Tech 4 Kids!: Design a Better Report

So you’ve been assigned a project at school that’s a big chunk of your final grade. Maybe it’s required participation in the science or history fair that’s coming up. Either way, turning in great work is definitely in your best interest. Using technology will help you create a terrific project and also teach you important new skills.

Presentation Is Very Important
Have you ever noticed that the projects that seem to get the best grade or win the competition look really good? The person that put the reports together probably added a few cool graphics and images that go along with the experiment’s theme like photos of the stages of a plant’s growth with a report on a plant’s life cycle. Pictures always help tell a better story.

Digital Scrapbook Elements Tips
If you live with someone that likes to scrapbook, they probably have elements you can use to add some extra flair to your next project report. If that person likes to scrapbook on their computer, you’re really in luck! Using the same digital elements that scrapbookers use to “design” your report or poster will make your project look really impressive. A good looking presentation shows the judges that you took some time to think about what you are trying to say which will certainly impress them.

• Use the page layout templates as a guide to make a poster.
• Find a digital paper that complements your topic like a starry background for a solar system report or graph paper for a scientific look. An aged paper background goes well with a report on the Declaration of Independence.

Alphabets

• Spell out your titles with letters from a digital alphabet. Choose an alphabet style that goes along with your theme like capital block letters for the main title and regular letters for subheads (mini titles).

Tags and Frames

• Really make your titles or subheads stand out with an awesome-looking frame or use a tag behind the headings to make them easy to spot.

Shapes and Figures

• Try choosing a paper doll figure of a boy or girl or even an animal and use it as your narrator on a poster. Give it a name like Bugsy for a report on bugs or Betsy for a report on the flag and then type up the things your narrator would say. Use copies of the figure with the words to really make your points stand out.

Photos

• Have your mom or dad or older brother or sister take some pictures of you as you prepare and do the experiment to add to your project. This will show that it’s your own work and really make the judges look twice at your project.