presentations for middle school students

The Secret to Great Middle School Presentations

This teacher often hears ‘W e get to present today, right?’ Here’s how she has made presentations the cornerstone of her ELA classroom.

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“We get to present today, right?” is a question I often hear from my middle school students as they excitedly enter the classroom. Years ago, I viewed student presentations as a formal affair with due dates far in the future and required formats. This resulted in rigid, uniform outcomes that lacked originality, as well as a bored audience. Over time, I’ve come to integrate student presentations, where students teach one another in innovative ways about concepts they develop, as a part of daily life in the classroom.

I recently read Chip Wood’s book Yardsticks: Childhood and Adolescent Development Ages 4–14 , which describes presenting as a developmental milestone and source of enjoyment for middle school students. This clicked for me—no wonder my students have such enthusiasm for the process! Wood describes how children of middle school age are more invested in what their peers, rather than their teachers and parents, think of them.

When students know that they will be working in collaborative groups to build a concept from the ground up, and that the end result will be seen by their peers, it increases productivity and commitment. I’ve found that consistently providing my students a broad presentation platform and outlet to express their ideas increases work quality, cultivates creativity, and builds peer camaraderie.

Guiding Students to Design Great Presentations

Start with the end goal:  First, I’ll start with the end in mind: What do I want students to accomplish? Then, I’ll share this goal with students. For example, as I’m a language arts teacher, when students finish a book club book, I’ll discuss the end goal by saying, “Now that you and your book club have finished reading, how will you share with the class, using textual evidence, how a character has grown or changed throughout the book? Or, if you’d prefer, how might you show us, using evidence, how a theme in your book emerged?”

I like to give students more than one option because they often feel more enthusiastic about one idea over another. This is also an opportunity to share basic parameters, such as length of time for planning and presenting, as well as the rubric. Students choose whether they want to work in a group, a partnership, or independently.

Offer a launching model while encouraging creative exploration:  Next, I’ll model my thinking using a chart and then say, “This chart is a great launching pad to generate ideas for my presentation. Maybe you’d like to use a chart, too, or come up with your own method. You also want to think about how you’ll share what you’ve learned with the class in a way that will be lasting and memorable.” This approach provides students with a framework but also opens the doorway to full creative expression and builds excitement.

Guide and confer:  As students work together to brainstorm ideas, the energy in the classroom is abuzz as they map out their plan and assign roles for each other. I’ll hear students share, “We need to find stronger text evidence! There are better quotes than the one we just found!” or “I was thinking we could each take a different character to analyze and then combine our work together” or “Wouldn’t it be cool to act these parts out in front of the class? I can do a British accent for this character!”

During this workshop time, I’ll confer with groups about their work and presentation plans. When I hear an innovative idea that could inspire and motivate others, I’ll ask the group to do a mini-share out to the class. I also make a personal goal to engage and connect with each student individually to validate their contributions to the process. This helps me build relationships with students, observe their learning styles, and offer support and guidance. Plus, it lets each student know I’m invested in the work they’re doing.

It’s helpful to have a few art supplies on hand, like various sizes of paper, markers, and cardboard. Many middle school students enjoy a tactile approach to creative expression and feel driven to incorporate personal art and color into their work. I also encourage digital presentations for tech enthusiasts. The more autonomy and choice that students have, the more creative the outcome.

Present and reflect:  When it’s time for students to present their work, they’re eager and energized.

These are some of the memorable presentation elements that students have included to teach character growth or themes:

Following each presentation, audience members share what was most memorable to them about their classmates’ presentation. Many students say that hearing specific feedback on their work from their peers is one of their favorite parts of the process. It’s a validating, meaningful component of the lesson.

Students presenting and teaching their classmates is empowering, engaging, and time well spent. Presentations become a platform for students to share their creativity and self-expression, making learning more meaningful and impactful. When students are in charge of creating knowledge and teaching each other, the classroom truly becomes theirs.

