Pecha Kucha....whaaat???

Pecha Kucha? What is that?? Nevermind what it is, how do you pronounce it? Try the Youtube link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdghID66kLs&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DgdghID66kLs&nomobile=1

I learned about this during Library Camp this summer. Yes, hip librarians go to camp during the summer and learn about more than books. Pecha Kucha ( don't feel bad, I had to watch the video 7 times and ignore the non- phonetic spelling to be able to say it), is a style of presentation developed in Japan by some architects. The goal was to make their presentations shorter yet remain informative.  The format is composed of 20 slides, using Power Point, and each slide is displayed for 20 seconds. The speaker has a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds to capitivate, educate, and excite the listener using the slides. Examples of Pecha Kucha were held during camp and I immediately begin to think of how I could use this with the students. What a great way to present a topic. This is better than a poster, more dynamic than a regular memorized speech and deals with technology, public speaking, organization,depth of knowledge AND is fun! Not only all that, it hits a lot of the CCSS (Common Core State Standards) that are heading down the pike.

So,  I excitedly showed a  fellow teacher the possibilities of this technique and BAM, we are going to start this with my older students.  I will go over techniques, examine what a good Pecha Kucha looks like, how to begin the process, and design a graphic organizer/check list with the students to make this smoother. There is a lot of visual literacy, research, and organization involved in this large project. Although this will encompass most of the trimester, we are estatic over the endless possibilities this will have for all students. Kids will have to be concise, know the topic in depth, be able to improvise, have fun, and share what they have learned in a known format. What better way to get them ready for the real world than to pilot this? We are very excited and can't wait to see the results. Perhaps with parent and student permission, we can post some of the Pecha Kuchas on the blog. I'll keep you informed.

Do, do, dododo....pecha kucha.....
The Noisy Librarian