Interactive PowerPoints

Assuming you have student computers in your classroom... you can definitely use Interactive PowerPoints.  What is an Interactive PowerPoint, you ask? 

I'm so glad you asked!

You probably already know about PowerPoint presentations.  It's pretty much impossible to get through college without having to make at least one.  I have made many!  If you've never made one... well, I find that hard to believe.  Go here if you don't know what a PowerPoint is *shakes head*.  Just for fun, I once made a presentation using Prezi... it's another program you can use to present information, but you can imbed YouTube videos and make the screen swirl around as you move from point to point.  Check it out! 

Back to Interactive PowerPoints.  Basically, these are games that you can create using a PowerPoint program.  Here is one tutorial about how to make them and here's another.  Here are step-by-step written instructions on how to make one. 

A screen shot of a math game.

Interactive technology like this can provide children with chances to explore and visualize tricky concepts, learn by doing, and interact with other children involved in the same activity (Van Scoter, Ellis, & Railsback, 2001).  You can also provide lessons that are multidisciplinary in nature, leading to endless possibilities.  For instance, literature can be combined with art and writing through PowerPoint to create real connections for a child.  Some college programs are now trying to link these subject areas with technology to better prepare pre-service early childhood educators (Toren, Maiselman, & Inbar, 2008).  What a great idea!  ;-)

I've created some of my own Interactive PowerPoints to go with specific units like baby animals, colors, and sound identification.  If you have the time to do this, I really recommend tailoring your games to your units and students' needs.  For younger children, you might decide to add sound bytes so that they can click to hear words being read.  If you have children who can read already, you might add some new vocabulary to make the game a little tougher.  While this can be valuable, you may just not have time for all of that.  There are also plenty of websites that have free ones for teacher use.  Click here and here to see two examples!  There are tons of free resources out there, you just have to find them... and review them before using them with your students. 

If you're feeling pretty good about your Interactive PowerPoint skills, why not have your students create one for their classmates?  With a little guidance, they could create questions, record their voices, find pictures, and get excited about their own learning. 

Happy PowerPoint-ing!  :-)