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75 Unique School Presentation Ideas and Topics Plus Templates

Are you tired of seeing the same PowerPoints repeating overused and unoriginal school presentation ideas covering repeated topics in your classes?

You know what I’m talking about; we’ve all been there, and sat through yawn-worthy demonstrations, slides, or presentation videos covering everything from the solar system, someone’s favorite pet, past presidents of a country, to why E=mC squared.

From grade school to university, first graders to college students, we are obligated to create, perform, and observe academic presentations across a plethora of curriculums and classes, and not all of these public speaking opportunities fall into the category of an ‘interesting topic’.

Yet, have no fear! Here at Piktochart, we are here to help you and your classmates. From giving examples of creative and even interactive presentation ideas, providing presentation videos , and suggesting interactive activities to give your five minutes of fame the ‘wow’ factor that it deserves, this article is your guide!

Our massive collection of unique school and college presentation ideas and templates applies if you’re:

• A teacher looking to make your class more engaging and fun with student presentations.
• A student who wants to impress your teacher and the rest of the class with a thought-provoking, interesting topic.

A Curated List of Interesting Topics for School Presentations

Did you know that when it comes to presentations , the more students involved improves retention? The more you know! Yet sometimes, you need a little help to get the wheels moving in your head for your next school presentation .

The great thing about these ideas and topics is you can present them either in face-to-face classes or virtual learning sessions.

Each school presentation idea or topic below also comes with a template that you can use. Create a free Piktochart account to try our presentation maker and get access to the high-quality version of the templates. You can also check out our Piktochart for Education plan .

Want to watch this blog post in video format? The video below is for you!

We hope this list will inspire you and help you nail your next school presentation activity.

Unique Science Presentation Topics to Cultivate Curiosity in Class

Science is a broad field and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with too many topics to choose for your next presentation.

Cultivate curiosity in the science classroom with the following unique and creative presentation ideas and topics:

1. Can life survive in space?

2. Do plants scream when they’re in pain?

3. What are the traits of successful inventors?

4. How vaccines work

5. Massive destruction of the Koala’s habitat in Australia

6. Left brain versus right brain

7. What are great sources of calcium?

8. Recycling facts you need to know

9. Do you have what it takes to be a NASA astronaut?

10. The rise of robots and AI: Should we be afraid of them?

11. How far down does the sea go?

12. The stages of sleep

13. Will Mars be our home in 2028?

14. A quick look at laboratory safety rules

15. The first person in history to break the sound barrier

Engaging Culture and History Presentation Ideas to Draw Inspiration From

History is filled with equally inspiring and terrifying stories, and there are lessons that students can learn from the events of the past. Meanwhile, interactive presentations about culture help students learn and embrace diversity. 

16. Women in history: A conversation through time

17. The sweet story of chocolate 

18. A history lesson with a twist 

19. The history of basketball 

20. The origin of the Halloween celebration 

21. AI History 

22. What you need to know about New Zealand 

23. 1883 volcanic eruption of Krakatoa 

24. Roman structures: 2000 years of strength

25. The most famous art heists in history 

26. Elmo: The story behind a child icon 

27. 10 things you should know before you visit South Korea 

28. 8 things you didn’t know about these 8 countries 

Health Class Presentation Topics to Help Students Make Healthy Lifestyle Decisions

Want to learn how to engage students with healthcare topic ideas? Then consider using these templates for your next interactive presentation.

According to the CDC , school-based health education contributes to the development of functional health knowledge among students. It also helps them adapt and maintain health-promoting behaviors throughout their lives. 

Not only will your presentation help with keeping students engaged, but you’ll also increase class involvement with the right slides.

The following examples of health and wellness interactive presentations include fun ideas and topics that are a good start. 

