Hello, Readers!

Get ready to dive into a world where literary figures come to life, swapping likes, comments, and emojis in an imaginative digital realm. Read on to discover a modern take on literary character studies: through imaginary social media platforms!

From Page to Profile: Unleashing Literary Characters on Social Media!

By Carlo Sayo

In this article, we explore an interesting way to use Canva templates for character studies and analysis. We asked the question “if literary characters had social media accounts, what might they post?” We then challenged students to think creatively to design imaginary social media posts for popular characters. Not only did this help to deepen their understanding of these characters, it also opened discussion on the responsible use of online platforms. Here is how three different classes interpreted this same class project.

Classroom 1: Grade 5 study of character motivations from Holes

In this grade 5 class, students created profiles for characters in the book Holes,  examining the public versus private lives of characters. For example, the character of “The Warden” projects herself as a leader focused on character-building but had ulterior motives. This exercise prompted students to delve deeper into the characters and think critically about their motivations, and differences between external appearances and internal realities.

Classroom 2: Grade 5 Study on Character Perspective

A separate grade 5 class explored social media character sketches by imagining the perspectives of characters from books like The BFG and The Borrowers. Students were encouraged to immerse themselves in the perspectives of their chosen characters, exploring what they would see and photograph. From the high-up point of view of a giant, to the ground-level view of a mouse, the students imagined giant ears, magical cucumbers, and other whimsical elements.

Classroom 3: Fairy Tale Personalities

One grade 7 class focused on popular fairy tale characters. Students compared classic origins with modern adaptations and imagined their characters' thoughts based on what we know and can interpret from their personalities. One student said “Snow White is gullible” and thought of the type of social media images a gullible person might post. They even discussed how many followers a character might have, based on character traits like conceit, or humility. Once the students have a well-rounded understanding of their characters, the teacher would like to introduce a "World Changing Event" to their fairy tale land. Students will have to “post” how their characters would react to an event that affects them all.

Each of these scenarios invites discussion around digital literacy. We can examine the tension between someone’s daily reality, and the online persona they share with others. By reimagining character studies through the lens of imaginary social media posts, students were able to analyze the contrast between public and private lives, and reimagine characters in different contexts.

This project can even be extended to historical figures, or stakeholders in current events. By embracing innovative teaching methods, educators can foster critical thinking, creativity, and digital literacy skills, preparing students for the interconnected world we live in.

It's incredible to witness students exploring the nuances of characters, dissect their motivations, and bring them to life through engaging social media profiles, from the page to posts in a digital world.

Until next week,

The Classmate Team

Speaking of Social Media, here’s a cool camouflage and natural selection project we found on #TeacherTok.