Presentation Tips Checklist

    1. Get clear indication from the teacher of what he/she is looking for:
            - date
            - time
            - location
            - address
    2. Know the audience. 
            - Discuss with the teacher ahead of time what the children are doing in the
               classroom.
            - Minimize technical jargon.
     3.  Decide on your approach.
            - teachers will probably want you to select an aspect of the curriculum
            - a more personalized approach would be to focus on what you do.
     4.  Choose activities, which compliment and enhance the teachers' plans.
            - Find out from the teacher what topics are being covered and do activities that       
               fit in and add a new dimension. 
            - Teach students how to use the materials in a step by step manner.
            - Choose "age appropriate" activities.  For instance, younger children are       
               concrete thinkers.
     5.  Invest in preparation.
            - Do not assume that your in depth understanding eliminates the need to do       
               much preparation.
            - Challenge to present science in an exciting and effective manner.  This often     
               requires careful thought and preparation.
            - Avoid reading speeches.  Presentations are best if preformed in natural 
               conversational manner.
            - Anecdotes add personalization to a presentation as long as they are
               appropriate and relate to subject matter.
     6.  Encourage student discovery.
            - When an adult leads kids in an experience when they have to "figure it out   
               for themselves", they will remember the experience much more clearly.
            - This is a perfect opportunity for a hands on activity.
     7.  Emphasize the scientific method, not just memorization of facts.
            - Science and engineering involve making guesses, doing experiments,
               changing your mind when the experiment results do not agree with the     
               hypothesis, figuring out how things work and applying this information to       
               make better products.
            - "What would happen if …" type of approach is very effective.
     8.  Safety.
            - Do not take chances with safety.
            - Your job as the volunteer is to be safe and model safety.
            - Schools have strict policies on safety, what equipment and chemicals that       
               can be used.  Be sure to check this out beforehand.
            - Try the experiment beforehand.  Hardly anything works exactly as expected
               the first time.
            - THE TEACHER MUST BE PRESENT AT ALL TIMES.
     9.  Review your plans with the teacher.
            - Teachers have a pretty good idea of what things will and will not work
            - Take advantage of their expertise.
     10.  Share yourself with the students.
            - Tell the students how you got involved and interested in science or       
               engineering; what types of work you do, something that has happened to you     
               at work.
            - Be enthusiastic - especially with younger children. 
            - Greet the children with enthusiasm - "Hi, I am happy to be here." Vs. "Hi, I
               am SO happy to be here!". 
            - Be yourself.  Have fun and do not forget to get feedback from the teachers on
               what went over well or what could be improved in future presentations.
            - Remember, your genuine interest in your job is a big promoter of science

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