🗓️ Before Class: Teacher Prep
- Gather/set out: Graph paper (to represent a "pixel grid"), Crayons/markers (to color in a mosaic-style pixel picture), Printed vocabulary flashcards, Sorting cards: 10 image examples (photo, logo, icon, screenshot, etc.) for the raster/vector sort.
- If today includes physical/hands-on work: make sure the classroom cameras are charged, working, and have a cleared SD card ready for photo uploads.
- Print today's student handouts (see 🖨️ Student Handouts below) in the language versions your class needs.
- Pull up today's slide deck (see 🖥️ Slide Deck below) so it's ready to project.
🖨️ Student Handouts (print, one per class day)
Word + picture + definition + a short writing task for that day's vocabulary, in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Simplified Chinese.
🧑🏫 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 key vocabulary do designers use to describe digital images?
📈 Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson (2 Days), students will be able to:
- Define pixel, resolution, aspect ratio, raster, and vector at a conceptual level (no software yet).
- Estimate and compare image sizes/resolutions using paper grids.
- Explain, in plain language, the difference between a raster image and a vector image.
📐 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.
🎓 Study this for the ACP exam: Domain 1: Working in the Design Industry
📚 Key Vocabulary
- Pixel
- The smallest single square of color that makes up a digital image, like a tiny tile in a mosaic.
- Resolution
- How many pixels are packed into an image -- more pixels generally means more detail.
- Aspect Ratio
- The proportional relationship between an image's width and height, like 16:9 for widescreen video.
- Raster Image
- An image made of a fixed grid of pixels; enlarging it too much makes it blurry.
- Vector Image
- An image built from mathematical paths that can scale to any size without losing quality.
🧰 Materials & Tools
- Graph paper (to represent a "pixel grid")
- Crayons/markers (to color in a mosaic-style pixel picture)
- Printed vocabulary flashcards
- Sorting cards: 10 image examples (photo, logo, icon, screenshot, etc.) for the raster/vector sort
🧠 Do Now (Warm-Up)
What does the number "1920x1080" mean? Take a guess even if you're not sure.
📋 Main Workshop / Lesson Sequence
This lesson spans 2 Days. Suggested pacing:
| Day | Focus | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Pixels & Resolution | Do Now + share guesses; reveal that it's a common screen resolution (5 min). Mini-lesson (12 min): introduce pixel, resolution, and aspect ratio using the graph-paper analogy. Hands-on (23 min): color in a small graph-paper grid to make a simple pixel-art image, then compare a low-resolution (few squares) vs. high-resolution (many squares) version. Quick share (5 min): hold up your grids and compare. |
| Day 2 | Raster vs. Vector | Do Now (5 min): what's the difference between a pixel and a resolution? Mini-lesson (12 min): raster vs. vector, using a printed comparison (a photo vs. a logo). Hands-on sort (15 min): sort 10 image examples into Raster or Vector piles, with a reason for each. Vocabulary review game (10 min): matching flashcards to definitions. Exit ticket (3 min). |
✅ Assessment & Exit Ticket
Pixel-art grids and sorting activity collected; a quick 5-question vocabulary matching quiz.
Exit Ticket: In your own words, explain the difference between a raster image and a vector image -- no technical jargon allowed!
📊 Pull up the anonymous Class Check-In for students to fill out before they go.
🧩 Differentiation & Accommodations
English Language Learners: provide translated or bilingual glossaries, visuals, and sentence frames; pair with a peer for meaningful participation. Students with IEPs: provide extended time, step-by-step checklists, and one-on-one or small-group support as specified in each student's plan. Attention-related needs: break the task into smaller steps, use visual timers, and minimize distractions. Students who finish early: extend the task by adding a second design variation, mentoring a classmate, or writing a short reflection connecting today's skill to a career pathway.