Activity Title:Elementary Presentations

Suggested Grade Level for Activity:Middle School/High School

Skills Assessed:

  • Communication
  • Research
  • Organization
  • Mentoring
  • Leadership
  • Responsibility
  • Creativity
  • Design

Materials Needed:

  • Prior Arrangements with Elementary Staff
  • Topics for Presentations
  • Possibly projectors/computers for student presentations
  • Materials for individual presentations as determined

Description:

Students will be put into pairs or groups of 3 and assigned or choose a topic to present to Elementary students. The presentation must be 15-20 minutes in length and be interactive. The students will have class time to put their presentation together and practice it prior to presenting to the elementary students.

Timeline:

One month or more

  1. Make arrangements with the elementary teachers to bring your students to their classroom. Discuss potential topics that might work well. Determine if student groups will present one time or if they will rotate among classes and give several presentations.
  2. Seek approval from the principal.
  3. Make transportation arrangements if needed. Including student permission slips.
  4. Inform other teachers if your students will be missing any classes.

At least 2 weeks before

  1. Pair/Group Students (the size of the group may depend on how many students you have and how many elementary classrooms you intend to visit. You may have to pick just one grade if you have a big school)
  2. Assign Topics and elementary classrooms
  3. Allow students time to work on their presentations.
  4. Send out a schedule of topics/students to the elementary teachers and the elementary principal and your principal.
  5. Invite the local press

The week of

  1. Have your students perform a practice presentation to the class and provide feedback
  2. Follow-up with each group regarding any materials or technology needs.
  3. Send a reminder to teachers that students may be missing class (if applicable)
  4. Follow-up with elementary teachers in regard to the schedule and concerns.
  5. Check on transportation and permission slips
  6. Follow-up with local press

Day of the event

  1. Make sure all elements are place.
  2. Escort students to their elementary classrooms and ensure each group has needed items.
  3. Invisibly bounce from room to room taking pictures and assisting as needed.

Anticipated AgEd Outcome:

  1. Authentic classroom teaching experience for students
  2. Promotion of the Ag program

Resources/Enhancements:

You may also instead of going to each individual classroom reserve the gym and have your students set-up stations around the gym and have the elementary students rotate through every 15 minutes. In this case you will need to make a schedule, have the elementary teachers put their students into groups, make arrangements for tables and chairs at each station in the gym and arrive early enough for students to set-up.

Possible Topics May Include:

  1. Basic Soil
  2. How to plant seeds
  3. Agriculture in ___your state____ (crops grown, livestock raised, jobs, etc. basic)
  4. Depending on the class giving the presentation you choose topics related to it.
  5. Aquaculture
  6. Fish species
  7. Lures
  8. Horticulture
  9. Plant Needs
  10. Plant parts
  11. Floriculture
  12. Make a boutonniere
  13. Annual, perennial, bulb,
  14. Animal Science
  15. Ruminant vs. Monogastric
  16. Livestock uses
  17. Environmental Science
  18. Wildlife habitat needs
  19. Ecosystems
  20. Leadership Development
  21. Characteristics of good leadership/FFA
  22. Etiquette

Make sure the lessons are engaging and not just a PowerPoint presentation. Require your students to include an activity and have them prepare several questions to ask the elementary students ahead of time. Preview any materials they will be using for proper grammar and spelling. Also require that your students dress nicely.

Possible Grading Outline:

Picking a suitable topic and having adequate information about it. ______/5 points

Putting together a quality/interactive lesson that includes an activity. ______/10 points

All materials ready the day of the event

Questions prepared to ask the students

All material appropriate with no spelling, grammar, or factual errors

Using class time wisely. ______/5 points

Staying on task

Working with your group cooperatively

Contributing to the group

Making the time limit. ______/5 points

Having enough information for a 15-20 minute presentation

Presentation Skills. ______/10 points

Asking questions

Speaking loudly

Full group participation

Appropriate attire

Be sure to visit for more great ideas!