Getting into the swing of themes
Let’s get specific
As a foundation on which to build the storytelling and unifying approach for your yearbook, brainstorm an extensive list of speci c facts, gures, adjectives and phrases associated with your school and your students for the speci c year.
Don’t overlook what might seem like the ordinary. Consider building names, hallway arrangements, the school street/address, school colors or mascot.
Divide into small groups and brainstorm as many ideas as possible. After 20 minutes of idea generating, have a spokesperson for each group take turns sharing with the class while the scribe lists specifcs on the board.
When the best ideas are represented on the board, select the top 10 ideas for further exploration and development.
Visual and verbal
From your staff list of the 10 facts, adjectives or characteristics unique to your school, discuss how each of the concepts might be presented verbally in the form of a slogan or phrase.
Brainstorm for slogans using magazine advertisements and a dictionary of idioms for inspiration.
When this session is completed, your staff should have three “most likely to succeed” theme slogans to develop as possible themes.
Consider the whole package
Assign your three “most likely to succeed” theme ideas to small groups to analyze how the theme can be carried throughout the following parts of the yearbook: cover, endsheets, title page, opening, dividers, closing, and parting page.
Discuss how the theme might be presented visually using logos, photos, colors, graphics, typography and artwork.