This document summarizes the iterative process an author took to design a presentation on fractions for 4th/5th grade students. The author started with pictures from online but then changed to using their own photos of oranges cut to show fractions. Over multiple revisions, the author worked to improve the design by removing unnecessary elements, adding bold titles and headings, adjusting alignments, changing fonts, and adding design elements like drop shadows and color gradients. The goal was to clearly convey the concept of fractions in a way that supports student understanding.

1. Fractions
What is part of a whole?

2.  Goal: To present a mathematical concept that is
challenging in a way that supports students’
understanding.
Topic: Fractions
Message: Fraction is a mathematical terms that
expresses part of a whole and sometimes
fractions that are the same are expressed in two
different ways (equivalent fractions).
Audience: 4th/5th grade students

3. This is my original design. I
found some great pictures online
that I thought would really grab
my audience’s attention. I also
created a question to keep the
audience interested.

5. First set of
changes
I thought about how I could tell a story with the
pictures, so I took pictures of a whole
orange, in ways that looked like the fractions.
So, I changed from using pictures that were
from the internet (beautiful, but not as relevant)
to pictures that really showed what I was doing.
I also added some captions that explain and
two captions with questions to keep the readers
searching for answers.
I also tried to add some different words to
support understanding of the jargon.

7. Next set of
changes
I made quite a few changes in the weeks
between the last slide and this one. I started by
taking out the boarder that offered no value to
the slide message (embellishment). I also took
the time/date stamp off of the photographs.
I added a bold title and a line to give contrast
between the slide and the title.
I also added a subheading in bold to draw the
eyes to the question. I do think that this improved
the design because it does draw the eyes to the
title and subheading.
I changed the alignment from horizontal to
vertical; however, I failed to keep it aligned
between top and bottom and throughout the
graphics.

9. Next set of
changes
This is the split complement triad design. I really
liked the way the colors worked together.
I did use the thicker font and I changed the font
for the question and I think it looks better.
There is a good use of white space. I think that
this design is an improvement. The colors are
bright and have nice contrast.
The alignment is better (not perfect) in this
design. I did a right alignment and made sure all
of the pictures were aligned. However, I didn’t
align the text with the pictures so there is still
some continuity issues.

11. Final set of
changes
On this slide I used size to create contrast. Not
only the size of the title and the last caption, but
also the size of the word question in the text.
I also used text with different forms, the letter “g”
shows the contrast the best between the two
fonts. I made sure to choose two very different
fonts, a modern and a decorative font.
I tried to work out all the alignment issues (I had
alignment issues for many of my pieces).
I also added the drop shadow to my pictures and
put the lighter color at the top of the slide. I like
the changes to this slide, it feel bold and makes a
statement. It works well with the theme.