Minds On
Stage performance
Explore the following Big Top Academy video.
- Chapters
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Student Success
Think-Pair-Share
If possible, discuss the following questions with a partner:
- What kinds of presentation strategies does April use during her interview and performance?
- Are they similar or different strategies?
- How does the audience respond to April’s performance?
Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.
Action
Presentation and communication strategies
There are three parts to the Minds On video. An introduction, April’s presentation, and the Big Top performance.
Let’s consider April’s presentation. What kinds of presentation and communication strategies does April use? How does she communicate her story?
Review the presentation strategies, answer the questions, and then check your answers.
Press the name of each presentation strategy to check its definition.
Press ‘Answers’ to check your answers by reviewing a detailed table with presentation strategies and examples based on April’s presentation.
Presentation strategies | Does the presenter… | Example |
---|---|---|
Word choice |
use descriptive language? repeat specific words or phrases? |
During April’s interview, she describes the process of preparing for the performance. She talks about being nervous, but she is able to “calm her butterflies” before the performance. |
Tone |
change the tone to ask a question, make an exclamation, or express their feelings? |
April’s tone gets higher during the interview when she talks about being excited. It gets lower when she talks about being nervous about her solo. |
Pace |
change the pace? |
April uses a medium pace throughout the interview. |
Volume |
change the volume? |
When April is excited, she speaks louder, and when she is describing feeling nervous, she speaks quietly. |
Facial |
change their facial expressions to bring attention to certain ideas or express emotions? |
April smiles to show she is excited. ![]() Her expression changes to serious when she is sharing that she is nervous. ![]() |
Gestures |
use hand or body gestures to bring attention to certain ideas? |
April keeps her arms at her sides during the interview. She does not use any big gestures, but she keeps her body language open. |
Eye contact |
use eye contact? |
April makes eye contact with the camera throughout the interview. |
Visual aids or props |
choose visual aids or props to support their ideas? |
April does not use any visual aids or props while she shares. |
Now, let’s examine some images of April’s Big Top performance. What kinds of strategies do you notice? How was April’s performance different from her presentation? Answer these questions and then check your answers.
Press ‘April’s Performance’ to check your answers.
Let’s analyze!
Let’s examine another Big Top Academy performance video. Analyze Chase’s presentation to determine which presentation and communication strategies he uses.
Next, identify which presentation and communication strategies he uses during his performance to engage the audience. Are they similar to or different from his presentation?
You can use the fillable chart provided, or you may use another method of your choice to record your ideas.
- Chapters
- descriptions off, selected
- captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
- captions off, selected
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
End of dialog window.
This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.
Complete the Presentation Strategies Chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document
Presentation strategies | Does the presenter… | Example |
---|---|---|
Word choice | use descriptive language? | repeat specific words or phrases? |
Tone | change the tone to ask a question, make an exclamation, or express their feelings? |
|
Pace | change the pace? |
|
Volume | change the volume? |
|
Facial expressions | change their facial expressions to bring attention to certain ideas or express emotions? |
|
Gestures | use hand or body gestures to bring attention to certain ideas? |
|
Eye contact | use eye contact? |
|
Visual aids or props | choose visual aids or props to support their ideas? |
|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Presentation Strategies Chart.
Next, identify which presentation and communication strategies he uses during his performance to engage the audience. Are they similar or different from his presentation? Record your ideas using a method of your choice.
Consolidation
Presentations and performances
Brainstorm
What do you think?
What kinds of strategies did April and Chase use during their presentations? Were these strategies similar or different from the strategies they used during their performances?
How did the audience respond to Chase’s performance?
What have you learned about presentation and communication strategies? How could you use them in your own future presentations or performances?

Reflection
As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel…
Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
Learning goals
We are learning to…
- use appropriate words, phrases, and elements of style to communicate our meaning clearly and engage the interest of our audience
- identify the presentation strategies used in oral texts and analyze how they affect an audience
- identify some vocal effects, including tone, pace, pitch, and volume, and use them to help communicate meaning
Success criteria
We are able to…
- examine how using descriptive words and phrases help us communicate meaning
- identify different presentation strategies used in oral texts
- identify how a presenter’s use of tone, pace, pitch, and volume help us understand the oral text