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WordPress Configuration Exercise: Octo 2025

In this exercise, you will configure a WordPress theme using the Customizer and custom CSS.

To begin, please download the following zip archives.

Then please watch this Loom video description of the project.

Exercise Setup

  • Install the starter content. Create a new admin user as part of that process
  • Do not delete the kevinmcmillan admin user
  • Install and activate the Sydney classic theme
  • When prompted, do not install the Starter Sites
  • Do not install any plugins

Basic Details of The Site

  • Site Name: Octo
  • Site Tagline: Design / Development
  • Bebas Neue font for all Headings
  • System UI font stack for the other text
  • Line Height for site 1.5. Base font size for site 16px
  • Logo: octo-logo.png. Favicon: octo-favicon.png
  • Front page is NOT a static page. It is the regular WordPress front page.
  • Front page and Archives have a maximum of six posts before pagination.
  • Some CSS will be required with most sections

Header (20 pts)

  • Two layouts: Desktop and Tablet/Phone
  • Compare the screenshots for layout and alignments
  • Logo is 100px on Desktop, and 65 px on Tablet/Phone
  • Site name is 26px on Desktop and 20px on Tablet/Phone

Mobile Menu (10 pts)

  • Obviously only on Tablet/Phone
  • Background is slightly translucent black. Text is white.
  • When visible, menu covers entire width of screen
  • Consult screenshot

Front Page (30 pts)

  • From YouTube find a black and white video. Put that video in the hero area.
  • Phone / Tablet: 1 column.  Desktop: 3 columns.
  • Article area covers most of screen width: make aligment with header elements.
  • Meta: date, category, author. Excerpt length: 45 words.

Archives (20 pts)

  • Archives look the same as the front page, with category name and description, and no hero area.
  • In the description for each category, add the following
    “My name is [insert your name]. I live in Vancouver, and my favorite [insert category reference] is [insert something that makes sense]”
  • See screenshot for details

Single View  (20 pts)

  • Most content covers nearly the entire width of screen. Align with Header elements.
  • Text and Comments area do not get wider than 800px. Those blocks are also centered.
  • Last page of this test shows Desktop and Phone / Tablet views side by side.

Footer (20 pts)

  • This section is for bonus points. You can get up to 20 extra points to make up for any places you’ve missed.
  • Footer content is stacked and centered.
  • Same layout for all screen sizes. Nothing changes.

WHEN YOU ARE DONE

  • Make a new Duplicator package of your work
  • Download the installer and zip file of the Duplicator package. Do not rename either one.
  • Put those two files in a folder
  • Name that folder FirstName-LastName-Octo
  • Zip that folder
  • Hand it into Brightspace

 

NOTE on Marking Scheme

Ignore the following if you are doing the exercise as a weekly assignment.

If you are writing this as a test, the maximum mark you can get on the test is 100%.

But there is a 20% bonus section (footer) to make up for anything you might have missed.

Header20%
Mobile Menu10%
Front Page30%
Archives20%
Single20%
Footer20%