🗓️ Before Class: Teacher Prep
- Gather/set out: Large printed letterforms for labeling (poster-size), Rulers, Type anatomy diagram handout.
- Pull up today's slide deck (see 🖥️ Slide Deck below) so it's ready to project.
🧑🏫 Substitute Teacher Guide
A scripted, step-by-step runsheet for today's class -- hand this to anyone covering the room who doesn't know the daily routine.
- Day 1: 📋 Open Substitute Guide
- Day 2: 📋 Open Substitute Guide
🎯 Essential Question
- What are the actual parts of a letterform, and why does that vocabulary matter to a designer?
📈 Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson (2 Days), students will be able to:
- Label the parts of a letterform: baseline, x-height, cap height, ascender, descender, counter, serif.
- Measure and compare x-height and letter spacing across 3 different typefaces.
- Explain why type anatomy vocabulary helps designers give and receive precise feedback.
📐 Standards Alignment
CDOS (Career Development & Occupational Studies)
- CDOS 2 — Integrated Learning -- students will demonstrate how academic knowledge and skills are applied in the workplace and other settings.
- CDOS 3a — Universal Foundation Skills -- basic literacy, communication, and problem-solving skills required for a career.
ACP (Adobe Certified Professional) Photoshop Exam Objectives
- ACP 1.4 — Demonstrate knowledge of key terminology related to digital images.
- ACP 1.5 — Demonstrate knowledge of basic design principles and best practices employed in the design industry.
🎓 Study this for the ACP exam: Domain 1: Working in the Design Industry
📚 Key Vocabulary
- Baseline
- The invisible line letters "sit" on.
- X-Height
- The height of a lowercase "x" -- a key factor in how large or small a typeface appears to read.
- Cap Height / Ascender / Descender
- The height of capital letters; the part of a lowercase letter that rises above the x-height (like "h"); the part that drops below the baseline (like "g").
- Counter
- The enclosed or partially enclosed space inside a letter, like inside an "o" or "e".
🧰 Materials & Tools
- Large printed letterforms for labeling (poster-size)
- Rulers
- Type anatomy diagram handout
🧠 Do Now (Warm-Up)
Without looking it up, try to label the parts of the letter 'g' on your own. We'll check your guesses in a minute.
📋 Main Workshop / Lesson Sequence
This lesson spans 2 Days. Suggested pacing:
| Day | Focus | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Letterform Vocabulary | Do Now (5 min): label the letter "g" on your own, no notes. Mini-lesson (18 min): introduce letterform anatomy vocabulary using large printed letters. Guided practice (12 min): label a diagram from memory, then correct it against the answer key. Quick review (10 min): quiz a partner on 3 terms. |
| Day 2 | Measurement Lab | Do Now (5 min): guess -- does a bigger x-height make type look bigger or smaller at the same point size? Mini-lesson/demo (10 min): how to measure x-height, letter spacing, and stroke weight. Measurement lab (25 min): compare x-height, letter spacing, and stroke weight across 3 different printed typefaces and record observations. Share (5 min). |
✅ Assessment & Exit Ticket
Labeled diagram + measurement lab checked for accuracy.
Exit Ticket: Pick one typeface anatomy term from today and explain, in a sentence, how it affects readability.
📊 Pull up the anonymous Class Check-In for students to fill out before they go.
🧩 Differentiation & Accommodations
English Language Learners: model every step live, then check in one-on-one; provide translated materials and vocabulary support as needed. Students with IEPs: apply the accommodations and modifications listed in each student's plan (examples include extended time, graphic organizers, speech-to-text tools, chunked instructions, and visual schedules). Students with attention-related needs: break tasks into short, checklist-driven steps and provide brief movement or focus breaks. Students ready for a challenge: take on a leadership role critiquing peers' work, extend the project with a second iteration, or research how today's skill is used professionally in the field.