Wanted Poster Templates

Use a customizable wanted poster template to create your own wanted poster!

If you're assigning this to your students, copy the poster to your account and save. When creating an assignment, just select it as a template!

Why Create a Wanted Poster?

A wanted poster is a fun and flexible classroom project that works across all grade levels and subject areas. With Storyboard That’s wanted poster maker, students can creatively display what they’ve learned about historical figures, book characters, endangered animals, or even scientific elements.

Using visual storytelling, students engage in critical thinking, artistic expression, and writing practice—all in one activity!

Educational Benefits of Wanted Posters

Use in Book Reports

Turn a book character analysis into a visually engaging project. Students can design a wanted poster that includes key details like character traits, motivations, and plot involvement.

Improve Writing and Language Skills

Students will practice concise, descriptive writing while crafting arresting captions and character profiles. This promotes persuasive writing and summary skills.

Enhance Attention to Detail

Wanted posters often include detailed physical descriptions, aliases, backstories, and reward amounts. These components sharpen students' observational skills and information synthesis.

Encourage Creative Expression

Students can personalize every element of their poster—from the fonts and borders to character costumes and backgrounds. This allows learners to express themselves creatively while staying focused on academic content.

Build Presentation and Communication Skills

When students present their wanted posters to the class, they develop confidence in public speaking and explaining key details about the person or concept they've portrayed.

Classroom Uses for Wanted Poster Templates

• ELA: Character analysis, book reports, author studies
• History: Famous figures, outlaws, revolutionaries
• Science: Wanted posters for invasive species, diseases, or chemical elements
• Biology: Endangered species profiles
• Social Emotional Learning: Empathy or conflict resolution scenarios

Ways to Differentiate Wanted Poster Activities

Support all learners with flexible and inclusive teaching strategies

Differentiating a wanted poster assignment ensures that every student—regardless of learning style, language level, or ability—can succeed and stay engaged. Below are classroom-tested ways to adapt this project:

Vary the Complexity of the Task

• For younger students or emerging writers, focus on basic character traits, a simple description, and an illustration.
• For older or more advanced students, require evidence from the text, quotes, or historical context to support poster details.

Offer Student Choice

• Draw their own character or scene
• Use the digital Storyboard Creator tools
• Present the poster with a short oral explanation or written paragraph

Support English Language Learners (ELLs)

• Provide sentence starters or vocabulary banks
• Use visual icons or translated instructions
• Allow ELLs to work with a partner or create bilingual posters

Make Accommodations for Students with IEPs or 504 Plans

• Allow audio recording instead of written text
• Use simplified poster templates
• Offer extra time or scaffolded support (e.g., fill-in-the-blank templates or printed word banks)

Try Partner or Group Versions

Have students work in pairs or small groups to foster collaboration, peer modeling, and social skills. Group versions can include a "Most Wanted Villains" gallery walk or a themed bulletin board.

How to Turn a Wanted Poster Into a Character Study Mini Project

Choose a character from a book or story.

Let students pick a protagonist, antagonist, or even a minor character with a mysterious past to keep things fun and flexible.

Research and list key character traits.

Have students identify descriptive traits, motivations, actions, and important moments from the story that define the character.

Draft a backstory and "crime" for the wanted poster.

This could be something humorous or serious based on the character’s actions—e.g., “Wanted for stealing hearts” or “Wanted for escaping the villain’s lair.”

Add creative visuals and descriptions.

Encourage students to draw or use digital tools to show what the character looks like, along with invented aliases, hideouts, or clues.

Include a reward and a call to action.

Make it interactive: “$500 Reward for any leads!” or “Reward: A lifetime supply of donuts.” These fun details boost engagement.

Present and explain the poster to the class.

Students can present individually or in pairs, explaining how the poster reflects the character’s traits and role in the story.

Create a bulletin board or digital gallery.

Display everyone’s posters for a gallery walk or digital slideshow—perfect for showcasing creativity and comprehension.