STEM TECH Challenge: Black History Month Poster 3rd Grade

The MLK Center in Atlanta has hired you to create a poster featuring 4 lesser known Black inventors. You have a list of people you may choose from. You can pick any of their inventions. You may also convince me of a "lesser known" Black inventor or Engineer, if you want.
Your real world problem and learning tasks.

​Have you Thanked an Inventor Today?

Copy the Digital Design Notebook for the STEM TECH Challenge

Real World Problem &
​Learning Task

Learning Tasks

Learning Task #1: By the end of this STEM Challenge, you will have used the iterative engineering design process to design a product meeting design audience and purpose using technology and graphic design principles. The audience is the MLK Center.  The purpose is to create a digital black history month poster highlighting lesser known inventors.
Learning Task #2: By the end of this STEM Challenge, you will have used technology and the iterative engineering design process to sketch and color 4 inventors, labeled their name and achievement, used graphic design principles, and chosen a color scheme resulting in a professional Black History Month Inventors digital poster.

Step 1: What is your problem to solve?

Steps 1 - 4
  1. Pick 4 people - all engineers or inventors.
    1. Read about some things they invented, created, improved on. These things changed our world. We are in a different place today because of their work.
    2. Each one has a link above, to a page about each inventor or engineer.
    3. You should spend about 5 minutes per inventor reading.
  2. Copy & Paste the Name of your 4 people into the Template.
  3. Choose one word that represents the person’s invention, achievement, or personality.  Type this word onto the Template 
  4. Google an image of your person. Save it to your device. 
4 people video
​Here is the list you can choose from:
  1. Mr. Garrett Morgan (1877-1963) 3 position stop light, gas mask
  2. Ms. Madam C.J. Walker (1867 - 1919) invented cosmetics and hair care products, first female self-made millionaire in USA.
  3. Mr. Elijah McCoy (1844-1929) “the real McCoy” 57 patents to his name mostly lubricants for trains; also the ironing board and lawn sprinkler
  4. Ms. Mary Jackson (1921-2005) Human Computer turned NASA Engineer on Project Mercury during the Space Race. 
  5. Mr. Lewis Latimer (1848-1928) Air conditioning, Elevators, railcar toilets, and a patent draftsman for Alexander Graham Bell (telephone)  and Thomas Edison (light bulb) 
  6. Ms. Patricia Bath (1942-2019) Laserphaco Probe for cataract treatment
  7. Mr. Jerry Lawson (pic #2) (1940 - 2011) Video Game Cartridges
  8. Ms. Marie Van Brittan Brown (1922-1999)  Inventor of a home security systems
  9. Convince me of your choice of engineer or inventor.
    1. NO YOU MAY NOT pick George Washington Carver. He is well known. 
    2. He is my example. He is also one of the most widely known inventors. Pick someone else.

Step 2: Open/Copy the Template

Template Video
The link for the template is here:  (link)
PICK one of the two template styles.
The Template has two styles.
Style 1 uses black type going up to down.
​Style 2 uses white type going left to right.
Delete the template you aren't using.
Picture
Template Style #1. Black font, vertical word
Picture
Template Style #2. White font, horizontal word
Click Ms. Miller's Emoji to download the template.

Two examples of a professional poster. Notice the similarities and differences?

​
Picture
Style 1: Black type going up to down.
Picture
Style 2: White type going left to right.

Step 3: Open Sketchpad.io  & Start Creating​
This is where you will spend the bulk of your time. You will be sketching/tracing the person's image. Then you will spend time coloring in using "pixel fill."  You will do this 4 times, one for each person.
Steps:
  1. In Sketchpad.io, Open a new file with a transparent background.  "Fit to screen" works.
  2. Import your first person you will be tracing.  
    1. You found images on Google.  
    2. You saved them to your device.  
  3. Using the pencil on black and 1px, trace the outline of a picture of each person. 
    1. Be careful to make your person not have any "leaky lines."
    2. Fill the person colors that are pleasing to you. 
  4. Save the image with a Transparent Background as a PNG file.
  5. Repeat for your 4 people.

Step 4:  Create & Build your Poster
  1. Create 4 drawings by tracing your four images in Sketch.io (Step 3).
  2. In Sketch.io color the images.
  3. Save all 4 images to your device.
  4. Pick the template style you want to use (Step 2)​
    1. Delete the other templates you are not using.
    2. Copy and paste the template choice you want to use.
  5. Now insert each of the 4 transparent images you just created in Sketch.io.  (Step 4)
  6. Resize your sketches to fit the color backgrounds.
  7. Make sure each of the 4 names are typed.
  8. Add the black or white word for each of your four people.
  9. Save your Google Slides as version 1.

Step 5:  Improve your Overall Poster 
  1. DO a File Copy of your version 1 before making changes or improvements. Save each improvement-iteration. 
  2. Things to improve.
    1. Make sure you have chosen color palettes with intent. 
      1. Colors should be monochromatic, complimentary, or come from an element of clothing in the image.
      2. The text is either black or white.
    2. Check to see borders are not there, or are there an the same size and color.
    3. Check the sizes and alignment (both vertical and horizontal) of all graphics and type.
    4. Check that your type faces and colors are all the same for similar types of fonts.
    5. Choose your color scheme so that it is either Cool or warm colors, or monochromatic.
    6. Play with the font and size of the title. 
    7. Check your spelling.​

Step 6: Turn in up to 5 of your favorite iterations (versions) 

More Examples Two Professional Artist's Posters

Some graphic designers often create "free-lance" and try to sell their productions on the internet in shops like Etsy. Two examples are below.

Professional graphic designers tend to have clients hire them for specific projects.  
​Professional graphic designers:
  1. Often have 10 or 20 choices of various iterations. 
  2. Often show a client 3 to 5 top choices and hold the others back.
    1. If the client asks for something different, sometimes the designer has that option already done. 
    2. Clients can be on a range of types: 
      1. One client is unable to imagine and explain what they want.
      2. Another client is so detailed in what they want they need the designer to help them focus.
      3. Most are in-between.
      4. Some need all 20 choices and will eliminate and pick based on feelings. 
Picture
Professional Artist's work focusing on powerful women.
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Professional Artist's work focusing on famous women.

Student Completed Projects

Stay tuned.
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