Social Media Voice: Formal vs. Informal Language Campaign
Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.In what ways can we strategically use formal and informal language on social media to effectively communicate different messages to various audiences?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- How does the language we use change in different social media contexts?
- What effect does formal versus informal language have on an audience?
- How can we strategically use language to convey a specific message on social media?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Students will be able to differentiate between formal and informal language.
- Students will be able to identify the impact of language choice on audience reception.
- Students will be able to strategically apply formal and informal language in social media posts to achieve specific communication goals.
- Students will be able to analyze social media content to evaluate the effectiveness of language use.
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to studentsThe Great Post Debate
Students receive two social media posts about the same school event—one formal, one informal. They discuss which post is more effective and why, sparking debate about audience and context. This activity encourages students to consider the power of language in shaping perceptions and driving engagement.Social Media Crisis Challenge
A local company presents a real social media crisis scenario requiring students to draft responses using both formal and informal language. Students explore how language choice affects brand reputation and public perception. This challenges students to think critically about the consequences of their communication.Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.Language Style Sorter
Students will explore various social media posts and categorize them based on their language style. This activity will help them recognize the key differences between formal and informal language.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA categorized collection of social media posts with annotations explaining the language style used and why it is appropriate for the context.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goal: Students will be able to differentiate between formal and informal language.The Language Switcheroo
Students will rewrite social media posts, changing the language from formal to informal and vice versa, to observe how these changes affect the message and its reception.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA set of rewritten social media posts with a reflection on how the changes in language affect the tone, clarity, and potential audience response.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goal: Students will be able to identify the impact of language choice on audience reception.Campaign Commander
Students will create their own social media campaign for a school event, designing posts that use formal and informal language to target different segments of the audience.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA social media campaign plan with sample posts using both formal and informal language, targeting different audience segments, along with a rationale explaining the choice of language for each post.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goals: Students will be able to strategically apply formal and informal language in social media posts to achieve specific communication goals.Social Media Analyst
Students will analyze existing social media campaigns from various organizations, evaluating the effectiveness of their language use in achieving their communication goals.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA report analyzing two different social media campaigns, evaluating the effectiveness of their language use based on audience engagement, message clarity, and overall campaign goals.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goal: Students will be able to analyze social media content to evaluate the effectiveness of language use.Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioSocial Media Language Mastery Rubric
Language Style Identification and Justification
Focuses on the student’s ability to identify, categorize, and justify the use of formal and informal language in various social media contexts.Categorization Accuracy
Accuracy in categorizing social media posts as formal or informal.
Exemplary
4 PointsConsistently and accurately categorizes social media posts with insightful justifications and demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of nuanced language features.
Proficient
3 PointsAccurately categorizes social media posts and provides clear, well-supported justifications using specific examples from the text.
Developing
2 PointsCategorizes social media posts with some inconsistencies, and justifications may lack detail or specific examples.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to categorize social media posts accurately, and justifications are minimal or missing.
Explanation Quality
Depth and clarity of explanations justifying the categorization.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides exceptionally clear, insightful, and comprehensive explanations that demonstrate an advanced understanding of the context and audience.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides clear and well-reasoned explanations that demonstrate a thorough understanding of the context and audience.
Developing
2 PointsProvides explanations that are somewhat vague or incomplete, with limited attention to context and audience.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides minimal or unclear explanations, demonstrating little understanding of the context or audience.
Post Diversity
Selection of diverse social media posts representing a range of formal and informal language styles.
Exemplary
4 PointsSelects a diverse and compelling range of social media posts that exemplify a deep understanding of language styles and their applications.
Proficient
3 PointsSelects a variety of relevant social media posts that effectively demonstrate different language styles.
Developing
2 PointsSelects some social media posts, but the range of language styles is limited.
Beginning
1 PointsSelects few social media posts, and the examples do not clearly represent formal or informal language.
Language Manipulation and Reflection
Assesses the student’s ability to manipulate language and reflect on the effects of language choice on communication outcomes.Language Style Transformation
Effectiveness of rewriting posts to switch between formal and informal language.
Exemplary
4 PointsRewrites posts with exceptional skill, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of language and context while enhancing the message's impact.
