Create posters for the school

Creating a poster

In groups, use Microsoft PowerPoint to create posters for the school about netiquette and online communication.

The posters will be displayed in computer rooms and other classrooms to remind students about the dos and don’ts of communicating online and cybersafety.

You can make electronic versions available on the school website with links to websites and appropriate contacts. This advice should be suitable for parents and teachers.

 Each group will select ONE topic for a poster.

There will be four different posters on:

  • Effective email

  • Keeping it safe

  • Using social networks

  • Reporting inappropriate material

The posters should be A3 size, clear, colourful and informative.

  • Think about the content in your poster. You can include headings, words, expressions, sentences, quotes, bullet points and/or brief paragraphs. Too much text could turn the viewer/reader away. Not enough text may leave them confused or unsure about your message.

  • Use appropriate fonts for your subject. Select one related to either the subject matter or the emotion you wish to evoke. You can choose one that is dramatic, contemporary, subtle, simple, complex, geometric or organic. Multiple fonts can either be dramatic and eye-catching or overwhelming and confusing.

  • Always check spelling and grammar.

  • Use graphics that convey your message. Find them on the internet, scan from books, newspapers and magazines, take your own photographs using a camera or the in-built lap-top camera, or create your own in Photoshop elements.

  • Graphics can be edited. This includes cropping, fading, blending.

  • Graphics can be used as a background to the whole poster or parts of it.

  • Think about the colours you use—choose colourful, contrasting, monochrome, duo tone.

Copyright is the system of legal rights that protects original creative works—including text, images, videos and artworks—from unauthorised copying, distribution, alteration and other uses. Every image, audio file or text extract you use is subject to copyright.

To see if you can legally use materials, you can check if the creator of the work has attached a licence to the work that will allow you to use it under certain conditions; for example:

  • a National Education Access Licence for Schools (NEALS)

  • a creative commons licence

  • a copyleft licence.

Where do you want the viewer’s attention to go first? What do you want them to notice next? Create a composition that draws your viewer to these areas by using the colour, size and direction of text and graphic elements. You can emphasise, differentiate, and add interest and emotion.

Make use of space. Your poster could be crowded with images and text, bare and dramatic or anywhere in between. Consider what effect you want and create a composition accordingly. Empty space is not wasted space. It might be an area that creates a contrast to the other areas, provides balance to other areas, gives the viewer breathing space or provides rhythm to the composition.