1 - Welcome and Warm-up
Warm-up (30 seconds): Open your Digital Portfolio from Lesson 4. Look at your Proposal Draft (or create a new document if missing). What makes it hard to read quickly? Jot down one thing.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Apply fonts, sizes, bold, and italic to make documents readable
- Use colour sparingly following the 'less is more' principle
- Format text for both formal proposals and creative projects
- Polish your Lesson 4 Proposal Draft into a professional-looking document
Portfolio Goal: Turn your Lesson 4 Proposal Draft into a Formatted Proposal with readable headings, body text, and emphasis.
2 - Key Concepts
Text Formatting Basics
- Headings (larger font, bold) help readers find sections quickly
- Body text should be readable (11-12pt, simple font like Calibri/Arial)
- Emphasis (bold, italic) draws attention to 1-2 key ideas per page
- Colour is powerful — use it for 1 accent only, not everything
'Less is More' Rule
Good formatting helps readers. Too much formatting distracts. Ask: 'Does this make it easier to scan and understand?'
Two Styles You'll Need
- Formal (proposals, emails): Clean fonts (Arial/Calibri), black text, blue accents
- Creator (social posts, YouTube): More personality but still readable (playful fonts, 1-2 accent colours)
3 - Step-by-step: Format a Sample Document
Practice text formatting on your Proposal Draft OR the sample text below (copy-paste if your draft is missing/incomplete). Follow the steps exactly to learn where the buttons are.
Community Garden Proposal
This project will create a community garden for local families. The garden provides fresh vegetables and teaches gardening skills to children. Important benefits include healthy eating and community building. We need land, seeds, and volunteer time to start.
Common Issues
- Can't find formatting buttons: Look at the top of your screen for the toolbar with B, I, font size dropdown
- Formatting not applying: Make sure text is highlighted/selected first, then click format button
- Too many colours/fonts: Undo ({{kbd:Ctrl+Z}}/{{kbd:Cmd+Z}}) and try 'less is more'
4 - Portfolio Build: Format Your Full Proposal
Apply what you learned to format your entire Proposal Draft professionally. Try BOTH styles below. This becomes your Formatted Proposal portfolio page.
Formal Style (proposals, emails):
- Clear title (18pt+, bold, dark blue)
- Readable body text (12pt Arial/Calibri, black)
- 1-2 words/phrases italic for emphasis
Creator Style (social/YouTube):
- Title 20pt+, bold, playful font (Comic Sans, Impact), 1-2 accent colours
- Body 12pt Arial + 1 playful accent word
- Maximum energy but still readable from 2m away
Pro Tip: Read it from 2 metres away. Can you still find the main point quickly?
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