29. How to look after your mental health?

30. The eradication of Polio

31. How to have a healthy lifestyle 

32. 10 handwashing facts 

33. Myths and facts about depression

34. Hacks for making fresh food last longer 

35. Ways to avoid spreading the coronavirus

36. Mask protection in 5 simple steps 

37. Everything you need to know about the flu

38. All about stress: Prevention, tips, and how to cope 

39. The importance of sleep 

40. Is milk tea bad for you?

41. How to boost happiness in 10 minutes

42. How dirty are debit and credit cards 

43. Why do you need sunscreen protection

Data Visualization Ideas to Help Students Present Overwhelming Amounts of Data in Creative Ways

Data visualization is all about using visuals to make sense of data. Students need to pull the main points from their extensive research, and present them by story telling while being mindful of their classmates’ collective attention span.

As far as student assignments go, storytelling with data is a daunting task for students and teachers alike. To keep your audience interested, consider using a non linear presentation that presents key concepts in creative ways.

Inspire your class to be master data storytellers with the following data visualization ideas:

44. Are we slowly losing the Borneo rainforest?

45. Skateboard deck design over the years

46. Food waste during the Super Bowl

47. The weight of the tallest building in the world

48. Infographic about data and statistics

49. Stats about cyberbullying

50. How whales combat climate change

First Day of School Interactive Activity Ideas to Foster Whole-class-Camaraderie

Calling all teachers! Welcome your new students and start the school year with the following back-to-school creative presentation ideas and relevant templates for first-day-of-school activities.

These interactive presentations grab the attention of your students and are remarkably easy to execute (which is the main educator’s goal after all)!

51. Meet the teacher

52. Example: all about me

53. Self-introduction

54. Tips on how to focus on schoolwork

55. Course plan and schedule

Give our class schedule maker a try to access more templates for free. You can also access our presentation-maker , poster-maker , timeline-maker , and more by simply signing up .

56. Interpreting a student’s report card (for parents)

57. Introduction of classroom rules

58. Assignment schedule

59. Daily planner

60. Course syllabus presentation

61. How to write a class presentation

Topics to Teach Students the Importance of Effective Communication

Visual media  helps students retain more of the concepts  taught in the classroom. The following media topics and infographic templates can help you showcase complex concepts in a short amount of time. 

In addition, interactive presentation activities using these templates also encourage the development of a holistic learning process in the classroom because they help focus on the  three domains of learning:  cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. 

62. Interactive presentation do’s and don’ts 

63. How to create an infographic 

Recommended reading : How to Make an Infographic in 30 Minutes

64. How to improve your internet security and privacy

65. What is design thinking?

66. What are your favorite software tools to use in the classroom? 

Presentation Topic Ideas to Help Students Prepare for Life After School

One of the things that makes teaching a rewarding career is seeing your students take the learning and knowledge you’ve instilled in them, and become successful, productive adults.

From pitching a business idea to starting your podcast, the following topics are good starting points to prepare students for the challenges after graduation (aka adulting 101):

67. How to make a resume

68. How to start a startup

69. Credit card vs. debit card

70. Pros and cons of cryptocurrency

71. How to save on travel

72. How to do a SWOT analysis

73. How to pitch a business idea

74. Habits of successful people

75. Starting your own podcast: A checklist

Find out how a high school teacher like Jamie Barkin uses Piktochart to improve learning in the classroom for her students.

Pro tip: make your presentation as interactive as possible. Students have an attention span of two to three minutes per year of age. To keep minds from wandering off, include some interactive games or activities in the lesson. For example, if you conducted a lesson on the respiratory system, you could ask them to practice breathing techniques.

Maintain eye contact with your students, and you’ll get instant feedback on how interested they are in the interactive presentation.

Make School Presentation Visuals Without the Hassle of Making Them From Scratch

School presentations, when done right, can help teachers engage their classes and improve students’ education effectively by presenting information using the right presentation topic. 

If you’re pressed for time and resources to make your school presentation visuals , choose a template from Piktochart’s template gallery . Aside from the easy customization options, you can also print and download these templates to your preferred format. 

Piktochart also professional templates to create infographics , posters , brochures , reports , and more.

Creating school-focused, engaging, and interactive presentations can be tedious at first, but with a little bit of research and Piktochart’s handy templates, you’re going to do a great job!

