Model technology in your classroom by integrating Power Point into your lesson plans.
Technology is moving so fast that many teachers are running to keep up with it. One way to re-invent your old lesson plans for the new digital age is by creating Power Point presentations.
Creating a New Presentation
If you can create a Microsoft Word document you can create a Power Point presentation. In addition, Power Point presentations make for a fun and interactive lesson plan.
Once you’ve opened up the Power Point program:
- Click the file menu at the top of the screen.
- Within this menu, click new.
Now decide if you want to create a blank presentation or use a design template. A blank presentation can be less distracting and you can always add a design template later on. A design template allows you to see what your final product will look like. Again, you can always change the design template to something else later.
Add Content to Your Presentation
Now it’s time to get to work on your Power Point’s content. Click as directed by the slide itself, to add your text. If you want to change the layout of your slide:
- Click the format menu at the top of the screen.
- Within this menu, click on slide layout.
Experiment with the slide layout options and begin adding your text. To add a new slide to your presentation:
- Click the insert menu at the top of the screen.
- Within this menu, click new slide.
A shortcut is to hold down the control key and than hit the M key on your keyboard.
Don’t Forget to Save Your Work!
Just like in Word Perfect, you should save your work often. Save your work under the file menu at the top.
Embellish Your Presentation
After you’ve added your content add some finishing touches. If you haven’t done so already, add some background color or a design template to your presentation. For a designer template:
- Click the format menu at the top of the screen.
- Within this menu click on slide design.
To add a colorful background:
- Click the format menu at the top of the screen.
- Within this menu click on background.
You can also add animation to your slides:
- Click the slideshow menu at the top of the screen.
Within this menu you can either click on animation schemes, or custom animation. Animation schemes allows you to animate an entire slide. Custom animation allows you to animate part of a slide, a picture you’ve inserted or just text.
A final simple way to impress your students with your Power Point presentation is by adding slide transitions:
- Click the slideshow menu at the top of the screen.
- Within this menu click on slide transition.
You can set up each individual slide to transition how you want it. Or, if you scroll all the way to the bottom of the slide transition menu you can set it at random transition. Right below the transition menu you can adjust how fast your slides transition. You can also add simple sounds to highlight certain slides, or just to ensure that your students are paying attention.
View Your Show
Save your work and you’re ready to view your final product. To view the slide show:
- Click the slideshow menu at the top of the screen.
- Within this menu click view show. Or you can use the shortcut by hitting the F5 key.
By following these directions you can create Power Point presentations that will replace your whiteboard markers and transparency’s. Moreover, you can model technology that, if it isn’t already, will be a part of your student’s academic and possibly professional lives.
Once you're comfortable with creating a basic Power Point presentation you can begin integrating other fun Power Point features into your lesson plans.
