Food
Students will recognize the three parts of a presentation and tell why
a conclusion is important.
Students will be able to name two reasons practicing is important
Students will be able to use association to brainstorm ideas for a presentation.
Students will feel more comfortable giving a presentation.
Introduction
Demonstrations not only to show someone else how to
do something, but can also improve your knowledge and skill!
Finding an Idea
Are ideas hard to find? Think about what your audience wants to know.
Maybe it is something you already know a lot about. If the idea is interesting,
you will be more excited about giving the presentation.
Narrow your topic as much as possible. Remember, you can probably talk five
minutes or more on something as simple as opening a can of tomato juice!
What to Say
As you plan, try to answer these questions:
- What is the main idea I want to get across?
- How long will my presentation last?
- What visuals will help me get my main idea across?
Write down what you know about your topic. You may
want to draw pictures or jot down ideas that come into your head.
Then, connect ideas together. This brainstorming on paper is done very
quickly.
Think about what you’d like to tell your audience. Make an outline
and jot down some places to find the information you need to know.
Don’t
forget to look for answers at your local library, extension office
and even in your project book! A resource person may be a good way to
help as well.
Plan a few extra things to say when you are in the middle of a task
that takes a minute or more.
How to Organize Your Presentation
Most presentations
are composed
of three parts:
the
introduction, the body and
the conclusion.
In the introduction, introduce yourself
and your topic. You want to create
interest. Starting out with something like, "Did you know you
can save $5.00 by making…at home?" is much better than "Today
I am going to talk about …."
In the body of the presentation expand your ideas as much as you
can in the time available. Keep the audience interest by explaining
the information clearly and giving or showing examples.
At the end of the demonstration, remind the audience of the things you
want them to remember the most. Even attentive listeners let their
minds wander from time to time. So, this is your chance to get them back "on
track".
Sum up the main ideas in a few short sentences. Ask for questions
and then thank the audience. You might want to clear away your work area
and present the final product.
Visuals
Visuals are an important way
to share information so the audience
can jot it down and remember it.
The lettering should be large
enough so the back row of the audience can read
it and not so fancy that you can’t
read it easily.
Practice with your visuals so your presentation is smooth. Making
a checklist of everything you need can save you anxious moments
and last-minute trips to the store!
Keep a damp towel located near your work area so you can wipe your
hands and tabletop when you are finished.
Presenting Yourself
Be
neat
and
clean.
Your hair should
be
kept
back
away
from
your
face and your hands and fingernails
clean.
Shoes
should be comfortable and avoid
wearing distracting jewelry or
make-up
that
draws
more
attention to you than your topic.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Practicing
will
reduce your nervousness
and also helps you
think of things you
can
tell
your
audience
and ideas you are
not
quite sure about
and
need to look up.
It
will
give you confidence
and help you remember
what you want to say.
Practice alone at first, then in front of a mirror or with
a tape recorder. Finally give your demonstration in front
of family and friends, asking for their helpful suggestions afterwards.
Prepare note cards or an outline and practice enough so that you need to
refer to notes only once in awhile.
Number your note cards and insert a small metal ring through them to keep
them together if they are dropped. Put a picture of a smiling face on a
few of the note cards to remind yourself to smile.
Giving the Demonstration
Before
you
start,
take
a
deep
breath
and
smile.
This
will relax you. Make sure things are set up the way
you
want
them.
For
example, posters are right side up, the equipment is
plugged
in,
jar
tops
are unscrewed and paper inserts are removed from food,
cleaning products , computer disks, etc.
Present your ideas and smile often. Speak to all parts
of the audience establishing natural eye contact.
Once you are finished, answering questions and make sure
your exit is smooth. Gather and remove all materials
quickly and neatly. Be careful not to over stack items and watch your
step so you don’t trip or drop
anything.
If you work from a series of trays, this will help you
with removal and will cue you so you won’t forget something!
Be aware that the unexpected can and will happen! The
power can go out! The temperature may be such that
your product won’t
turn out right. You may forget what you are saying
or there may be a person in the room that is ruining your concentration!
In all
cases, slow your pace a little. A small pause will help you remember what
you are saying and a deep breath will help you if you are feeling a bit
scared. Best of all, the audience will hardly notice. In fact, they may
think you paused for effect!
Being Judged
If
your
demonstration
is
being
judged,
try
to obtain a score
card
in advance of the
presentation
to know what the
judges
will be looking for
in a quality presentation.
Judges will offer
helpful
criticism and encouragement
on their score card.
Think about their
suggestions and use
them to help you give your next presentation.
Consult your county
extension office,
Toastmasters, and
library for more
information about
demonstrations.
Other Resources
4-H Foods Demonstrations. 4-page bulletin from Penn State University,
Agricultural Publications Distribution Center, College of Agricultural
Science, University Park, PA 16802, the $1.00 charge includes postage.
Contact for questions
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Updated 10/19/05