Pecha Kucha

I first became acquainted with this presentation format at the Denver Nature and Science Inquiry Academy last summer.  It is a week long immersion into inquiry and I came away a changed being.  We have Inquiry Days in my 21st Century Learning Classes and my students often tell me that those are their favorite days!  We have examined ice blocks, I mean really examined with flashlights and probes and adding salt and food coloring and asking questions and trying other things.  It is amazing what you can see in a block of ice.  We have gone into a dark room and used static electricity to light a light bulb.  Inquiry is engaging and magical! As a teacher you have to give up some control and let the questions guide the journey and the lesson.  Your work is to come prepared with something to ask questions about. Pecha Kucha is a way to present all of your learning and can be a wonderful, concise assessment tool.  Students should be learning how and becoming comfortable with presenting.  20 slides at 20 seconds each lets them do that.  You could even start smaller if you wanted depending on the age of your students.  How about 6 slides at 20 seconds each? Or give each student one slide in a collaborative presentation. Set the timer in the powerpoint presentation and then focus on the content and turn it over to the kids to demonstrate their learning.  Here is a video tutorial about how to use Pecha Kucha! And it is fun to say!!!