Design your Own T-Shirt Activity

Choose a design prompt and develop a t-shirt concept that communicates a specific message or purpose

Explain the reasoning behind a color choice and what that color represents

Write a slogan and evaluate it against criteria for message clarity, length, and memorability

Let students choose from the 16 prompts rather than assigning one, since the topics range from humor to civics to science

Use the worksheet's three slogan questions (does it get the message across, is it too long, is it catchy) as a peer-review checklist before students finalize their design

Display finished designs on a bulletin board, since prompts like state pride, favorite celebrity, and personal causes naturally vary from student to student

Purposeful design thinking — students select a prompt (e.g., raise awareness, tell a story, promote a cause) and translate it into a visual t-shirt concept.

Color symbolism — students explain why they picked a shirt color and what that color represents.

Slogan writing and self-evaluation — students write a slogan and check it against clarity, length, and memorability criteria.