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Computer Applications | Microsoft PowerPoint | Microsoft Office | Middle School

The 4 Best PowerPoint Lesson Plans for Middle School

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January 12th, 2022 | 8 min. read

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Middle school computer teachers need engaging Microsoft PowerPoint projects and ideas to teach students. But where can you start?

That’s why we’ve pulled together the four best Microsoft PowerPoint lesson plans for middle school:

• An Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint
• The Basics of Building a PowerPoint Presentation
• More Features in PowerPoint
• Do’s & Don’ts of Effective Presentations

Before we get into the lessons, it’s important to know where your students stand when it comes to using Microsoft PowerPoint . It’s easy to forget that this may be the first time some students have used it!

To get a quick gauge of your students’ previous experience using PowerPoint, ask them to raise their hands if they’ve used it either at home or for school. Depending on the outcome, you’ll know where to start with your lessons.

If no one raises their hand , you’ve got to start from ground zero -- but at least everyone is on the same page!

If some students raise their hands , your lessons will need to get everyone up to speed, plus challenge students who have used PowerPoint before.

If all students raise their hands , your lessons will end up being a review of the basics, with more time spent on the finer details of creating effective presentations.

For the purpose of this article, the following lesson plans are written for a class full of students who have never used PowerPoint. If your classes fall into one of the other segments, you’ll need to adjust the lessons to best meet the needs of your students.

Let’s get started!

1. An Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint

A smart way to introduce middle school students to Microsoft PowerPoint is by sharing example scenarios of when someone may use it.

Then, transition to showing PowerPoint at the front of your class and highlighting what makes PowerPoint unique.

Some key points to mention include:

• PowerPoint templates
• Slide layouts

As you go over these items, you can demonstrate how to build a PowerPoint presentation by applying a template, choosing a theme, and creating slides with different layouts.

Last, show how to save the file to access at a later time, since your students will do this during their practice activity.

Activity: Create a New Presentation

Now that you’ve shown your students how to create and save a presentation, it’s time for your middle schoolers to practice what they’ve learned!

Start by having students create a presentation about something they like. Some ideas could be:

• Favorite book
• Favorite movie
• Favorite food

While your students decide their presentation topics, pass out the requirements for how many slides they should add and which layouts they should use.

Then, instruct them to open a new, blank presentation in PowerPoint, choose a theme, and add the appropriate slides per your instructions.

You’ll also need to show them where to save their presentations once they’ve completed the steps. Most teachers create a file folder on the network for each class to save their work.

It’s key your students properly save their presentation since it will be a base for the next PowerPoint project!

2. The Basics of Building a PowerPoint Presentation

Once your students have practiced using themes and slide layouts, it’s time to get into how a presentation is built!

It’s smart to show your students how to manipulate text boxes, add text, and format the text. If you’ve already taught lessons on Microsoft Word , this is a great time to relate back to those formatting options, since they are the same in PowerPoint!

While talking about text boxes, it’s important to mention how some slide layouts already have text boxes on them while others do not.

After going over text boxes, you can teach your students about other objects, such as:

A great way to highlight these items is to demonstrate adding and editing them in front of your class. As you do, give scenarios of why someone may use these different objects in a presentation.

After your demonstration is complete, it’s time for your students to practice!

Activity: Practice Working with Text, Images, & More

Now it’s time for your students to apply what they’ve learned about adding text boxes, images, and other objects.

First, instruct them to open the PowerPoints they created in your last lesson. Then, test their knowledge on adding and manipulating different elements with a series of tasks.

You could include instructions for:

• Adding a title to the presentation
• Inserting and adjusting images
• Adding and formatting shapes

Your instructions should be structured and easy to follow, but you can still encourage creativity for completing the tasks. You want your students to do the work, but following exact steps won’t have as much of an impact as adding their own flair.

Make sure your students save their work to use the presentation again in the next lesson!

3. More Features in PowerPoint

Now that your students know the basics of Microsoft PowerPoint, it’s time to go in-depth and teach them some of the more advanced features!

