Yearbook


 

Daily Class work Application Form    
What is a Yearbook?  A Yearbooks Purpose  Layout Principles  Photography Ideas
Photography Tips  Themes  Graphic Design  


COURSE TITLE: YEARBOOK
DEPARTMENT: ENGLISH & ART
 

GRADE LEVEL: 9-12 LENGTH OF COURSE: 1 Year  
PREREQUISITE: Strong writing, graphic arts, organizational, or photographic skills required and approval of instructor is necessary. An application and writing sample must be submitted to the instructor prior to the March registration process.
TEXTBOOKS: Journalism Today or other equivalent text; various texts on writing, photography, graphic arts design; past year's yearbooks; exchange yearbooks; critiques on previous MHS yearbooks; Quill & Scroll magazine; current publications exhibiting examples of industry trends.

 

Course Description
This is a year-long yearbook production course. Students will be responsible for all aspects of yearbook publication. Students will work under the leadership of student editors in the following areas: writing, photography, advertising sales, page design, budgeting, and deadline requirements. Students will have the opportunity to attend yearbook workshops, compete in regional and national contests, meet with representatives of yearbook publishing companies, learn word processing and desktop publishing, and practice various marketing techniques. Students may participate in yearbook production for additional years and may apply for editor positions as they gain additional skills and experience.

Course Outline
      I. Writing, Editing
            a) Responsibilities, ethics of media
            b) News gathering
            c) Interviewing techniques
            d) Writing in journalistic style
                  1. Attribution
                  2. Leads
                  3. Sports writing
                  4. Feature writing
                  5. Caption writing
            e) Editing, headline writing, copy reading symbols and skills

      II. Planning, Organization
            a) Theme development
                  1. Thematically consistent layout style
                  2. Thematically consistent division pages/art/title page/copy
            b) Plan contents of color section for October submission
            c) Develop and post production schedule
            d) Make, monitor photo appointments

      III. Technology
            a) Assign, take, select, scan photographs and ad logos
            b) Page design
            c) Desktop publishing
            d) Graphics and graphic techniques using such programs as  Photoshop, In Design
            e) Word processing stories/copy
            f) Basic computer operations
            g) Use of desktop software to complete spread
            h) On-screen page composition
                  1. Type styles and sizes
                  2. Organization of design elements
            i) Printer operation

      IV. Production
            a) Establish and post schedules/timelines for producing the yearbook
                  1. Contract/schedule with printer
                  2. Dummy ads
                  3. Set deadlines for stories, page designs, headlines
                  4. Set up additional work times
            b) Distribute yearbook

      V. Advertising/Business Management
            a) Ad sales
            b) Production of ad in copy and graphics
            c) Record keeping, collection
            d) Organize and carry out yearbook sales campaigns
            e) Organize fund-raising activities (to keep price of yearbook affordable for most students)

      VI. Optional Topics
            a) History of media
            b) Guest speakers from industry
            c) Career opportunities
            d) Photography
            e) Design

Outcome Statement:
Students will produce the high school yearbook.