In our quest to make learning more engaging and relatable for our students, tapping into elements from their everyday lives can be a game-changer. Social media, and particularly Facebook, plays a significant role in the lives of many students. They use it to connect, share, and sometimes, to learn. The exciting part? We, as educators, have the opportunity to harness the power of social media to boost our teaching strategies. Hence the importance of Facebook templates!
What are Facebook templates, you ask?
Imagine mock-up designs that mirror the layout of Facebook profiles. These templates are customizable tools that we can adapt for various educational activities, blending the familiar interface of Facebook with our learning objectives. Here are a few innovative ways to use Facebook templates in your classroom:
- Character Analysis: Transform the way students engage with literature by having them create Facebook profiles for characters from novels, films, or plays. This approach encourages in-depth analysis and a creative exploration of the character’s life, moving beyond the conventional book report.
- Historical Figures and More: Whether it’s a scientist, author, artist, or another notable figure, students can create profiles that delve into their lives and achievements. This exercise not only enriches their knowledge but also hones their informational writing and research skills.
- First-day Icebreakers: Kick off the school year with a fun introduction activity. Students can create profiles for themselves or their classmates, facilitating a unique way to share interests, hobbies, and personal insights.
The educational value of integrating Facebook templates into your lessons is multifaceted. Students engage with a platform they enjoy while developing crucial skills such as media literacy, research, writing, and presentation. It’s learning, wrapped in fun and familiarity.
Curious about where to find these templates? I’ve scoured the internet and compiled a list of resources offering Facebook templates designed specifically for educational use. Many of these templates are the brainchild of creative educators looking to make learning more dynamic. Plus, I’ve included a couple of user-friendly web tools that empower you to craft your very own Facebook templates.
[Tip: Don’t miss our related guide on free editable newspaper templates to use with students in class]
Embracing Facebook templates in education is not just about adding a modern twist to teaching; it’s about meeting students where they are and enriching their learning journey with meaningful, engaging content. Let’s explore this digital landscape together, shall we?
Facebook Profile Templates
Here are some of our favourites resources for Facebook profile templates:
1- Teachers Pay Teachers
There are several free Facebook profile templates in Teachers Pay Teachers. Simply type ‘Facebook profile template’ in the search bar and choose Free in Price and you will have a collection of awesome templates to download and use with your students.
These templates come in different formats including PDF, Word, PPT, and Google Slides. Here are some of the templates which I think you will find very helpful:
Fakebook – Create Your Own Facebook Profile, by Best Teacher Resources
This is a blank profile that is modeled after Facebook timeline and can be used by students to provide information about characters, historical figures, authors, artists, and more.
Free Facebook Profile Character Sketch Any Novel Activity, by Tracee Orman
Students can use this template to create a Facebook profile for a character in a novel, book, short story or movie.
Facebook Student Profile Form, by Plan Like A Boss
This template can be used in introductory and get-to-know-me activities especially at the beginning of the school year. Students fill in the boxes with their personal information and share with each other.
Facebook Character Profile- Blank Template, by Stephanie Wolters
This Facebook Character Profile can be used in character study activities. ‘Students can use this to discuss characters in a novel, or as part of a historical person project, or anything else your mind can imagine.’
Facebook Profile Template, by Inspire Others
Students can use Facebook Profile Template to showcase their learning and share informational resources with others. As the author stated, this template can be used in the following activities: author study, character study, all about me activities, back to school activities, Grandparents Day, and more.
Facebook Profile Template – Character Study, by Sarah Beckett
As Sarah contended, this Facebook template can be used ‘for making character profiles during a novel study or read aloud. Students are required to create thoughtful postings that reveal information about the character, while also considering their interests and social network.’
Biography Facebook Template, by Tracie Deardorff
This template, as Tracie stated, ‘allows [students] to create a profile page for a character in a book they are reading or to pair with a biography they are studying. Students will need to use details they have learned to fill in categories for the the person’s friends, hobbies, about me section, and two recent posts of what the person has been up to.’
Facebook Template – Introduce Yourself Activity, by Meant for Middle
This template can be used in introduce yourself activities and also to create Facebook character profile for character study.
Fakebook by Classtools
Fakebook is a tool provided for free by Classtools which allows students to create fake Facebook profiles to use in the study of characters, discussion of historical events, mapping out a plan of a book, and more.
Students can edit the cover photo, add their names and personal information, include links to YouTube and Vimeo videos, add friends, etc. They can also save their work and edit it anytime they want.
Profile Publisher, by ReadWriteThink
Profile Publisher is an interactive tool that students can use to create imaginary social media profiles to introduce themselves or to discuss a historical figure, or a popular public figure. They can also be used in discussions of fictional characters in a novel or short story.
Also, ‘the tool could be used for profiles of nonhuman living creatures, inanimate objects or abstract concepts (e.g., profile of an amoeba, an historical monument, or friendship).’
Final thoughts
Harnessing the familiarity and engagement of social media through Facebook templates offers a creative and contemporary approach to learning. By crafting profiles for literary characters or historical figures, students delve into a blend of creative and critical thinking, while the structure of a social media profile demands conciseness and relevance, sharpening their ability to distill information. The activities not only foster key competencies such as media literacy and research skills but also kindle a sense of fun in educational tasks, breaking the traditional molds of learning.
