Social Impact Poster

Social Impact Poster

Topic: Creating a Social Impact Poster

Empowerment Video: Social Entrepreneurs

Basic Supplies:

  • Poster paper, one sheet per team
  • Markers, pencils, and/or paint
  • Scissors
  • Old magazines, newspapers, and other supplies to use as collage materials
  • Glitter, foil, colored craft paper, and other decorative supplies

Video Discussion:

Before the beginning of the lesson, write the following list of problems on the whiteboard or overhead:

  • Homelessness
  • A house with a dirty kitchen
  • A parent who loses their job
  • Poverty
  • Air pollution caused by cars or factories
  • A dog living on the street
  • A community that doesn't have enough jobs

Give students a minute to read the list of problems. Then direct them to discuss the similarities and differences between these problems with a nearby partner. 

Bring the class together to discuss students’ ideas.

Work together to classify the problems into “social problems” and “other problems”. Note that social problems are those that impact a large number of people.

Come to a class definition of the term “social problem” (e.g., “A condition or behavior that has negative consequences for a large number of people.”)

After watching the video Social Entrepreneurs, use some or all of the following questions to discuss the video content:

  • What are some problems you see in your school or community? How do you think a social entrepreneur might help solve them?
  • Why do you think it’s important for someone to take action when they see a problem? What might happen if they just waited for someone else to fix it?
  • Can you think of any examples of people or organizations that are working to make the world a better place? What do they do?
  • How can starting a business help solve a social problem?
  • If you could create your own social enterprise, what problem would you want to solve, and how would you do it?

Activity Instructions:

Students will be creating a social impact poster.

Sometimes, the world around us needs a little help to become a better place, and social entrepreneurs are the ones who step up to solve problems in their communities.

To start on your journey as a social entrepreneur, you’ll first identify a social problem in your community. Then, you will brainstorm possible solutions. Finally, you and a partner will work together to create a social impact poster that shines a light on this issue to bring greater awareness to the problem and suggest possible solutions.

  1. Working with your partner, get a piece of poster paper and any other craft supplies you like.
  2. Brainstorm some possible social problems in your community or the world. These could be problems discussed in the video, during the discussion your class had after the video, or something you and your partner think of.
  3. Working together, design a poster that showcases the social problem you’ve selected as well as one or more solutions.
  4. Use collage materials and/or other decorative supplies to make your poster attractive.
  5. Once everyone has finished their posters, take a walk around the room to look at your classmates’ work. Pay attention to the different social problems and solutions they’ve highlighted. Be sure to think about how each one could make a difference in your community or the world.
  6. Finally, display your posters in a prominent place in the school or another community space where others can see them. This will help spread awareness about the social issues and solutions you’ve worked on, inspiring others to take action.