packaging and print design
4 detailed 50-minute lessons with teaching scripts, worked examples, parent guides, and assessment criteria.
Lesson Overview
Total Lessons: 4
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA
Learning Objectives
- Explain the key ideas of packaging and print design
- Apply packaging and print design to exam-style questions
- Develop independent study skills
- Build cross-topic connections
Prerequisites
- Read the revision notes for packaging and print design first (GCSE Revise summary)
- Key vocab to pre-teach: Graphic Communication Exam Tips
- Basic skills: reading the summary notes and answering the practice questions there
Materials & Equipment
- Exercise book, coloured pens
- Ruler
- Printed revision notes (link below)
- Internet for videos (see Resources)
Lesson 1: Introduction: packaging and print design
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Quick Recall
Write down everything you already know about packaging and print design. Then check against the key terms: Graphic Communication Exam Tips. Use a mini-whiteboard or paper.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Parent/Teacher Guide:
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Graphic Communication Exam Tips.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Graphic Communication Exam Tips.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Teaching Script (35 mins):
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: packaging and print design. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Art and Design because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: packaging and print design. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Art and Design because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
First Look
Start with the revision notes summary, then attempt: Create a series of experimental studies exploring packaging and print design. Annotate your process.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Check Out
Your student states one thing they learned and one question they still have about packaging and print design.
Lesson 2: Core Concepts: packaging and print design
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Review Previous Lesson
Quick recap: write 3 key points from Lesson 1 on packaging and print design. Check them against the notes below.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Key Fact: Packaging nets are 2D templates that fold into 3D containers — understanding tabs, glue flaps and die-cuts is essential.
Key Fact: Sustainable packaging considers material choice, minimal waste, recyclability and environmental impact.
Key Fact: Print processes differ: offset litho for high-volume, digital for short runs and variable data, screen for speciality finishes.
Key Fact: Information graphics use visual design to communicate data clearly — charts, diagrams, maps and infographics.
Graphic Communication Exam Tips: Show the FLAT NET and the ASSEMBLED package. Test that your net actually folds — make a prototype. Consider sustainability — annotate material choices. Include all required information (barcode, contents, warnings).
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Lithography | High-volume packaging, magazines | High (plates) |
| Digital | Short runs, personalisation | Low |
| Screen | Textiles, posters, thick inks | Medium |
| Flexography | Flexible packaging, labels | Medium |
| Foil blocking | Premium finishes on packaging | Medium (die) |
Practice (10 minutes)
Q: Create a series of experimental studies exploring packaging and print design. Annotate your process.
Answer: A range of experimental studies showing different approaches to packaging and print design, each annotated with media, technique and purpose. Show development from initial experiments to refined outcomes.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Explain Back
Your student teaches the key points back to you without looking. Fill any gaps immediately.
Lesson 3: Application: packaging and print design
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Quick Recall
Recall the key terms: Graphic Communication Exam Tips. Define each in one sentence.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Parent/Teacher Guide: Let your student attempt each question alone first, then compare with the model answer. Award method marks for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.
Q1: Create a series of experimental studies exploring packaging and print design. Annotate your process.
Answer: A range of experimental studies showing different approaches to packaging and print design, each annotated with media, technique and purpose. Show development from initial experiments to refined outcomes.
Q2: Research an artist or designer who works with packaging and print design. Write a critical analysis of their approach and explain how it has informed your own work.
Answer: A critical analysis naming a specific artist/designer, using specialist vocabulary, explaining their context and approach, and making clear connections to personal work.
Q3: Evaluate the effectiveness of your experiments with packaging and print design. Which approaches were most successful and why?
Answer: A reflective evaluation identifying successful and less successful experiments, explaining WHY using technical and conceptual language, and showing how evaluation led to further refinement.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Error Review
Review any questions answered incorrectly. Identify whether the error was knowledge, method, or reading the question.
Lesson 4: Exam Practice: packaging and print design
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Command Words
Review what these command words require: state (one point), describe (say what happens), explain (say why), compare (both sides), evaluate (judgement).
Main Content (35 minutes)
Extended Answer
Extended question: Full-Mark Response Design packaging for a product. Create the net, consider materials and sustainability, and design the surface graphics. Build a prototype and annotate your design decisions. <div class="
A grade 9 response will: design a functional net that folds correctly; choose appropriate materials with sustainability considered; create effective surface graphics with clear information hierarchy; build a working prototype. Mark scheme: AO1 (develop through investigation) + AO2 (refine through experimentation) + AO3 (record ideas and observations) + AO4 (present personal response) = total marks
Exam Tips: Address ALL four Assessment Objectives — AO1 (develop), AO2 (refine), AO3 (record), AO4 (present) | Show the FULL creative journey — from initial research to final outcome | Annotate your work using specialist vocabulary (not just "I like it") | Draw from primary sources wherever possible — real objects, not photos | Experiment with a RANGE of media and techniques before selecting | Make clear connections between artist research and your own developing work
Common Errors: Watch Out! Students often make mistakes with this topic. Wrong: Packaging design is just about making the box look attractive. Correct: Packaging design must consider: PROTECTION (does it keep the product safe?), FUNCTION (does it open/close properly?), SUSTAINABILITY (materials, waste, recyclability), LEGISLATION (barcodes, ingredients, safety warnings), and aesthetics.
Stretch & Challenge (Grade 8-9):
- Synoptic links: explain how packaging and print design connects to another Art and Design topic you have studied
- Real-world: research one real-world use or example of packaging and print design
- Critical: "What are the limitations of the models used in packaging and print design?"
Plenary (5 minutes)
Assessment Criteria
- Got it: Confident explanation + correct worked examples
- Getting there: Main points OK, needs support with detail
- Not yet: Confused on key concepts - re-run Lesson 2
Homework & Consolidation
- Consolidation: Re-answer any Lesson 3 practice questions answered incorrectly (20 mins)
- Retrieval: Write flashcards for the key terms: Graphic Communication Exam Tips (10 mins)
- Exam practice: One past-paper question on packaging and print design from the board websites (15 mins)
- Extension: Explain packaging and print design to someone else in your own words (10 mins)