Presentations are a valuable way for students to share their knowledge and to improve their communication skills. Students can be intimidated by standing up in front of their peers, however, so it is important to boost their confidence by thoroughly preparing them for the experience.

First, think about how you can incorporate student presentations into your lesson plans. Are your students reading a book on which they could give a report, or are they performing a science experiment whose results they could share? Keep in mind that students often enjoy giving presentations more when they have some input on the topic to be discussed.

Second, help your students create the best presentation possible by giving them information about layout, organization, and developing a clear message. You can even provide students with a template to help them get started.

The following links take you to the information you need to help your students design great presentations.

• Student Poster Sessions (NSTA article*)
  Learn how one middle-school teacher helped her students create professional-quality science presentations after a semester-long ecology project.
• Dazzle the classroom with strong presentation skills (Article)
  Direct your students to this article for tips on developing a clear, well-organized presentation.
• Student presentation (Template)
  Students can use this PowerPoint template as a starting point for creating a classroom presentation.

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