Student Created Power Point

Students integrate technology, language arts, and art to create a PowerPoint presentation.


Students will:

locate letters on a keyboard;
correctly type, illustrate, read, and record a sentence;
work cooperatively to include a sentence in a PowerPoint presentation.
Key Concepts

PowerPoint, colors, sentence structure, cooperative learning

Materials Needed

a computer with PowerPoint software installed
a sample of a previously completed PowerPoint presentation
several pieces of copy paper with one sentence written on each
a microphone
crayons
Lesson Plan

Help your students create a PowerPoint presentation incorporating technology into the subjects of reading, art, and computer literacy. The theme in this presentation is colors, but other themes, such as multiculturalism and holidays, can also be used. (For a tutorial on using PowerPoint, go to the Education World article PowerPoint -- Creating Classroom Presentations.)

Introduction

Prepare an opening slide that includes the title of the project and name of the class. If possible, include a class photo.
Tell students they are going to watch a slide show on the computer that is called a PowerPoint show. As each slide appears, call attention to such elements of the presentation as pictures, sounds, colors, and transitions.
Compare the slides to pages of a book. This helps activate prior schema.
Tell students that they are going to make a presentation to show their parents on parent-teacher conference day.
Preparation
Arrange students into groups, and distribute the written sentences. (You will need one sentence for each group of children. A sample sentence might be The gray elephant threw a peanut in the air.)
Help students in each group practice reading their sentence.
Have students draw a picture to go with their group's sentence.
Procedure
When the illustrations are complete, work with students in groups to complete the computer portion of the project. Plan to spend about 10 to 15 minutes per group.
Explain to students that they are going to make slides for a presentation. Have them practice reading their sentences aloud four or five times. Encourage them to touch each word as they read.
Point out that the first word begins with a capital letter. Explain that a capital letter at the beginning of the sentence signals a new thought. Show them how to make a capital letter on the keyboard.
Point out that spaces separate words and make them easier to read. Show them how to make a space on the keyboard.
Point out the period at the end of the sentence. Tell students the period shows that a thought is complete. Show them how to make a period on the keyboard.
Divide the number of words in each sentence as evenly as possible among the students in the group, and assign each student about the same number of words.
Have the first student type his or her words and read them aloud. Then have the second student type and read the next group of words. Continue until students in the group have typed their entire sentence. As students type their words, have them add their names or initials at the bottom of the slide.
After the sentence has been typed, have students practice reading it together several times. Then have them record the sentence to add to the presentation. Explain that they should read their words clearly, so everyone can hear and understand it.
Show students the slide they have made. Explain that the slide needs background color. Using the background setting, have each student choose his or her favorite color. Blend the colors using the gradient setting.
Show students what the slide looks like. Explain that you will scan the drawings and put them into the presentation. If you have a scanner at school, students can help scan the pictures.
Repeat the procedure with each group.
Assemble the slide show, and insert all the pictures. Have students vote on a transitional sound for the slides.
Closure
Review the steps taken to make the presentation.
Allow students to view the presentation.
Ask what they liked best about making the presentation.