Make a Meme Lesson Plan

During my summer vacation I learned what a meme was.

A humorous image, video, piece of text, etc. that is copied (often with slight variations) and spread rapidly by Internet users.

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They seem to be all the rage so why not learn how to make one.

This took me less than a minute to make. If you click on the picture, you’ll get a clearer view. I might even be naked. (Spoiler Alert: I’m not)

Better yet, turn it in to a lesson plan with these standards.

1. RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
2. L.9-10.2  Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
3. L.9-10.3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts
4. W.9-10.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.

Procedures

1. Read something, preferably something literary.
2. Teach students how to make a meme.
3. Instruct students to make a meme utilizing theme, characterization, symbolism, imagery, or any other elements of literature involving the aforementioned literary selection you’ve read.

Make a meme with Powerpoint.

There are actual meme-making apps you can find online. Feel free to find one and make your memes that way. I’ve discovered through trial and error that Powerpoint is the easiest application for making memes. Here’s how.

1. Paste an image onto a Powerpoint slide.
2. Insert a text box over the aforementioned image.
3. If the image takes up the entire slide, press <ctrl> + <a>.
4. If the image does not take up the entire slide, left click the mouse and highlight the area you want to copy.
5. Once your soon to be meme is highlighted, right click your mouse.
6. You’ll see a list of options. The option you want is <save as picture>
7. Save the picture to your preferred location.
8. The picture will automatically save as a png file. If you prefer to save it as a jpeg file, do so when you save it. If you don’t know what any of that means, don’t worry.

Assessment

The easiest way to assess these is to have students email the meme to you or bring it in on a flash drive. You don’t really need a rubric, but be sure to state the specific qualifications for the assignment.

• Picture (10 pts). The picture must be related to the literary work just read. It must be clear and school appropriate. It must show the full item (no cut-off portions unless that’s the artistic intent of the meme) Any image subject to copyright must be cited correctly in a separate document.
• The Writing (10 pts). The phrase must creatively relate the picture to an element of literature present in the story. It must adhere strictly to high standards of language, usage, and grammar. The writing must be easy to read.

Here’s an example. This one took me two minutes because I had to find an image from Romeo and Juliet that wasn’t copyrighted.

Last Updated on December 24, 2015 by Trenton Lorcher

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