Resources needed

Right click to save this JPG poster template to your computer: Poster template.

Also prepare an A4 photocopied sheet with various religious celebratory greetings written on it if necessary.

The children should be in mixed-ability pairings during this session. Less able pupils should be designing the core elements of the poster while more able pupils should advise but resist from "doing". If the teacher selects the pairing carefully it can prove to be an enormously creative process for both partners while allowing less able pupils the opportunity to improve their ICT skills.

After each pair has logged on to the computer, the teacher should open the relevant poster template and ensure that it is well positioned in the centre of the screen. If possible also try to set the spray tool size to a medium thickness.

To begin with, pupils should start work on the middle section of the template as this is the area where they will design their chosen religious image. Emphasise that there is more than enough room to create an attractive and colourful image. Again, as before, the children should be encouraged to experiment freely.

Remind pupils that the spray tool can be used to fill large irregular and regular border shapes quickly and efficiently. It is important to halt the class every 10 minutes or so for work to be shared with all and discussed.

After the central design has been created ask pupils to focus on the top section of the poster, where they will place their relevant greeting such as "Happy Hanukka" or "Happy Christmas". These greetings could be written out earlier by the teacher, photocopied and circulated. The children could decide to copy the greeting onto the top region of the poster using the spray too or if this is too difficult, they could use the "text tool" facility that most art programs have.

Once they have completed the top and middle sections of the poster pupils can then design the lower section where they will write their name(s). Again, pupils can use either the spray tool or text tool. Interesting effects can be obtained by using the fill tool in conjunction with the text tool.