Check out this new-and-improved template and how you can use it in class.

Instagram is a social media behemoth, and it keeps growing. It has eclipsed billions of users, and it remains a massive part of the digital landscape for teenagers. It’s a language they already speak—so why not use it for learning?

Instagram Stories is a great storytelling tool. Users can capture important moments of their lives in photo or video and string them together for others to watch.

This might beg a pretty common question among teachers who want to create amazing classroom experiences… “How can we use that in the classroom?”

I’ve thought about how cool it would be to show what Juliet’s Instagram story would look like after Romeo dies in Romeo and Juliet. Or how cool it would be to show a science lab with a play-by-play story.

Thankfully, there’s an easy answer. If what we really want is the experience that comes with the app, we don’t need the app for that! There are lots of hurdles if you use the actual app (age requirements, firewalls, and device equity). Instead, let’s use a digital tool that students already have access to: Google Slides.

What would this look like in class?

• Characters for a story: How would they react to a plot twist?
• Historical figures: Live-tweeting (or "storying") the signing of a treaty.
• Science labs: A step-by-step documentation of an experiment.
• A Day in the Life: Great for the first week of school to build community!

How to use the Instagram Stories Template

Step 1: Plan your "Scenes"

A little planning goes a long way. Using a simple storyboarding concept — a sketch and a few lines of text for each scene — helps students think through the whole process cohesively.

Here’s a storyboard template you can copy from Google Drawings!

Step 2: Set up your Profile & Handle

Before posting, students need to "verify" their account!

• The Profile Pic: Click the small circle at the top left. Right-click and select Replace image.
• The Handle: Double-click the text box next to the photo and type in the username (e.g., @TheRealShakespeare). 

Step 3: Replace the Main Image

Don't delete the placeholder—replace it to keep the sizing perfect!

• Right-click the large center image.
• Select Replace image > Upload from computer or Camera.
• If the photo looks a bit wonky, use the Crop tool to adjust how it sits in the frame.

Step 4: Add Video (The optional "Live" Experience)

If you want the story to feel real, add video!

• Go to Insert > Video. You can upload a clip from Google Drive or even a YouTube link.
• Pro Tip: Once the video is in, click Format options and select Autoplay when presenting. This makes the slide feel like a real, moving Instagram story the moment you click on it.
• Note: You'll need to resize the video to make it fit in the image area.

Step 5: Write your message and add some text

• Change the message: Double-click the text area at the bottom and add whatever message someone might send your Instagrammer.
• Add some text: Type your short text (hashtag, website link, comment, POV)  Use the Highlight tool (the "A" with the bar under it) to add a background color to your text. This mimics that classic IG "Type" mode! 

Step 6: Customize the Heart

Is the character "liking" this moment?

• Click the Heart icon.
• Use the Fill color (paint bucket) to turn it bright red, or leave it white if they're just viewing.

Step 7: Drag-and-Drop Stickers

The best part of Stories is the flair!

• Look for the Stickers provided in the template (Polls, Location tags, Emojis). You can click on them to change the text or stars or colors.
• Copy (Ctrl+C) the sticker you want and Paste (Ctrl+V) it onto your story slide.
• Use the little blue dot at the top to rotate it slightly—it makes it look more "hand-placed."

Step 8: Present to Watch the Magic!

Click the Present button. If you set your videos to autoplay, the story will come to life!

Try a Gallery Walk: Have students set their Slides to "Present" on their devices and leave them on their desks. Everyone walks around, clicks through their peers' stories, and leaves feedback. It gets students moving and keeps the energy high!

That’s it! By following these steps, your students aren't just "doing an assignment"—they're creating.

Step 9: (Optional) Have students add comments.

If students share their Instagram stories with the class, they’ll be able to interact with each other through comments! It’s an great way to add a layer of collaboration and communication to the activity.

An easy way to do that:

• In Google Classroom or your learning management system, add a new announcement for their Instagram Stories assignment.
• Make sure students can add comments to the announcement.
• Students open their Instagram Stories and click the blue “Share” button in Google Slides.
• They change the sharing settings to “Anyone with the link can comment” or “Anyone in [your organization] can comment”.
• They copy the link to their Instagram Stories slide presentation.
• They paste the link in a comment in the announcement in Google Classroom or your LMS.
• They click each other’s links to open them and add comments.

That’s it!

Follow those step-by-step instructions and you’ll be on your way!

You and your students will be creating with the content they’re learning in your class. Plus, if they’re familiar with Instagram Stories, they’ll be tapping into a skill they already use in their everyday lives — creating stories!