Timely Tips – Design: Keeping Unity at the Finish Line

As the deadline looms, maintaining a cohesive yearbook design can be a challenge. Staff members are often eager to finish, and details can slip through the cracks. However, ensuring theme unity from the opening pages to the final index is crucial for a polished and professional yearbook. This week’s Timely Tips design lesson plan outlines a yearbook plan to help your staff maintain unity through the finish line throughout your entire yearbook.

If you plan to use this lesson plan with your class, you will need the ability to project your computer screen, several sample yearbooks or access to the Walsworth Theme Gallery to show strong theme examples, a way to take notes (this can be a poster, whiteboard or Google Doc) and our What Goes in a Colophon lesson plan.

PART 1: REVIEWING THE THEME ELEMENTS

Begin by revisiting the yearbook’s core theme. This is a critical first step in the yearbook design lesson plan.

• First, gather your staff and use a whiteboard or poster to list all the established theme elements.
• As you list examples, including color palette, fonts, graphic styles, white space usage, photo treatments, verbal tie-ins and more, ask students to explain how each element contributes to the theme.

This visual reminder will serve as a constant reference point.

PART 2: EXTERNAL THEME ANALYSIS

To gain perspective, analyze how other yearbooks have successfully maintained theme unity.

• Examine three sample yearbooks, ideally from a resource such as Walsworth’s Theme Gallery.
  • If you have good yearbooks from other schools in your classroom, feel free to use those. The important thing is that they are strong examples of a cohesive theme done well so your staff can learn from them.

• Identify the theme elements used in these publications.
• Discuss how each publication executed its theme consistently from start to finish.
• Note differences in how they applied their theme than you did in your book, and weight the merits and disadvantages of each.

This shows students applications of the lesson.

PART 3: INTERNAL YEARBOOK REVIEW

Now, apply the same analytical approach to your own yearbook.

• Use your yearbook software to review your pages from beginning to end.
• Compare the theme elements visible throughout your book to the list created in Part 1, noting any discrepancies or inconsistencies.

Integrating Theme into Final Pages

The concluding pages are just as important as the opening. Pay special attention to the index, colophon and closing spreads, which are often-overlooked areas of a yearbook.

• Discuss how theme elements can be incorporated into these pages to reinforce the yearbook’s overall message.
  • For example, use the same font in the index as used in the opening. Use the same graphic in the closing as was used in the opening.
• Use the Timely Tips lesson plan What Goes in a Colophon to make sure that the colophon is completed correctly. You may also find this three minute Understanding Colophons video helpful.

Here’s a breakdown of what you should look for in each section:

Index:

• Ensure the index uses the same font and style as the rest of the yearbook.
• Consider adding subtle graphic elements that align with the theme.

Colophon:

• The colophon should reflect the yearbook’s overall design aesthetic.
• Use the established color palette and fonts.
• Adviser should make sure that all colophon information is correct.

Closing Spread:

• The closing spread is an opportunity to reinforce the theme and provide a final message.
• Incorporate key theme elements and visual cues.
• Ensure that the closing spread visually and verbally ties back to the opening.

PART 4: CREATING A COMPLETION PLAN

The final step is to develop a completion plan to ensure theme unity in the remaining pages.

• Collaboratively create a checklist to ensure all theme elements are present in the index, colophon, and closing spreads.
• Assign specific tasks to staff members.
• Schedule final reviews to ensure consistency.

Adviser’s Role in Maintaining Unity

The adviser plays a crucial role in guiding the staff through this process. Keep these in mind as you work with your staff.

• Provide Guidance:

• • Offer guidance and support to the yearbook staff.
  • Ensure that all staff members understand the importance of theme unity.

• Oversee Reviews:

• • Conduct thorough reviews of the final pages.
  • Provide constructive feedback and suggestions.

• Foster Collaboration:

• • Encourage collaboration and teamwork among staff members.

By implementing this yearbook design lesson plan, your staff can ensure a unified and visually appealing yearbook that leaves a lasting impression.