Session 23: Presentations & Slide Design
At a glance: pupils plan a 3-slide storyboard and build a clean, readable campaign deck that follows the 6-by-6 rule, uses high contrast and keeps pictures in proportion. · Time: 90 minutes (adjust the timings if your period is shorter) · Workbook pages: 6
Learning outcomes
By the end of the session, pupils can:
- Explain that slides support the speaker rather than replace them, and use the words slide, slide deck, placeholder and speaker notes.
- Apply the 6-by-6 rule and choose a high-contrast colour scheme.
- Build a 3-slide deck (Title, Problem, Solution), resize a picture from a corner handle, run it with F5 and save it.
Before the session
- Check which presentation software each PC has (PowerPoint, LibreOffice Impress or Google Slides) and note it on the board.
- Make sure every pupil has a BIH_Practice folder in Documents.
- Copy a few water drop and bucket pictures into BIH_Practice\Images on each PC; pupils find them with Insert → Pictures → This Device. Insert → Shapes also works.
- Test the Slide Design & Show Time lab on the projector PC; keep the offline pack on USB.
- Prepare one "terrible" text-heavy slide and one yellow-on-white slide to show on the projector.
Running order
| Time | Activity | Workbook | What the mentor does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–10 min | Typing warm-up | – | Pupils open the typing trainer (Typing in the menu, or the warm-up banner on the session page) and do the 10-minute warm-up. Walk round checking posture and home-row fingers. |
| 10–20 min | The speaker and the signboard | Page 1 | Tell the assembly prefect story. Point out the thumbnail pane, canvas and speaker notes. |
| 20–29 min | Golden rule and 6-by-6 | Page 2 | Show your terrible slide from the back of the room. Pupils count bullets and words on the good one. |
| 29–34 min | Contrast | Page 2 | Show yellow on white. Ask the back row to read it. |
| 34–43 min | Layouts and aspect ratio | Page 3 | Squash a picture with a side handle, press Ctrl + Z, then use a corner handle. |
| 43–51 min | 3D lab | – | Demonstrate, then pairs try the design missions. |
| 51–56 min | Storyboard and F5 / Esc | Page 4 | Walk through the 3-slide action formula. |
| 56–76 min | Guided lab: first deck | Page 5 | Circulate. Check layouts, bullet length and corner resizing. |
| 76–85 min | Littering storyboard and review questions | Page 6 | Pupils sketch on paper; answers in the workbook. |
| 85–90 min | Self-assessment and sign-off | Page 6 | Sign off using the evidence below. |
Key ideas and how to explain them
- The speaker and the signboard: a sign with a whole textbook page fails; a bold 3-word title and one drawing works. "Your slides show keywords and pictures; your voice tells the story."
- The 6-by-6 rule: maximum 6 bullets per slide and maximum 6 words per bullet. If you have 8 points, make two slides. Let pupils count words on their fingers.
- Contrast: dark text on white or cream, or white text on deep purple or dark blue. Yellow on white and red on green are unreadable.
- Layouts: Title Slide (slide 1 only), Title and Content (the workhorse) and Two Content (text left, picture right).
- Aspect ratio: corner handles keep the natural shape; side handles give you a "smashed plantain".
- Plan on paper first: the storyboard stops pupils wasting the session on colours and animations.
The 3D lab
Use Slide Design & Show Time. Demonstrate Slide 1: choose a theme with good contrast on the projector. In pairs, pupils do Slide 2: follow the 6-by-6 rule and Slide 3: fix the squished picture (by ticking "Lock aspect ratio"). If time allows, let them try Start the slide show. Save the animation, B-key and finish missions for Session 24. Link it back: the lab's squished picture is the same problem as the Page 3 panic button.
Common mistakes and quick fixes
| Pupils often… | Try this |
|---|---|
| Spend ten minutes choosing a theme | Set a one-minute limit: "clean, white or light, done". |
| Type full sentences in bullets | Ask them to count the words and cut to 6 or fewer. |
| Use a side handle and squash the picture | Ctrl + Z, then drag a corner handle diagonally. |
| Type into a new text box instead of the placeholder | Delete it and click inside "Click to add text". |
| Press F5 in Google Slides and the page reloads | In Google Slides use the Slideshow button at the top right instead (the page 3 note reminds pupils that buttons differ a little). |
| Save in the wrong place or as "Presentation1" | File → Save As → Documents > BIH_Practice, name Safe_Water_YourName. |
When things go wrong
- No internet: PowerPoint and Impress work offline. Use Shapes or a picture from your USB instead of online pictures. Google Slides users pair with an offline PC.
- Not enough PCs: pairs share a deck, one building slides 1–2 and the other slide 3, swapping the mouse. Both put their names on the title slide.
- A PC freezes or the power goes: save after building slide 1 and after each new slide. If power fails, everyone moves to the paper storyboard on Page 6.
Answer key
Storyboard (Page 6): open task. Look for: a title and name on slide 1; a problem slide and a solution slide with short bullets (6 words or fewer each), e.g. "Rubbish blocks school gutters" and "Place bins in every block".
Written Review Questions
- Part 1 (Bullets): no more than 6 bullet points on a slide. Part 2 (Words): no more than 6 words in each bullet.
- Corner handles keep the picture's natural proportions (aspect ratio). Side handles stretch or squash it so it looks deformed. Look for: "keeps its shape".
- The F5 key.
Support and stretch
- Needs more support: give them the exact bullets from the workbook to copy, and do the picture step together at their PC. Accept a Shape instead of a picture.
- Finished early: add a Two Content slide with text on the left and a picture on the right, or type speaker notes for each slide. Check a partner's deck against the 6-by-6 rule.
Evidence for sign-off
The pupil shows a saved 3-slide deck (Safe_Water_YourName) in BIH_Practice with a title slide, two Title and Content slides that follow the 6-by-6 rule, a light theme with readable contrast, and a picture or icon that is not squashed. They start the show with F5 (or Slideshow in Google Slides) and exit with Esc, and they complete the storyboard on Page 6.
Safety and wellbeing
Pupils use the fictional topics in the workbook. If they search for pictures online, supervise closely and stick to simple icons or Shapes. Remind pupils never to delete or save over another pupil's deck on a shared PC, and to ask first if they are unsure whose file it is. Encourage shy pupils: today is about design, and nobody has to present yet.