There’s more than one way to skin a cat…

There’s more than one way to skin a cat…

…and there’s more than one way to use PowerPoint! PowerPoint: An Organizational Tool for Students

Why PowerPoint? • Students already know PowerPoint • Has untapped potential as a format to organize information and support ideas • Can be used for varied purposes and with different formats

Combine Lesson + Format • Use Lesson Slides as supplement to classroom teaching • Example: “Thesis as blueprint for essay” lesson • Acts as reference/reinforcement while using format • Use Format Slides as the student activity • Example: requisite parts of an essay • Acts as format for students to work with

The Lesson

The Format

There is more than one way to skin a cat, says the old adage. • commonly known • the quick-skin method • the taxidermist technique. • lesser known processes • the bloodless style, (Heep method) • the rigor mortis approach. Thesis: The essential step of catching the cat beforehand is the challenging part of any skinning and requires careful preparations, knowledge of crafty capture techniques, and stalwart determination to accomplish the task.

Requires careful safety preparations • Forethought of total physical safety and tools for capture are vital components in preparation. • The Hinman incident: full foul weather gear and oven mitts (interview Dallett, 12/9/10) • Safety first • Bloodless completion of capture demonstrates success of this level of preparation • The 1999 Maine Capture (interview Dallett, 12/9/10) • Equipping for capture – hockey stick for “scoop & grab” • Terrific example quick identification of available tools for challenging “under-bed” extraction

How to do this: Print > Handouts > 3 slides per page

Many Applications for Organization • Varied purposes • organizing vocabulary or verb groups for study • grouping topics for history study guides • Different formats • science lab requirements • using scientific method • organizing research projects

If you’d like a copy of the “Thesis as Blueprint” PowerPoint, (or the research or Active Reading PP), please contact our Writing Lab. We would like to hear how you modify this idea and what successes and/or snafus you encounter, so we can learn from your experiences too. Please stay in touch. Deirdre Fischer Writing Lab and New Student Seminar, Kent School, fischerd@kent-school.edu Bethany Booth Writing Lab and New Student Seminar, Kent School, boothb@kent-school.edu Kathy Slivka Academic Technology Coordinator, Kent School slivkak@kent-school.edu

There’s more than one way to skin a cat…