-+DIY+PowerPoints

Avoiding Pointless PowerPoints
Microsoft PowerPoint...once viewed as the life-saving tool to create good content-based presenations, it has fallen into the abyss of educational doodads. Students simple use them as dumping ground for scattered bits of information.

Handout

Does this describe your frustrations with Powerpoints?
media type="custom" key="2223277" Used with permission from http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=3e2d61891b1e4051ef75 on Oct. 17, 2008.


 * are haphazardly arranged;
 * have too many distractions;
 * and not enough clear, focused content.

Creating Meaningful PowerPoints

 * Step 1 - Determine if PowerPoint is the right too for the project. Consider other mulitmedia options like MovieMaker or PhotoStory.
 * Step 2 - Once you've determined that this is the tool for your project, prepare a rubric to guide your students creative process. Use a tool like Rubistar (found on [|www. 4teachers.org)] to easily create or modify a printable rubric. Include:
 * content accuracy
 * length of presenation (# of slides)
 * slide layout (e.g., amount of text and number of graphics, titles, sound, and animations)
 * background graphics appropriate for audience and theme
 * software requirements (e.g., Quicktime, Java, Flash, Windows Media Player)
 * File size (compressing pictures)
 * Storage and delivery requirements (CD, thumb drive, email)
 * Color schemes
 * Step 3 - Have students plan and organize their presentation in a storyboard before allowing them to use PowerPoint.
 * For students in need of a PowerPoint basics tutorial try [|www.actden.com]

Next, following these steps should net good outcomes, but for better projects let's look at this link.
http://sheehy-english.wikispaces.com/Power+Points+-+From+Good+to+Great

Once you've shown students how to create great PowerPoints by using more pictures and less text, help to pull it all together for a fabulous presentation that won't put the class to sleep.

media type="custom" key="2223711" Used with permission from http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=bebd3f6818359b0f8f6e&page=5&viewtype=&category= on Oct. 17, 2008.

Adding Sound to Play Continuously (Soundtrack)

 * 1) Add a sound, if you have not already done so:
 * 2) In Normal view, click the slide to which you want to add a sound.
 * 3) On the **Insert** tab, in the **Media Clips** group, click the arrow under **Sound**, and then do one of the following: [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101941301033 caption="Insert tab image"]]
 * Click **Sound from File**, locate the folder that contains the file, and then double-click the file that you want to add to the slide.
 * Click **Sound from Clip Organizer**, locate the clip that you want in the **Clip Art** task pane (task pane: A window within an Office program that provides commonly used commands. Its location and small size allow you to use these commands while still working on your files.), and then click it to add it to the slide.
 * 1) When a message is displayed, do one of the following:
 * To play the sound automatically when you go to the slide, click **Automatically**.
 * To play the sound only when you click the sound icon, click **When Clicked**.
 * 1) To repeat the sound continuously until you stop it by clicking your mouse, click the sound, and then under **Sound Tools**, click the **Options** tab, and in the **Sound Options** group, select the **Loop Until Stopped** check box.
 * 1) To adjust the settings for when the sound file stops, on the **Animations** tab, in the **Animations** group, click **Custom Animation**. [[image:http://office.microsoft.com/global/images/default.aspx?AssetID=ZA101941251033 caption="Animations tab image"]]
 * 2) In the **Custom Animation** task pane  (task pane: A window within an Office program that provides commonly used commands. Its location and small size allow you to use these commands while still working on your files.), click the arrow to the right of the selected sound in the **Custom Animation** list, and then click **Effect Options**.
 * ## On the **Effect** tab, under **Stop playing**, do one of the following:
 * 1) To stop the sound file with one mouse-click on the slide, click **On click**.
 * To stop the sound file after this slide, click **After current slide**.
 * To play the sound file for several slides, click **After**, and then set the total number of slides on which the file should play.