So I’m the first to admit that I have trouble keeping up with all the trends on social media these days. I keep hearing about the popularity of Tik Tok with its videos on helpful tips and creative ideas, but I really don’t follow it, so I feel pretty out of the loop. However, my interest was piqued when I heard about a trend that developed out of the pandemic when friends were trying to find ways to connect virtually.
The Answer: a PowerPoint Party!
Apparently, groups of friends hosted online PowerPoint parties (or Slides Parties) to give short PowerPoint presentations (or other presentation platform) on a topic of their choosing. The topics were fun and personal, and they gave all the participants a way to be together and interact even though they were not physically together. Since there was no limitation as to the topic or format other than to include some visual slide element, the possibilities were endless. Participants were able to share knowledge, ideas, or experiences, all while getting as creative, funny, introspective, or absurd as they wanted.
This got me thinking. Even though we are not confined to our homes as we once were during the early days of the pandemic, this trend, born out of a yearning to connect with others during that time, is actually pretty fantastic for any time. Even better, this activity is perfect for the classroom.
Hosting a PowerPoint Party in the Classroom
Students need presentation practice, but the topics they often have to do are not interesting to them or contain difficult material or concepts. In many cases, they are already nervous, and presenting those types of topics, which are often met with bored stares from the audience, makes them even more aware of their nervousness. On the other hand, if the student is presenting an engaging and fun topic, they are more likely to have a positive presentation experience.
Engaging in an activity such as a slides party is not only a way to have fun presentation practice, but it is also a great way to build a sense of community in the classroom. Students learn more about each other and bond over shared interests and ideas. In fact, although this is generally an individual activity, it could certainly work with partners or a small group.
When to Have a PowerPoint Party
There are so many ways to use a PowerPoint party in your classroom. It would be a great icebreaker activity at the beginning of the year to give the students a fun way to get to know each other. It’s also perfect for an end-of-the-year or holiday party, or any time your students just need a fun break from the routine.
As someone who teaches Adult ESL, this idea instantly connected with me as an incredible way just to give students fun speaking practice. No matter how you incorporate a PowerPoint party into your teaching, it will give them plenty of fun presentation practice and chances to unleash their creativity! Speaking of presentations, if you teach Adult ESL, you might like to see this blog post for ways you can use TED Talks with your students.
Ready to host a PowerPoint party in your classroom? See below for topic suggestions and other tips.
PowerPoint Party Topics
The idea of a PowerPoint Party is that each person has free reign to choose whatever topic that interests them. But of course, you will want to emphasize that it should be a school-appropriate topic. Keeping the topic completely open may also present a challenge if the students cannot think of something to talk about. So I have come up with a list of topic ideas; students can choose a topic from the list, or they can use the list for inspiration. If you would like a printable copy of the following list, click HERE.
- My hot takes (unpopular opinions) – nothing really serious, e.g. pineapple is delicious on pizza or the Beatles should not be considered one of the greatest bands of all time.
- My dream vacation
- My dream job
- Past fashions/styles/trends that should never come back
- Past fashions/styles/trends I would like to see make a comeback
- My millionaire celebrity life – what my home would look like (think of the TV show Cribs)
- Social norms that are pointless/we shouldn’t have to follow
- A list of my favorite things
- A Top 10 review of my favorite memes
- My bucket list
- What life was like the year I was born
- An era that I should have lived in
- Why [celebrity name] is completely underrated/overrated
- Bookcase inferencing: my guess about a person from their bookshelf (or desk/office, etc.)
- The definitive list of reasons cats (or another animal) make the best pets
- The soundtrack to my life
- How to survive a zombie apocalypse/on a desert island, etc.
- Fun/funny facts about my state (or the country, another country, etc.)
- A product that need to be invented to solve an everyday problem or inconvenience (explain the problem and the product that should be invented to resolve it)
- Unusual food combinations that are delicious
- A list of the best lesser-known apps OR an app that should be created
- An unusual talent or skill that I have
- A ranking of best/worst songs, movies, tv shows, etc. (Ex: I made a playlist of the 10 worst songs of the 1980s)
- Take 10 random pictures from your camera roll, and create a story from them
- Which reality show I should be on
- The craziest/strangest/weirdest fact or story I have heard
- Which actor should play me in the movie about my life
- A new fun holiday I would like to create (and describe how to celebrate it)
- Alternate uses for a common object
- Best excuses for being late, absent, speeding, etc.
- Items from the current time that I would put in a time capsule
- How I’m going to get my 15 minutes of fame
- What my day after winning the lottery will be like
- How I would throw a birthday party for myself
- Pre-Covid habits/activities we should not return to when it’s all over (or Covid habits we should keep even after it’s over)
- My top 5 (or any number) pet peeves
- Currently used words, phrases, or expressions that we should retire immediately
- Which television sitcom family I belong in
Other Presentation Formats
Although this activity is most commonly known as a PowerPoint Party, it is of course possible to use other software or platforms to prepare the presentation. Students may prefer the style of Prezi, which is quite visually engaging. Canva is another powerful platform that includes lots of templates and graphics to help make the presentation shine. Each has a free option, which is sufficient for a project like this. If two or more students are collaborating on a presentation, Google Slides is a great way to go so that everyone can edit the same presentation. This is also a great opportunity to give your students extra practice working with a particular presentation platform or introduce them to a new one.
Not Just for Presentations!
Many of these topics would be great for icebreaker discussion activities, for an ESL conversation activity, or even as writing prompts! There are so many ways you could incorporate these ideas into your teaching; I’d love to hear how you used them!
If you liked the ideas here, you might also enjoy these resources for writing, discussion, or collaboration:
