Unit Plan 15 (Grade 8 Art): Design for Message (Poster/Advocacy)
Grade 8 graphic design unit where students create advocacy posters, develop multiple concepts, communicate a clear social message, and express personal perspective.
Focus: Develop poster/advocacy artwork that communicates a clear social issue or message, using multiple design solutions to select the strongest concept and connecting visual decisions to personal experiences, interests, or perspectives.
Grade Level: 8
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Graphic Design • Social/Personal Voice)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students act as visual advocates, using poster-style design to communicate a social issue or personal cause that matters to them (e.g., kindness, mental health, environment, inclusion, anti-bullying, community pride). They analyze examples of advocacy posters to see how color, text, composition, and symbolism work together to grab attention and deliver a message quickly. Then they brainstorm and sketch multiple design options, refining their strongest idea into a finished poster. Throughout the process, students connect their own experiences and values to their design choices and explain how their artwork is meant to inform, persuade, or inspire others.
Essential Questions
- How can visual design (images, color, text, layout) be used to communicate a social message quickly and clearly?
- Why is it important to generate multiple design solutions before choosing a final concept?
- How can my personal experiences, interests, or perspectives shape the way I design a poster or advocacy artwork?
- What makes an advocacy poster effective, and how can we tell if our message is reaching the viewer?
- How can art be used as a tool for awareness, empathy, or change in our school and community?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify a social issue or personal cause that is meaningful to them and define a clear message or call to action.
- Analyze advocacy posters and identify how images, typography, color, and composition work together to communicate a message.
- Generate at least three different poster concepts (thumbnails) that use different layouts, imagery, and/or slogans (VA:Cr1.8b).
- Evaluate their own thumbnails and select the strongest concept based on clarity of message and visual impact (VA:Cr1.8b).
- Create a finished poster/advocacy artwork that reflects their personal experiences, interests, or perspectives and explain how those influenced their artistic decisions (VA:Cn10.8a).
- Write or present a brief reflection explaining how their design choices support their message and intended audience.
Standards Alignment — 8th Grade (NCAS-Aligned)
- VA:Cr1.8b — Generate multiple solutions to a visual problem and select the strongest concept based on clarity and impact.
- Example: Students design three possible poster compositions before choosing one to develop as a final advocacy piece.
- VA:Cn10.8a — Create artwork that reflects personal experiences, interests, or perspectives and explain how those influences shaped artistic decisions.
- Example: Students create a poster about a cause they care about and describe how their own experiences informed the imagery and message.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can choose a social issue or cause that matters to me and write a clear message or slogan.
- I can design multiple poster ideas and pick the one that best communicates my message.
- I can use images, color, and text on my poster so that my message is easy to understand at a glance.
- I can explain how my own experiences or perspectives influenced my design choices.
- I can reflect on whether my poster is effective and how I might improve it in future designs.