Giving a Classroom Presentation
Review the Speakers Guide: A Quick-Reference Guide to Giving a Classroom Presentation
Includes a prep sheet, tip sheet, ideas for creating your own sample kit, a sample speaking agenda and an evaluation form for teachers to fill out after the presentation.
Make a difference in our industry while doing something good in your community!
Classroom presentations to pre-university students are a great way to provide facts about energy and inspire students toward careers in the energy sector. Most volunteers tell us visiting with students is incredibly rewarding, and they are willing to visit schools again. Pre-university students relate best to someone closer to their own age, so young professional and student SPE members are especially needed to visit schools.
SPE’s Energy4me education outreach program provides ready-to-go resources for SPE members to quickly and easily prepare for a classroom visit.
Seek Opportunities to Give Presentations
Visiting your own child’s school is an easy way to get started.
Contact the school administrator, principal or teacher at your own child’s school or a school in your neighborhood. Let them know you are available to introduce students to engineering using a short presentation and fun activities. The goal is to support student interest in technology, science and math, and to show how they apply to real careers.
Let Energy4me know that you are willing to give classroom presentations in your area. We receive requests from educators for classroom presenters.
Order Free Energy4me Materials
Contact Energy4me at least two weeks before the presentation to request materials to provide to the teacher and students.
Oil and Natural Gas Book – Get a FREE book when you give a classroom presentation
SPE will donate a complimentary Oil and Natural Gas book to the school or student organization on behalf of the SPE member who makes an energy-related presentation.
Career Brochure – A resource for high school students on petroleum engineering careers Includes the Top 10 Reasons to Become a Petroleum Engineer. Orders of 100 brochures or fewer are free!
Smart Energy Choice Bookmarks – Bookmarks on using energy wisely. Orders of 100 bookmarks or fewer are free!
Prepare and Give Your Presentation
Get your Kit!
Speaker resources, sample presentations, classroom activities and hands-on experiments for teaching energy in the classroom in a fun, exciting way. Order an Energy4me Kit (or borrow one from your section). Materials are also available for download in these languages.
Download the Speakers Guide (above, right)
Use this quick-reference guide to giving a classroom or career fair presentation. Includes a prep sheet, tip sheet, ideas for creating your own sample kit, a sample speaking agenda and an evaluation form for teachers to fill out after the presentation.
Plan Your Presentation
Here are some ready-to-go PowerPoint presentations that you can customize. Be sure to add your personal and local perspective to relate to your audience.
- Energy – Making Our Lives Easier (elementary)
Download» | View» - Petroleum Engineers Make a World of Difference (intermediate/secondary)
Download» | View» - Energy’s Grand Challenges (educators/adults)
Download» | View»
The above links are for English presentations; also available in other languages:
Include an Activity
Students learn best through interaction. Use an activity from the Energy4me Kit or try these core sampling exercises that makes an impact in the classroom!
Cupcake Core Sampling – Trying to “see” what is beneath the surface of the Earth is one of the jobs of a geologist. In this activity, students model core sampling techniques to find out what sort of layers are in a cupcake (adapted from Women in Mining Education Foundation Activities).
Let’s Drill for Oil and Gas – Add mini-M&M’s to your cupcake core samples, and students can “drill for oil.” The experiment follows two short stories in the exercise (provided by the NEED project).
Bring a “Magic Suitcase”
For many, nothing can replace a traditional oil and gas sample kit. Collect items such as proppant, cores/plugs, well casing samples or a drill bit that you can show the students.
Classroom Presentation Quick Tips
- Know your audience. Ask the teacher about what the students have studied before you prepare your presentation.
- Use analogies to illustrate points. Kids can related to 42 milk jugs (gallons) in a barrel of oil.
- Speak in terms kids understand. Use simple words rather than complex. Refrain from using too many technical terms.
- Keep it interactive. Use activities and ask questions to keep the kids engaged. (Don’t lecture.)
- Give opportunities for questions and answers. Speakers are often asked career questions by students. You can use the lists below to prepare.
- Have fun!
Prepare for Student Questions
Speakers are often asked the following career questions by students.
Current Employment
- How long have you worked at your job?
- What type of special training, if any, do you use?
- What special equipment or tools, if any, do you use?
- How many hours do you work each day?
- Are you required to work more hours if needed?
- Is your job ever dangerous?
- Do you have a boss?
- Is there an opportunity for advancement in your career?
- Does your employer provide fringe benefits? If so, what?
- What skills and personal qualities do you feel are most important in your job?
Career Preparation
- What did you learn in school that helped you in this career?
- Is there a subject area you wish you had studied more about in school?
- Why did you decide on your career?
- Where did you learn about your career?
Lifestyle
- Does your career relate to your hobbies?
- What is the most important part of your industry?
- Are you required to move often? If so, what opportunities and challenge does that create?
The Future
- What does the future look like for your career ?
- If someone wanted to pursue a career similar to yours, what advice would you give?
Give your Presentation
- Arrive for your presentation 15 minutes early to check in with the school.
- Have fun! Keep it interactive.
- Be sure to tell the teacher about free lesson plans available to go with the book at www.energy4me.org.
- Ask the teacher or leader to complete an evaluation form on the Energy4me website.
- Let us know how your presentation went!
