Creating Effective AI Presentations
Learn PowerPoint Basics & AI Tools to Enhance Your Slideshows
Grade 7-8 | Duration: 50 minutes
Learning Objectives
⏱️ By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Understand the core structure of an effective presentation
- Create basic slides manually in PowerPoint
- Use AI tools (Gamma, Slidesgo, Quillbot) to enhance presentations
- Apply design principles for clear, professional slides
- Present information confidently and effectively
What Makes a Good Presentation?
Every great presentation has a clear structure. Let's break it down:
📌 Title Slide
- Topic name
- Your name
- Date
- Eye-catching visual
🎯 Introduction Slide
- Why this topic matters
- A question or interesting fact
- Grab attention immediately
📊 Main Content (3-5 slides)
- ONE idea per slide
- Key points only
- Visuals and images
Presentation Structure (Continued)
💡 Examples & Applications
- Real-world use cases
- Stories or examples
- Show, don't just tell
✅ Conclusion Slide
- 3-4 key takeaways
- Final thought
- Call-to-action
❓ Questions & Sources
- "Any Questions?"
- List all sources
- Cite credible references
The Golden Rules
6 × 6 Rule
Maximum 6 bullet points per slide, 6 words per bullet
This keeps slides clean and forces you to be concise!
- Visual > Text: Use images, diagrams, and icons instead of walls of text
- Consistency: Use the same fonts, colors, and style throughout
- Contrast: Dark text on light background (or vice versa) for readability
- Less is More: White space is your friend—don't cram slides
PowerPoint Basics: Getting Started
Let's build your first presentation step-by-step:
Step 1: Open PowerPoint
- Find PowerPoint on your desktop or in the start menu
- Click "Blank Presentation" to start fresh
Step 2: Create Your Title Slide
- Add a title text box (main topic)
- Add a subtitle text box (your name, date, hook)
- Change font size and style to stand out
- Insert an image: Insert → Pictures → search online
PowerPoint Basics: Adding Content
Step 3: Add New Slides
- Click the "New Slide" button in the toolbar
- Choose different layouts: Title + Content, Two Content, etc.
Step 4: Format Your Text
- Use bullet points for lists (not paragraphs!)
- Make titles bigger and bolder than body text
- Use colors and bold to highlight key ideas
Step 5: Add Visuals
- Insert → Pictures (from your computer or online)
- Insert → Icons (PowerPoint has built-in icons)
- Resize and position images to balance your slide
PowerPoint Design & Themes
Step 6: Apply a Design Theme
- Go to the "Design" tab in the ribbon
- Choose a professional template that fits your topic
- Change the color scheme to match your brand
🎨 Why Consistency Matters
Using the same theme throughout makes your presentation look professional and helps your audience stay focused on your message—not distracted by random color changes or fonts.
💡 Pro Tip: Pick 2-3 colors and stick with them for the entire presentation!
The AI Advantage
AI tools can help you create presentations faster, suggest better layouts, and generate content ideas.
⚠️ But Here's the Catch...
You still need to know the basics to edit, improve, and personalize what AI creates. AI is a helper, not a replacement for your creativity!
In this class, you'll use BOTH:
- Manual creation (PowerPoint skills you just learned)
- AI enhancement (tools to speed things up)
Tool #1: Gamma
AI-Powered Presentation Generator
What It Does
Gamma creates entire presentations from a topic or outline in minutes. You just provide a topic, and AI generates slides with text, layouts, and design.
How to Use Gamma
- Go to gamma.app
- Click "Create" and select "Presentation" mode
- Type your topic (e.g., "Introduction to Neural Networks for Kids")
- Watch AI generate slides automatically
- Edit and customize to make it your own
✅ Best for: Starting from scratch or needing quick structure
Tool #2: Slidesgo
Professional Templates with AI Features
What It Does
Slidesgo provides hundreds of professional templates you can customize. Many include AI-generated content suggestions to help you fill in the blanks.
How to Use Slidesgo
- Go to slidesgo.com
- Search for templates by topic (e.g., "technology," "education")
- Download a template that matches your topic
- Edit in PowerPoint to add your own content
✅ Best for: When you want a polished, professional look without designing from scratch
Tool #3: Quillbot
AI Writing Assistant for Better Text
What It Does
Quillbot helps rewrite and improve your text. It can summarize long paragraphs into bullet points and make complicated ideas easier to understand.
How to Use Quillbot
- Go to quillbot.com
- Paste your text (long paragraphs, notes, etc.)
- Use "Summarizer" to make it slide-friendly (short bullet points)
- Use "Paraphraser" to reword difficult concepts in simpler language
- Copy the improved text into your slides
✅ Best for: When your text is too long, too complicated, or needs better phrasing
⚠️ Important AI Warnings
Always fact-check AI content — AI can make mistakes or create false information. Don't trust everything it generates!