Proficient
3 PointsSuccessfully rewrites posts, effectively changing the language style while maintaining clarity and relevance.
Developing
2 PointsRewrites posts with some difficulty, and the changes in language style may not always be effective or clear.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to rewrite posts effectively, and the resulting changes in language style are unclear or inappropriate.
Impact Reflection
Insightfulness of reflection on how language choice impacts message effectiveness and audience reception.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a highly insightful and nuanced reflection that demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of audience psychology and communication strategies.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides a thoughtful and well-supported reflection that clearly articulates the impact of language choice on message effectiveness and audience reception.
Developing
2 PointsProvides a basic reflection that touches on the impact of language choice but lacks depth or specific examples.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides a minimal or superficial reflection with little or no discussion of the impact of language choice.
Post Clarity
Clarity and coherence of the rewritten social media posts.
Exemplary
4 PointsRewritten social media posts are exceptionally clear, concise, and perfectly tailored to the intended audience, demonstrating mastery of communication.
Proficient
3 PointsRewritten social media posts are clear, well-organized, and effectively communicate the intended message.
Developing
2 PointsRewritten social media posts are somewhat unclear or disorganized, making it difficult to understand the intended message.
Beginning
1 PointsRewritten social media posts are confusing, poorly written, and fail to effectively communicate the intended message.
Strategic Language Application
Evaluates the student’s capacity to strategically use language to meet specific communication objectives.Post Design
Originality and creativity in designing social media posts for different audience segments.
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates exceptional originality and creativity in designing highly engaging and persuasive social media posts that perfectly align with audience preferences.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates creativity and thoughtfulness in designing social media posts that are appropriate for different audience segments.
Developing
2 PointsDemonstrates some creativity but may struggle to tailor posts effectively to different audience segments.
Beginning
1 PointsShows little creativity and produces social media posts that are generic and not well-suited to specific audience segments.
Audience Targeting
Effectiveness of targeting language style to specific audience segments.
Exemplary
4 PointsPerfectly tailors language style to resonate deeply with each audience segment, demonstrating an intuitive understanding of their communication preferences.
Proficient
3 PointsEffectively tailors language style to suit the communication preferences of specific audience segments.
Developing
2 PointsAttempts to tailor language style to different audience segments, but the approach may be inconsistent or superficial.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to effectively tailor language style to different audience segments.
Rationale Strength
Strength and clarity of the rationale for language choices.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a compelling, insightful, and meticulously detailed rationale that showcases an advanced understanding of communication strategies and audience psychology.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides a clear and well-reasoned rationale that effectively justifies the language choices made for each audience segment.
Developing
2 PointsProvides a rationale that is somewhat vague or incomplete, with limited justification for the language choices.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides a minimal or unclear rationale with little or no justification for the language choices.
Critical Social Media Assessment
Focuses on the student’s ability to critically assess and provide actionable feedback on real-world social media strategies.Language Analysis
Thoroughness of analysis of language used in social media campaigns.
Exemplary
4 PointsConducts an exceptionally thorough and insightful analysis, demonstrating a mastery of linguistic techniques and their persuasive impact.
Proficient
3 PointsConducts a thorough analysis, identifying and explaining key examples of formal and informal language.
Developing
2 PointsConducts a basic analysis but may miss some important examples or provide incomplete explanations.
Beginning
1 PointsConducts a superficial analysis with minimal attention to specific examples or explanations.
Effectiveness Evaluation
Accuracy and depth of evaluation of the effectiveness of language use.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides an exceptionally accurate, perceptive, and comprehensive evaluation of language effectiveness, showcasing an advanced understanding of its impact.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides an accurate and well-supported evaluation of the effectiveness of language use based on audience engagement, message clarity, and campaign goals.
Developing
2 PointsProvides an evaluation that is somewhat subjective or lacks sufficient evidence to support its claims.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides a minimal or inaccurate evaluation with little or no justification.
Improvement Recommendations
Clarity and relevance of recommendations for improvement.
Exemplary
4 PointsFormulates exceptionally clear, practical, and innovative recommendations that demonstrate strategic insight and a deep understanding of campaign optimization.
Proficient
3 PointsFormulates clear and relevant recommendations for improving the effectiveness of language use in social media campaigns.
Developing
2 PointsFormulates recommendations that are vague or not directly related to the analysis.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to formulate meaningful recommendations for improvement.