Creative Central Idea Application Idea
I was right in the thick of our central idea unit when I hit a snag. I realized that if I lined up yet another session of just reading an article and filling out a graphic organizer, my students were likely going to stage a revolt.
Now, don't get me wrong – I'm all for graphic organizers. They're fantastic tools for breaking down concepts. But, let's be honest, after the sixth or seventh article, even the most engaging topics start to feel a bit... well, monotonous.
So there I was, at my desk, brainstorming something both engaging and meaningful, ticking all those educational standards boxes. And like many of us when we hit a creative roadblock, I found myself on TikTok, hoping for a brain break.
Typically, TikTok is my go-to for some light-hearted scrolling. This time, however, about 15 minutes in, I stumbled upon something unexpected – a video about rats on animal-tok. Now, coming from someone who couldn't even sit through 'Ratatouille' (a rat in a kitchen? No thanks!), the fact that I was captivated by this video was a revelation.
This video opened my eyes to see rats in a whole new light. And then, like Cher's big epiphany moment at the end of Clueless, it struck me –
Why not have my students create a social media campaign to reshape how the world sees rats?
Phone down, creativity up – I began to sketch out the plan right there and then.
The Plan
📨 Kickoff with a Letter: Begin the project with an engaging letter to capture your students' interest. This playful approach is an excellent way to set the tone for the entire activity. I used a letter from the RATS Union, playfully asking the students for help in changing public perception about rats. It's a creative way to immerse them in the project right from the start.
2. 👥 Grouping: I grouped students based on their performance in previous assignments, so I could tailor my support effectively.
3. 🌟 Content Creation: The students' task? To create a social media campaign using info from two articles I provided: one about landmine-detecting rats and another with six fascinating rat facts. The catch? They had to identify the central ideas for their posts (sneaky, right? 🕵️♀️).
4. 🗒️ Structured Creativity: To keep things organized, I provided a worksheet (AKA, a central idea graphic organizer) to capture to big ideas from the articles. They had to clear their ideas with me before diving into the campaign planning.
5. 🚀 The Campaign: Over two days, students planned a five-day social media blitz, choosing between written posts, digital images, or simple videos. Each post needed a heading, description, catchy caption (hashtags encouraged!), and a clear purpose tied back to the articles' central ideas.
6. ✅Execution (If Time Allows): For those who could, I let them actually create the posts and compile them on a shared Google Slides presentation.
In the end, they were essentially doing the graphic organizer task, but wrapped in a much more engaging package!
Feel free to adapt this idea to your classroom. Pick any topic that could be seen in a new light, find some related articles, and let your students loose on a social media campaign. It's a fantastic way to sneak in learning and application.
Resources to Help You 👇
Social Media Planning Guide
I’ve have the social media campaign instructions and planner ready for a free download! You can edit as needed – just fill out the form and you will be redirected to the Google Doc!
ELA Unlimited
ELA Unlimited members can download the full package now – including the RATS letter, articles, worksheets, planning sheets, and Google Slides.
If you loved this creative approach and are craving more unique, ready-to-use resources like this, consider joining ELA Unlimited. It's your 24/7 access pass to an ever-growing library of innovative teaching tools, designed to keep your classroom both educational and exciting.
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