Dino-Mite Presentations!

Materials:

• Computer with PowerPoint software (or Google Slides)
• Internet access for research (with supervision/safe search enabled)
• Paper and pencil for notes (optional)
• List of kid-friendly dinosaur research websites (e.g., National Geographic Kids, DK Find Out!, museum websites)

Lesson Procedure:

1. Introduction (5-10 minutes):

• Ask: "What's your favorite dinosaur? What makes it cool?"
• Discuss how we describe things to make them interesting (using powerful words!).
• Explain the goal: "Today, you're going to become a dinosaur expert! You'll research a dinosaur and create your *own* awesome PowerPoint presentation to teach me about it, using really descriptive words."

2. Research & Planning (15-20 minutes):

• Choose a Dinosaur: Let the student pick a dinosaur they find interesting.
• Guided Research: Using pre-selected kid-friendly websites, help the student find key facts:
  • What did it eat? (Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore)
  • How big was it? (Compare to something known, like a car or a bus)
  • When did it live? (Which era?)
  • What did it look like? (Unique features: horns, plates, claws, long neck?)
  • One super interesting fact!
• Focus on Description: As you find facts, ask: "What's a good word to describe its teeth? (Sharp, huge, pointy?) What about how it moved? (Thundered, crept, soared?)" Jot down some descriptive adjectives and strong verbs.
• Plan the Slides: Suggest a simple structure:
  • Slide 1: Title (Dinosaur Name) and Student's Name
  • Slide 2: Key Facts (Diet, Size, Era)
  • Slide 3: Description (What it looked like, using descriptive words)
  • Slide 4: Interesting Fact / How it Moved
  • Slide 5: Thank You / Any Questions? (Optional)

3. Creating the PowerPoint (20-30 minutes):

• Open PowerPoint: Guide the student through opening the software and creating a new presentation.
• Slide by Slide: Help the student transfer their notes onto the slides. Encourage them to write short sentences or bullet points.
• Using Descriptive Words: Remind them to use the strong adjectives and verbs discussed during research. (e.g., Instead of "It had big teeth," try "It had enormous, razor-sharp teeth.")
• Basic Formatting: Show them how to change font size and maybe color for clarity. Keep the design simple and focused on the information. (Student can add relevant, appropriate images if desired and time permits, ensuring they understand safe image searching).

4. Practice & Presentation (10-15 minutes):

• Practice Run: Have the student read through their slides aloud once or twice to practice. Encourage speaking clearly and with expression.
• Showtime! Let the student formally present their PowerPoint to you. Be an encouraging audience!

5. Wrap-up & Assessment (5 minutes):

• Praise their work! Highlight specific strengths (e.g., "I loved how you described its plates as 'bony armor'!" or "You presented so clearly!").
• Review: Ask one or two questions about the dinosaur to check recall.
• Connect: "You did a great job using descriptive words and technology today! What other dinosaur could we make a presentation about next time?"

Differentiation Notes (For Instructor):

• Support: Provide sentence starters for slides; pre-research some facts if needed; focus on fewer slides (e.g., 3).
• Challenge: Encourage more independent research; ask for more complex sentences; increase the number of slides or required facts; discuss sourcing information.