Edit and personalize everything — Don't just copy-paste AI output. Make it sound like YOU and fit your presentation style.
Add your own voice — Your creativity and perspective matter. Use AI as a helper, not a shortcut to avoid thinking!
Cite your sources — If AI uses information, find the original source and cite it properly. Always give credit!
Remember: You're the expert on your topic. AI is just a tool.
Content Quality Best Practices
📚 Research Thoroughly
- Understand your topic deeply
- Use credible sources
- Gather multiple perspectives
🗣️ Use Simple Language
- Explain technical terms
- Avoid jargon
- Be clear and direct
💪 Include Examples
- Use specific real-world examples
- Tell stories
- Show, don't just tell
Visual Design Tips
- High-quality images — Use clear, sharp images (not blurry or pixelated)
- Consistent colors — Pick 2-3 colors and use them throughout
- Readable fonts — Avoid fancy scripts for body text; use simple, clean fonts
- White space is good — Don't cram slides with content. Give ideas room to breathe
- Font hierarchy — Titles should be bigger and bolder than body text
- Icons & symbols — Use visuals to break up text and add visual interest
Delivery Tips for Great Presentations
- Don't read slides directly — Use slides as talking points; YOU provide the details
- Practice your timing — Aim for 2-3 minutes per slide
- Make eye contact — Look at your audience, not the screen
- Speak clearly — Slow down, enunciate, and speak loudly enough for everyone to hear
- Show enthusiasm — Be excited about your topic! Passion is contagious
- Use pauses — Let important ideas sink in before moving forward
Your Assignment: Create an AI Presentation
📋 The Task
Create a 7-10 slide presentation on an assigned AI topic. You MUST use BOTH methods:
- Create at least 2 slides manually in PowerPoint (showing you understand the basics)
- Use AI tools to help with the rest (Gamma, Slidesgo, or Quillbot)
- Edit everything to make it your own (not just copy-paste)
Requirements
- Follow the presentation structure we learned
- Apply design principles (6×6 rule, visuals, consistency)
- Include at least 3 images/visuals
- Cite all sources on final slide
- Be ready to present for 5-7 minutes
Assessment Checklist
Use this to make sure your presentation is complete:
Proper presentation structure (intro, body, conclusion)
Follows the 6×6 rule (6 bullets, 6 words each)
Consistent design throughout (colors, fonts, themes)
Quality visuals included (at least 3 images)
Evidence of both manual and AI-assisted work
Content is accurate and age-appropriate
Sources cited on final slide
Demonstrates strong presentation skills during delivery
Advanced AI Topics for Your Research
15-20 slides | 10-15 minutes | Academic sources required
Advanced Concepts
- Deep Learning vs. Machine Learning
- Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs)
- Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs)
- Transformer Architecture & ChatGPT
- Reinforcement Learning
- Generative AI: GANs & Diffusion
- Explainable AI (XAI)
Professional Applications
- Medical Diagnosis & Radiology
- Drug Discovery
- Autonomous Vehicles
- Algorithmic Trading
- Cybersecurity
- Legal Tech
- Protein Folding: AlphaFold
- Climate Modeling
Emerging Technologies
- Large Language Models (LLMs)
- Multimodal AI
- Quantum Machine Learning
- Edge AI
- Federated Learning
- AI Robotics
Ethics & Policy
- AI Alignment Problem
- Algorithmic Bias & Solutions
- AI Labor Economics
- AI Governance & Regulation
- AI Safety
- Data Privacy & GDPR
- Criminal Justice Ethics
- Income Inequality
Research & Future
- Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)
- AI Benchmarks & Evaluation
- Prompt Engineering
- US vs. China AI Development
- Brain-Computer Interfaces
- AI Consciousness
- Future of Work (2050)
Key Takeaways
What You've Learned Today:
- The structure of effective presentations (6 essential slides)
- The Golden Rules: 6×6, Visual > Text, Consistency, Contrast
- How to create basic slides in PowerPoint
- How to use AI tools: Gamma, Slidesgo, and Quillbot
- How to stay ethical with AI: fact-check, edit, cite sources
- Design and delivery tips for professional presentations
You now have the tools to create powerful, professional presentations that combine your creativity with AI efficiency!
Questions? Let's Discuss!
Do you have any questions about PowerPoint, AI tools, or your upcoming presentation assignment?
⏱️ Next Steps
- Receive your assigned AI topic
- Start researching your topic
- Create your presentation (mix manual + AI tools)
- Practice and refine your delivery
- Present to the class!
Good luck, and have fun creating! 🚀