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Day 4: Glowforge College/Career Logo Design

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Identify a specific postsecondary goal (college, trade school, military, certification, career); design a logo representing that goal in Canva or Adobe Express; convert to SVG; cut on the Glowforge
TEKS d(3)(A)
Deliverable Final logo design (digital) + first batch of Glowforge cuts started
Materials Chromebooks, Canva or Adobe Express, Glowforge laser cutter, cutting material (1/8" plywood or acrylic), sample college logos, Irving ISD CTE Pathways poster, projector

Warm-Up (5 min)

WARM-UP: Name one college, trade school, military branch, or career certification program you have heard of. What do you know about it?

Quick share. Listen for: nearby Texas universities (UNT, UT, A&M, TWU), trade schools (Lincoln Tech, Universal Technical Institute), military branches, and certifications (CompTIA, FANUC, AWS Welding). Bridge: "Today you make a physical object that represents YOUR future plan. It is the first time this year you commit to a specific direction."

Activity 1: MS to HS to Postsecondary Transition Discussion (10 min)

Display the Irving ISD CTE Pathways poster. Walk through the IT-related pathways one by one:

  • Computer Science (District Wide): Every IISD high school. Leads to Python certification.
  • Programming & Digital Tech (Singley Academy): Specialized programming track. Leads to Python certification.
  • Cybersecurity (Singley Academy): Cybersecurity Fundamentals certification.
  • Technology Support Services (Singley Academy): Computer Repair Technology certification.

Tell students: "Next year or the year after, you will be in HIGH SCHOOL. The choices you make about which courses to take in 9th grade directly affect which careers you can pursue. The good news is, all of these IT pathways are RIGHT HERE in Irving ISD. You don't need to leave your district to start any of these careers."

Then show 3-4 example postsecondary destinations:

  1. A 4-year college (e.g., UT Dallas, strong CS program)
  2. A community college (e.g., Dallas College, affordable, transfers to 4-year)
  3. Direct-to-work with certification (e.g., earning CompTIA A+ at age 19, working as Help Desk Tech)
  4. Military training (e.g., Air Force Cyber career field, Army Cyber Command, Space Force). Students curious about this path can start in JROTC at their Irving ISD high school, which introduces military careers and leadership without committing to enlistment.

DOK 2: How would you describe the academic requirements for getting into one of these IT pathways at your future high school?

Activity 2: Logo Design (25 min)

Students design a logo representing their postsecondary goal. The logo MUST connect to a SPECIFIC postsecondary destination (not random art):

  • A college logo (use the official college name and a creative interpretation)
  • A trade school or certification program logo
  • A military branch insignia (modified)
  • A custom logo for a specific career goal (e.g., a stylized stethoscope for a nursing career, a wrench for an automotive career)

Design tools:

  • Canva (canva.com): Easiest. Has logo templates and a free SVG export.
  • Adobe Express: Also has logo templates.
  • Inkscape (advanced): Free vector tool for students who already know SVG editing.

Glowforge file requirements:

  • Black and white (no gradients)
  • Vector format (SVG export)
  • Lines for cutting (red), shapes for engraving (black)
  • Simple shapes work best, avoid tiny details under 1mm

Walk the room. Ask each student: "What does your logo represent? What is your postsecondary goal?" If they cannot answer specifically, push them: "Don't just pick a cool logo. Pick a goal first, THEN design the logo for it."

Facilitation Tip

Students often pick a famous college (Harvard, Stanford) without knowing why. Push them to think locally and realistically. UT Dallas, UT Arlington, UNT, Texas A&M, and Dallas College are all in driving distance and have strong programs. The best postsecondary plan is one the student can actually afford and access.

Common Issue

Glowforge cuts take 5-15 minutes per logo depending on complexity. Stagger student designs so the queue doesn't bottleneck. First-batch cuts start today; second-batch cuts continue tomorrow.

Activity 3: First Batch of Glowforge Cuts (10 min)

The first 5-6 finished designs go to the Glowforge. Walk students through the workflow:

  1. Open the Glowforge software with the SVG file.
  2. Place the cutting material on the Glowforge bed.
  3. Position the design on the material using the camera view.
  4. Set the cut/engrave settings (preset for 1/8" plywood or acrylic).
  5. Press the print button on the Glowforge to start.
  6. Wait, watch through the lid, then remove when done.

Students whose designs are not yet ready continue working on them while the first batch is cutting.

Exit Ticket (5 min)

EXIT TICKET (Decision Tree / Branching Prompt) · Printable PDF:

My postsecondary goal (from the Glowforge logo): _____

Step 1: What is ONE thing I need to do in HIGH SCHOOL (9th-12th grade) to stay on track for this goal? (Example: "take Computer Science at my home HS," "apply to Singley for Cybersecurity," "keep GPA above 3.0 for college admission.")

Step 2: After high school, which path fits FIRST?

Circle ONE: 4-year college / community college / trade school / cert program / military / direct to work

Step 3: Branch on cost —

IF my family CAN afford the first-choice path above, my next step after graduation is: _____________

IF my family CANNOT afford it, my BACKUP first step after graduation is: _____________

(d(3)(A))

Differentiation

  • Support: Provide pre-made SVG templates of common college logos (UT, A&M, UNT, Dallas College) and military insignia. Students can download a template and add personal customization rather than designing from scratch.
  • Extension: Advanced students design a logo with TWO elements, a college logo AND a career icon (e.g., UT Dallas + a microscope for a biology major).
  • ELL: Allow ELL students to label their logo with text in Spanish (Universidad de Texas, Cybersecurity = Ciberseguridad). Pair ELL students with bilingual peers when navigating the Canva or Adobe Express interface.