys a message.
|
Here's a nice article "The Science of Fonts (and how they make you feel)" that talks about how fonts make you feel with recommendation on the use of font type, font size, line length, and line spacing for websites.
|
If you design your own font, here are things to think about:
|
Here are examples of sites where you can download fonts that other people have created. Some sites are free and others are not. You can download fonts from the Internet or design your own. Please note that I do not have any experience with the reliability of this site.
|
How to install a font on your computer
Click here to read about how to install a font on your computer. You may need to do your own research based on your computer setup.
|
Assessment
Checklist:
- Do the student understand the concept of fonts and typography?
- Were they successful in designing a font.
- Were they able to install it on their computer?
- Were they able to use it in a project?