English · Year 10

Active learning ideas

Social Media and Identity

Active learning works for this topic because students need to experience firsthand how platforms shape identity before they can analyze them critically. When students construct and deconstruct online profiles, they move from passive users to active observers of how digital environments influence self-representation.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E10LA04
• AC9E10LY02

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 45 min · Individual

Simulation Game: The Curated Profile

Students are given a 'real' character profile (with flaws and mundane details) and must 'curate' it for three different platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok). They then discuss what was lost or gained in each version.

How does the curated nature of digital profiles impact the authenticity of the narrative voice?

Facilitation Tip

During 'The Curated Profile' simulation, have students time-box their profile creation to highlight how character limits and visual constraints push them to prioritize certain aspects of identity over others.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If a social media profile is a curated performance, what responsibility do users have to represent themselves authentically?' Facilitate a class discussion, asking students to provide specific examples from their own observations or experiences.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Emoji Translation

Pairs are given a complex sentence and must 'translate' it into only emojis. They then swap with another pair to see if the original meaning and tone were preserved or if the 'shorthand' caused a misunderstanding.

In what ways do platform constraints like character limits alter the complexity of public discourse?

Facilitation Tip

In 'Emoji Translation', ask students to rewrite the same message three ways using different emojis, then discuss how each version changes tone and meaning.

What to look for

Provide students with screenshots of three different social media profiles (e.g., a celebrity, a peer, a brand). Ask them to identify one specific strategy used on each profile to construct a particular identity and explain its intended effect.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 40 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Digital Footprints

Display 'screenshots' of fictional social media threads. Students move around the room to identify linguistic markers of 'performative' behavior and discuss how the platform's design encouraged that specific tone.

How do visual symbols and emojis function as a new form of universal shorthand?

Facilitation Tip

For 'Digital Footprints', assign each student to curate three posts that represent different aspects of their identity, then have peers identify which posts feel most or least authentic.

What to look for

Students bring a draft of a social media post they are considering publishing. In small groups, they swap posts and provide feedback using a rubric focused on clarity of intended message, audience awareness, and potential for misinterpretation. Each peer must offer at least one specific suggestion for revision.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Approach this topic by starting with students’ lived experiences as social media users, then layering analysis through structured activities. Avoid assuming students understand the mechanics of algorithms or platform design—explicitly teach these as tools that shape communication. Research shows that students benefit from seeing how small design choices (like a character limit or a like button) can have outsized effects on self-presentation.

Successful learning looks like students recognizing how platform constraints force simplification of identity. They should explain specific strategies like emoji use, tone, and image choices as deliberate tools for curation. Students should also critique examples with attention to audience awareness and potential misinterpretation.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Curated Profile simulation, watch for students who describe their profiles as 'just how I really am.' Redirect by asking them to point out which parts of their profile were simplified or omitted due to platform constraints.

  During the Emoji Translation activity, watch for students who dismiss emojis as decorative. Have them compare the same message with and without emojis, then ask how the tone shifts in tone and intended audience.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Think-Pair-Share
• Gallery Walk