Some ideas you could cover include:

• Using and editing external images
• Adding audio clips
• Inserting hyperlinks
• Adding action buttons

It’s best to introduce these features via lecture like your previous lessons, but you can spend more time demonstrating each of these actions than the basics.

In addition, it’s a good idea to have students practice these skills along with you before they go back to working on their own presentations.

To do this, instruct your students to open a new, blank presentation. Then, go through each demonstration and have them follow along to make sure they understand how each of these features work.

Once you’re confident most students have a handle on how all of these features work, it’s back to working on their own!

Activity: Make Your Presentation Interesting

As with the other hands-on practice activities, start by having your students open their saved presentations.

Then, ask them to spice up their presentations by adding a few of the elements they just learned.

It’s smart to give them some ideas of where to start, such as:

• Including a hyperlink to a website that relates to their topic
• Inserting an action button to play an audio clip

At this point you can give your students some free range to be creative in making their presentations more interesting. But to keep them on track, provide a list of “must do's” such as having a certain number of hyperlinks or adding images to specific slides.

If you’re running low on class time for students to complete this activity, you can have students finish it as homework to be reviewed next class.

4. Do's & Don'ts of Effective Presentations

Now that your students have the skills for creating a presentation, it’s time to take a step back and show them how to make an effective presentation.

Just because they know how to add text and images, that doesn’t mean they know the best way to do those things!

For this PowerPoint lesson, you’ll need to do some work up front.

Before class, create a presentation with some examples of both bad and good examples of presentation slides. You’ll use this presentation in the second part of your lesson.

In class, start your lesson by talking about why it’s important to pay attention to the details when creating a presentation. Following these tips can make or break how a presentation is received by the audience!

Some tips to mention include:

• Not filling a slide with paragraphs of text
• Using bullets and numbered lists
• Leaving white space on the slides
• Using consistent colors and fonts

When going over the tips, make sure you discuss why each point is important and how to decide whether a slide is effective.

After going over the tips, it’s time to open your example presentation. Instruct your students to spot the problems as you go through the slides. If someone thinks a slide could be improved, they can raise their hand and give a suggestion.

Getting your students to look at someone else’s presentation and provide feedback is a great way to reinforce why it’s important to pay attention to the details when creating their own!

Activity: Apply the Principles of Effective Presentations

Once you’ve gone over the do’s and don’ts of creating an effective presentation, it’s time for your students to apply what they’ve learned!

Instruct your students to open their saved presentations and revise their slides to be more effective.

If your students work well together, have them pair up and give each other suggestions based on what they just learned.

As they do so, walk around the classroom answering any questions that come up. At the end of class, have everyone save their work in the designated location.

A great way to wrap up PowerPoint projects for middle school is to have everyone show off their work in the next class period. To make it more interesting, have students vote on who made the most effective presentation!

Start Teaching Microsoft PowerPoint Today!

Now that you’ve got some ideas for Microsoft PowerPoint lesson plans, what’s next?

You could take these lesson ideas and jump right in to creating your lessons. Or you could check out a ready-to-use curriculum that has more than 30 hours of content to teach your students how to use Microsoft PowerPoint!

iCEV's Business and Media curriculum is comprehensive and designed to save you time when teaching subjects like Microsoft PowerPoint. The system includes interactive student lessons, pre-made lesson plans, teacher presentations, assessments, and more.

And there’s more than just PowerPoint lessons -- iCEV has hundreds of hours of computer applications curriculum to help you teach all of the Microsoft Office applications!

Want to learn more? Check out our Business, Marketing, Finance, IT & Media Curriculum!

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Health & Wellness Subject for Middle School - 6th Grade: Mental, Emotional, and Social Health

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Our wellbeing is not limited to just being physically fit—our mind plays a big part too! Being emotionally, mentally and socially healthy is crucial for our lives, and you as a teacher are the one who can tell your students the best practices. This blue-colored template has all you need to explain concepts such as stress or depression. The layouts are mostly simple, and there's a bit of a gradient in the icons and some of the shapes.

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