Lesson 5: Start the Presentation Story

The district curriculum also requires slide-show presentation projects. We begin that strand today, but the presentation is not finished this week. It continues through Weeks 2 and 3.

A presentation is not a document pasted onto slides. It is a sequence of visual decisions designed for an audience.

Start with audience and purpose

Before opening PowerPoint or another approved slide tool, write two sentences:

• Audience: Who will see this presentation?
• Purpose: What should they understand or be able to explain when it is over?

Example:

Audience: classmates who have not seen my portfolio project.

Purpose: explain how I designed the portfolio, improved an image, and tested the site.

That purpose should control what goes on the slides.

One slide, one main message

A useful rule for beginners is:

One slide should have one main message.

This does not mean one sentence per slide. It means the slide should not fight itself.

Weak slide:

• giant paragraph about site structure;
• unrelated image;
• list of image-editing steps;
• four different font sizes;
• title that says “My Project.”

Stronger slide:

Title: Why the Portfolio Needed Clear Navigation

• one screenshot or diagram;
• two or three short supporting points;
• a clear example of the change made.

The second version makes the main idea visible.

Visual hierarchy on slides

Visual hierarchy tells the viewer what to notice first.

Use:

• a clear title;
• consistent alignment;
• readable type;
• enough contrast;
• limited text;
• images that support the message; and
• spacing that separates ideas.

Do not make everything large, bold, bright, and centered. If everything demands attention, nothing has priority.

Lab 1: Plan before designing

Create a three-slide outline.

Slide 1: What I built

Show the portfolio purpose and intended audience.

Slide 2: One design decision

Explain one important decision about structure, navigation, or image use.

Slide 3: Evidence and next step

Show one piece of evidence from your testing and one thing you still need to improve.

For each slide, write:

• the main message;
• the evidence or visual you will use; and
• what the audience should understand.

Do this before choosing a theme.

Lab 2: Build the first three slides

Use PowerPoint when school-managed access is available. Otherwise use the approved slide tool.

Build the three slides from your outline.

Requirements:

• each slide has a specific title;
• each slide has one dominant message;
• use no more text than the audience needs;
• use at least one image or screenshot from your own project evidence;
• do not stretch images out of proportion;
• use readable contrast; and
• keep the layout consistent enough that the slides feel connected.

Speaker notes are for the explanation

If your tool supports speaker notes, place details there that do not need to be projected.

A slide might show:

Navigation Test: 5 of 6 links passed on the first run

The speaker notes can explain which link failed, what caused it, and how you repaired it.

This keeps the slide readable while preserving the deeper explanation.

Test the deck from the back of the room

A presentation that looks good six inches from your face may fail on a classroom display.

Run a quick test:

• switch to presentation mode;
• move several feet away from the screen;
• check whether the title and key text remain readable;
• check whether the image is large enough to interpret; and
• remove anything that does not help the message.

If your classroom setup is different, use the teacher-approved preview method.

Common failure: using the theme as the design

A theme can provide fonts, colors, and layouts. It cannot decide what your message is.

A student can use a professional-looking theme and still produce a confusing presentation if the slides are overloaded or unsupported.

Design begins with purpose, hierarchy, and evidence.

Weekly evidence review

Before the quiz, check that your Week 1 folder or portfolio evidence includes:

• site map;
• working home page;
• navigation test matrix;
• image before and after;
• image edit record;
• media provenance record;
• integrated image with alt text;
• three-slide presentation draft.

If something is missing, use the remaining work time to repair the evidence trail.

Success criteria

Your Week 1 presentation start is successful when:

• the audience and purpose are written;
• each slide has one clear message;
• at least one slide uses real project evidence;
• the text is readable in presentation mode;
• the deck avoids stretched or decorative-only media; and
• the three slides create a logical beginning rather than three unrelated screens.

Complete the Week 1 quiz next, then write the weekly reflection. The website and presentation continue next week.