for my senior thesis capstone project i wanted to look into the way that we design for education. being a substitute teacher in an elementary school, i have first hand seen the materials that students are learning from. with teachers being one of the most under-funded professions, materials are often not updated enough because the teacher would need to be paying out of pocket.
smart cookie is an affordable educational company, geared towards elementary aged students, that aims to fill the gaps in learning materials to accommodate for students that are at all learning levels. all materials are made with vibrant visuals and a diverse character grouping to ensure that the brand attributes (captivating, playful, vibrant, inclusive and empowering) are being followed through with. when learning is done best, the students feel that they are in a safe environment and they are able to have fun without judgement.
when building the smart cookie brand, it was important to make sure that the style guide and brand guidelines aligned with each other. below are a few key style guide pages that i wanted to highlight: typography, color palette and illustrations.
with the style guide in mind, smart cookie created package designs that teachers would be receiving their materials in. both boxes are decorated to look like they have been covered in stickers in order to continue the playfulness of the brand. the idea is that the materials would live in this box and not just be thrown right away.
flashcards are a great resource for teachers to use as learning materials. smart cookie has made flashcards that cover all the basics: letters a to z, counting 0 to 10, shapes and colors.
using the knowledge that the students have learned from the cards, smart cookie has written the first of many books called "count with me". through detailed scenes, students are able to interact with each page to count objects. this allows for learning and practicing skills while having an enjoyable experience. below are a few spreads from the book.
the last material that smart cookie generated for their initial launch was a calendar for use in the classroom. below are a few examples of the month banners.
on top of the learning materials, smart cookie has also produced an app that aims to create a line of communication for teachers from all over. teaching can feel isolating at points, but the reality is all teachers have very similar experiences and need to realize they can lean on each other for support. below is a walk-through of the app, as well as snapshots of some of the main screens.
