Social Media Strategist for a Day: A Project-Based Lesson Plan for Teens

Engage your high school students with this hands-on digital marketing lesson plan. In this 90-minute project, students become a social media strategist, creating a fictional brand, defining a target audience, planning content pillars, and designing an Instagram post with Canva. This lesson includes a free printable worksheet and is perfect for business, marketing, or career exploration classes to teach real-world content creation skills.

Create Your Own Custom Lesson Plan
Previous Lesson
PDF
```html

Lesson Plan: Social Media Strategist for a Day

Materials Needed:

  • Computer with internet access
  • Notebook and pen/pencil (or a digital document like Google Docs)
  • Access to a free Canva account (www.canva.com)
  • Smartphone or camera (optional, for content creation)
  • Worksheet: "My Fictional Brand Profile" (template provided below)

Subject: Business / Digital Marketing / Career Exploration

Student: Madison (Age 15)

Time Allotment: 90 minutes (flexible, with extension activities)

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, Madison will be able to:

  • Develop a basic brand identity, including a target audience and brand voice, for a fictional company.
  • Create a 3-post content plan for one social media platform (Instagram) based on strategic content pillars.
  • Design one original piece of social media content using Canva.
  • Write an engaging social media caption that includes a call-to-action and relevant hashtags.

2. Alignment with Standards (Example Alignment)

  • Common Core ELA Standards: (W.9-10.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • ISTE Standards for Students: (1.6 Creative Communicator) Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

3. Instructional Strategies and Activities (The "Fictional Brand" Challenge)

Part 1: Introduction & Brandstorm (15 minutes)

  1. Hook (5 min): Start with a conversation. Ask Madison: "If you could start a business tomorrow for something you love—like custom art, eco-friendly products, a dog-walking service, or a baking company—what would it be? Let's imagine one." This initial brainstorm helps her connect her personal interests to the project.
  2. Mini-Lesson (10 min): Briefly introduce three core concepts of social media management:
    • Target Audience: "Who are you trying to talk to? It’s impossible to be for everyone. Are they teenagers who love gaming? Are they adults who love gardening? Getting specific is key."
    • Brand Voice: "How does your brand 'sound'? Is it funny and casual, using slang and memes? Or is it professional, inspiring, and calm? The voice should match the audience."
    • Content Pillars: "These are 3-5 main topics you'll always post about. For a baking company, the pillars might be: 1) Behind-the-Scenes Baking, 2) Customer Spotlights, and 3) Delicious Finished Products. This keeps your content focused."

Part 2: The Main Challenge - Build Your Brand (50 minutes)

  1. Step 1: Create the Brand Profile (15 min): Madison will use the "My Fictional Brand Profile" worksheet to invent her brand. She'll decide on a name, a mission, her target audience, and her brand voice. Encourage her to be creative and detailed.
    (This step directly addresses the "develop a brand identity" objective.)
  2. Step 2: Plan the Content (10 min): Based on her brand profile, Madison will brainstorm three "Content Pillars." Then, she will outline three specific Instagram post ideas, one for each pillar. For example, for a pet-sitting brand, her ideas might be:
    • Pillar 1 (Meet the Pets): Post a cute photo of a dog named Max.
    • Pillar 2 (Pet Care Tips): Create a simple graphic with "3 Tips for a Happy Cat."
    • Pillar 3 (Behind the Scenes): Post a video of setting up a cozy pet bed.
    (This step directly addresses the "create a content plan" objective.)
  3. Step 3: Design the Content (25 min): Madison will choose ONE of her post ideas and bring it to life.
    • She will log into Canva and choose an "Instagram Post" template.
    • She can use Canva's stock photos, graphics, and text tools to design her post.
    • Alternative (Kinesthetic Option): If her brand is product-based (e.g., handmade jewelry, baked goods), she can use a smartphone to take an actual photo of a product and edit it.
    (This step directly addresses the "design original content" objective.)

Part 3: Final Touches & Reflection (25 minutes)

  1. Step 4: Write the Perfect Caption (10 min): For the post she just designed, Madison will write an engaging caption. Remind her to include three key things:
    • A "hook" to grab attention.
    • The main message.
    • A "Call-to-Action" (CTA) like "What's your favorite tip? Let us know below!" or "Click the link in bio to learn more!"
    • 3-5 relevant hashtags she researches.
    (This step directly addresses the "write an engaging caption" objective.)
  2. Step 5: Share & Reflect (15 min): Madison will present her final post and caption. Use these questions for discussion:
    • "Who is this post for, and why do you think they would stop scrolling to look at it?"
    • "What was the most enjoyable part of this process? The planning, the design, or the writing?"
    • "If you had to make three more posts for this brand next week, what would they be?"

4. Differentiation and Inclusivity

  • For Support: If Madison is stuck on a brand idea, provide a few fun concepts (e.g., "A subscription box for fantasy book lovers," "A company that sells custom-painted phone cases," "An online tutoring service for middle schoolers"). Provide pre-vetted Canva templates to simplify the design process.
  • For Extension/Challenge: Have Madison create an Instagram Story to go along with her post, using interactive features like polls or quizzes. Ask her to research a real-life competitor brand and analyze what they do well and what her fictional brand could do better.

5. Assessment Methods

  • Formative (Throughout): Observe Madison's thought process during the brand creation and content planning stages. Ask guiding questions to check for understanding of target audience and brand voice.
  • Summative (The Final Product): The final assessment is the completed project, evaluated with a simple rubric:
    • Brand Clarity (1-5 pts): Is the target audience and brand voice clearly defined and consistent?
    • Content Strategy (1-5 pts): Does the post idea align with the brand's content pillars and mission?
    • Visual Design (1-5 pts): Is the design visually appealing, clear, and appropriate for the brand?
    • Caption Effectiveness (1-5 pts): Is the caption engaging and does it include a clear call-to-action and relevant hashtags?

Worksheet: My Fictional Brand Profile

Use this to bring your brand to life!

  1. Brand Name: _________________________
  2. What do you do/sell? (1 sentence): _________________________
  3. Target Audience (Be specific!):
    • Age Range: _________
    • Interests/Hobbies: _________________________
    • What problem do you solve for them?: _________________________
  4. Brand Voice (Circle 3-4 words that describe your brand's personality):

    Funny | Professional | Inspiring | Edgy | Calm | Energetic | Whimsical | Trustworthy | Casual | Luxurious | Quirky | Helpful

  5. My 3 Content Pillars are:
    1. _________________________
    2. _________________________
    3. _________________________
  6. My 3 Post Ideas (one for each pillar):
    1. _________________________
    2. _________________________
    3. _________________________
```

Ask a question about this lesson