Session 11 — Tell Your Story

Duration: 60 min · Format: live online · Ages: 8–11

Session goal: by the end, students can structure their project as a four-part story, deliver it with confidence, and give kind, helpful feedback — ready to present at Showcase Day.

Before class — prep (5 min)

• Have the diagram below ready to share on screen (the presentation recipe).
• Ask students to bring their prototype from Session 10 and paper and a pencil (or slides open).
• Be ready to model a 10-second power pose and a slow, clear opening line — you'll demo confident delivery.

Agenda

0:00 · Hook (5 min)

Ask the class and take a few answers (chat or unmute):

• "Two inventors made the same cool thing. One mumbles and stares at the floor. The other smiles and explains it clearly. Who gets everyone excited?"

Let them answer, then reveal: presenting is a superpower — and it can be learned. Tell them today they'll turn their project into a story people can't wait to hear.

0:05 · Teach — A presentation is a story in 4 parts (12 min)

Explain: a good presentation follows a simple recipe, so you're never stuck. Share the diagram:

Walk through the four parts out loud:

1. Problem — what problem did you solve? Why does it matter?
2. Solution — what did you build?
3. Demo — show it working. (This is the best part.)
4. Thank you — what you learned, then "any questions?"

Key point to land: the demo is the heart of it — showing the thing work beats a hundred words describing it.

⚠ Watch for the "all talk, no demo" trap: students often plan to describe their project the whole time and skip actually showing it. Push every student to put a live demo in the middle — a screen, the prototype, or a chart.

Ask: "In one sentence, what's the problem your project solves?" (Take 2–3 answers to warm them up.)

0:17 · Teach — Presenting like a star (13 min)

Explain: small delivery tricks make a big difference. Model each one as you say it:

• Look up at people, not at the floor.
• Speak slowly and clearly — take a breath.
• Show, don't just tell — a live demo beats 100 words.
• Smile — if you're excited, the audience will be too.
• Power pose — stand tall like a superhero for 10 seconds before starting; it really helps beat nerves.

Key point to land: nerves are normal — even famous scientists feel them. Practising out loud twice shrinks the nerves.

Ask the class: "What's one quick thing you can do right before you present to feel braver?" (Answers: power pose, deep breath, look up, remember you practised.)

0:30 · Activity (20 min)

Activity — Build and rehearse your presentation. Have students prepare their Showcase Day presentation now.

1. Make 4 simple slides or a poster — one for each recipe part (Problem, Solution, Demo, Thank you).
2. Put the demo in the middle (screen, prototype, or chart).
3. Practise out loud twice. Time it — aim for 1–2 minutes.
4. If there's time, have a few students present to the group and take a quick round of feedback.

Circulate (or read chat) and remind anyone who's only telling to add a real demo.

Debrief: "You now have a story and a demo. One more practice at home and you're ready to showcase."

0:50 · Check for understanding (7 min)

Ask these aloud or drop them in the chat. Answer key (for you):

1. What are the 4 parts of the presentation recipe? → Problem → Solution → Demo → Thank you.
2. What's the best part of most presentations? → The demo — showing it actually working.
3. What's a quick fix for nerves? → Practise out loud a couple of times, breathe, and look up (a power pose helps too).

0:57 · Wrap-up + homework (3 min)

• Ask one student to name the first part of the recipe (Problem).
• Homework — Present at home: give your presentation to your family. Ask each person for one thing they liked and one tip — kind feedback only. Bring your polished presentation to Session 12, Showcase Day.

Teaching notes

• Correct this misconception: "a good presentation is just talking a lot about your project." Reframe as a short story with a live demo at its heart.
• Fast finishers (extension): have them write a one-page project brief — Problem → Solution → How it works → Result → What's next. Add real numbers ("my classifier was right 8 out of 10 times") because numbers build trust, and prepare for questions by thinking of 2 likely questions and their answers.
• Low-tech fallback: no slides? A single poster with four labelled sections works just as well, and the demo can be the paper prototype itself.

Vocabulary

Resources

• Google Slides or Canva — make simple, clear slides.
• Scratch — a live demo can run here.
• A short "presentation tips for kids" video — find one to screen-share if you'd like a visual model.

Next session

Session 12 — Showcase Day: the big finish — students finish, present, and celebrate their very own projects in a live showcase.