10 Ideas for Show and Tell in a Classroom

Show and Tell in a Classroom

It may seem like a simple elementary school endeavor, but there is much more to show and tell than meets the eye. Show and tell examples give students of all ages the opportunity to practice public speaking and presentation skills in the classroom. The show and tell competition ideas go far beyond the elementary school classroom.

High school students can find hidden talents when presented with show and tell competition ideas. Adaptable for a variety of subjects, show and tell gives students the opportunity to learn about their classmates and to sharpen their own sharing to create a focused topic and presentation. Show and tell activities can also be great icebreakers for the back to school season or in any time of the school year.

What are some Ideas for Show and Tell in a Classroom?

1. Autobiographical Project

During preschool and primary grades, show and tell provides an opportunity for young kids to develop comfort speaking in front of a class. A simple project asks students to bring in an object that represents their personality. Additional prompting might ask students to share an object that holds a special memory for them or describes an activity that they do with their family. In a more extensive project, students can bring in several objects or pictures that represent who they are. Young students can present to their classmates in two to three minutes to gain practice speaking in front of the class.

2. History Project

Show and tell ideas for high school students abound. Students in middle school and above can use the show and tell examples to present information about local history projects. In researching their communities, students can take pictures of local historical sites or objects and research the place or item and its role in the development of their communities. The show and tell presentation includes the item, if possible, or a picture of the item and explanation of both its history and its importance. Older students can be asked to develop lengthier presentations.

3. Letters and Numbers

The subjects of ABC and 123 hold a slew of show and tell competition ideas. Preschool and kindergarten students learning to identify letters of the alphabet and number sense can use show and tell to demonstrate understanding of both letters and numbers. Show and tell examples include focusing on a letter each week, where each student can bring in an object whose name begins with the given letter. An "A" assignment might include sharing an apple or a picture of an arrow. In demonstrating understanding of numbers, students can be asked to bring in a given amount of an object. For example, while studying the number five, students can bring in five pennies or five baseballs.

4. Take it Further with Technology

Put a modern spin on the classic show and tell ideas for high school. They can record and add a video component with tablets to accompany their presentation, opening their skill set, imagination and engagement on many levels. For young children, the excitement of show and tell can go further with a bit of background research conducted by the child before they present their chosen piece to the class. By researching their item online, the history of it, the origin or how it pertains to their lives can assist young children with understanding how to use the internet for research.

5. Introductions to Family or a Family Member of Importance

By introducing family members of importance to the class, students can get a sense of how their family can have an influence on others. Certain families contain special characters in terms of their experiences and history. While this could mean an all about me style for a show and tell time, it does give the other students a chance to hear personal stories.

6. Media: Favorite Books, Favorite Movies and TV Shows

Many different forms of media can also be used in show and tell times. Items like books or even movies and TV shows can be relevant to share with a class. Sharing favorite pieces of media can allow the students to get a sense of connection with other students who may share favorite media items. These items could include things like bedtime books, a movie series or a specific episode from a show.

7. Favorite Sports Idols

Sports idols and icons can be used in show and tell to give students a way of expressing their sports interests to those in their class. Sports knowledge can range from student to student, so this activity for show and tell could allow topics of sports to be shared and expressed throughout the class in an educational manner.

8. Early Childhood Stories

Many students could enjoy utilizing favorite childhood stories or items for their show and tell presentation. Things like their childhood favorite color, favorite food or favorite toy could be examples of those items to bring to show and tell when describing their childhood stories. Creating a favorites board of items from childhood could also be helpful to the student if they choose this topic for their presentation.

9. Unique Talents

Unique talents such as magic tricks could also be cool in show and tell. While the teacher would need to know about what would be performed in front of the class before the presentation, it could still leave a lasting effect on classmates who may have never known a student has a unique talent.

10. Mementos from Memories or Stories

Some students may prefer to bring in certain mementos from their favorite memories or stories. These mementos could include things like seashells, stuffed animals or stickers. These items may seem minimal at first, but they can associate unique stories with their inclusion.