Rigor, Relevance, and Technology Lesson

For our final EIP lesson, we had to do a differentiated learning lesson that increased both the rigor and the relevance of what they children were learning. At first, I struggled with the assignment. What PEAK kids do is already so rigorous and globally relevant, I couldn’t think of a single thing to improve. Then, I learned my third grade students would be creating a cumulative final project for their theme study country to present. I decided that it would be helpful for them to see a model project and presentation to gain ideas from. I also thought about their BE talks last semester, and though a lesson on presentation skills might be useful too.

             I began to talk with my teacher, and we brainstormed a plan. I gathered all the materials from activities the students completed through the year, including taking notes, filling out a compare/ contrast chart, writing a mock letter from home, and an end of semester creative project. I went through a replicated their process, and then made my own presentation over the country I visited last summer. At the time I was making my presentation, my students started their projects. Mrs. Foust had be give them a preview of what my slideshow would be like, and many of them got ideas of what to include in their final projects from it.

            I presented the week before they had their open house, so the lesson and ideas would still be fresh in their mind. I started my lesson by brainstorming as a class the techniques a good presenter uses up on the board. After we exhausted all ideas, I handed the students a piece of paper and had them make a t-chart, with a column for presentation techniques, and the other for questions. I set the goal of each student having at least one presentation technique before the end of my lesson. They took notes while I did my mock presentation, and wrote down all questions they had so I could present quickly and without interruption. I tried to make the presentation fun and engaging by putting my own pictures in and telling personal anecdotes. I also tried to make an obvious show of different presentation techniques, exaggerating movements like smiling, and eye contact. At the end, we compiled a list of all the things they noticed, and saved them for when they would be presenting later on. Below, you can see the list both the Monday and the Tuesday classes came up with.

            After we were all finished with the lesson, I brought in a few things from the trip, including a Pachyderm paper journal, a mask, a dress, some woodcarvings, a medicine bottle, and some newspaper clippings for the kids to look at. All together, they had a great time learning about an exotic new country, and got ideas for when they’re presenting their materials to their peers and their parents.

Presentation Technique Observation Lists

Monday	Tuesday
1. Use normal words, like talking to friend 2. Use eye contact 3. Confident/ Loud voice/ Not monotone 4. Be brave 5. Use lots of description 6. Just bullet points in presentation 7. Explain them, don’t just read off the screen 8. Talk only about what’s important 9. Go in order 10. Be a good audience member and pay attention	1. Confidence/ don’t be shy 2. Smiling 3. Don’t say umm 4. Speak clearly 5. If you mess up, keep going 6. Introduce yourself 7.Tell audience what you’ll be talking about 8. Face audience and make eye contact 9. Know your material 10. Give details and explain 11. Talk like you’re having a conversation Give opinions