Activities

1. Identify situations where audio recordings or visual displays would enhance a presentation.
   
   
2. Match the audio recording or visual display to the presentation that would be enhanced by its addition.

3. Compare a presentation without audio recordings or visual representations to a presentation that uses them effectively. How do the audio recordings and visual representations enhance the presentation? How do they help develop the main ideas and themes?
   
   
4. Classify given presentation examples as either effective or ineffective uses of audio recordings and/or visual displays.

5. Revise a presentation to include effective use of audio recordings or visual displays.
   
   
6. Construct a presentation that includes effective use of audio recordings and/or visual displays.

Answer Key/Rubric

1. The student will brainstorm a list of situations where audio recordings or visual displays would enhance the development of a theme in a presentation. Acceptable answers may include, but are not limited to presentations about:
   
   
   1. Composers
   2. Artists
   3. A certain time period or genre

2. The student will be given a list of presentation topics and a list of audio recordings or visual displays and will match the recording or display with the topic that would be enhances by its addition. Examples may include: Vietnam War/protest song, Renaissance Artists/photo of Michelangelo’s David, etc. Look for the student to understand that audio recordings and visuals that enhance the development of his/her main ideas or themes will be add more information on the topic, and will be related to the topic in some way

3. Given two presentations, one that uses audio recordings and/or visual representations and one that does not, the student will compare the two and determine how the audio and visuals enhance the presentation and the development of main ideas and themes. Look for the student to make comparisons that show understanding of the benefits of an appropriate audio or visual addition to a presentation. Specifically, he/she might find that the presentation with audio or visual maintains attention, gives specific examples, or assists with understanding by presenting an example.

4. The student will classify given presentation examples as either effective or ineffective uses of audio recordings and/or visual displays. The examples should be presented as descriptions (e.g. A presentation about the Vietnam War that includes audio recordings of several protest songs). Look for evidence that the student understands that the audio or visuals should support the presentation topic, and should add something to the presentation that cannot be described without an audio or visual component. Students should also understand that, while these additions might add interest, they should also enhance the development of the main idea and themes of the presentation.

5. The student should revise a presentation, either one previously completed or a given presentation, to include audio recordings and/or visual displays. The student should show his/her understanding of how audio and visual can enhance a presentation by selecting relevant and effective audio or visuals and inserting them in a way that helps to develop the overall themes of the presentation.

6. The student will create a new presentation that includes effective use of audio recordings and/or visual displays. The student should determine which audio or visuals will be used and where they best fit as part of the planning process as they create the presentation. Look for clear evidence that the student understands the power of audio and/or visuals when used correctly, looking for him/her to insert them in the presentation in places that make sense, and in ways that enhance the main ideas and themes of the presentation.