Presentation Power Up Lesson Plan Presentation Power-Up
Individual Counseling Session (Tier 3)
Duration
30 Minutes
Why This Session?
Public speaking is a critical life skill, but fear can be a major barrier. This session provides personalized support to equip students with practical tools and techniques to overcome their anxiety, fostering greater participation and success in academic and future professional settings.
Audience
10th Grade Student (1-on-1)
Approach
Individualized coaching and practice.
Learning Objective
Students will learn and practice coping strategies to manage fears and anxiety associated with presenting in front of the classroom, aiming to build confidence for future presentations.
Preparation
Review the Lesson Plan and all linked materials to familiarize yourself with the content and flow.
Print copies of the Coping Strategies Handout and Practice Scenario Worksheet .
Ensure a private, comfortable space is available for the one-on-one session.
Have a pen/pencil and paper ready for the student for additional notes.
Materials List
Presentation Power-Up Slide Deck
Teacher Script
Coping Strategies Handout
Practice Scenario Worksheet
Reflection Journal
Instructional Sequence
5 min
Welcome and Check-in
Greet the student and establish a comfortable, private atmosphere.
Briefly explain the purpose: to help manage public speaking anxiety.
Ask open-ended questions: "What specifically makes you feel anxious?" or "What physical sensations do you notice?"
7 min
Understanding Anxiety
Use Slides 1-3 to introduce presentation anxiety and normalize feelings.
Discuss the "fight or flight" response in context.
Emphasize that anxiety can be managed, not necessarily eliminated.
8 min
Coping Strategies Exploration
Distribute Coping Strategies Handout .
Discuss: deep breathing, positive self-talk, visualization, and physical grounding.
Model 1-2 strategies (e.g., deep breathing) with the student.
7 min
Practice Scenario & Application
Present a low-stakes scenario using the Practice Scenario Worksheet .
Student chooses 1-2 strategies to apply while imagining the scenario.
Provide positive, constructive feedback focusing on effort and strategy use.
3 min
Reflection and Next Steps
Student writes in Reflection Journal .
Discuss real-world application in the classroom.
Reiterate support and schedule follow-up if appropriate.
Presentation Power Up Slide Deck Presentation Power-Up
Taming Anxiety & Building Confidence
Individual Session
Facing the Stage Fright Monster
1. It's OK to feel nervous!
2. Many people feel this way.
3. We're here to learn how to manage it, together!
👾
Anxiety isn't the boss of you.
What's Going On Inside?
1
Anxiety: Your body's built-in alarm system.
2
The 'Fight or Flight' response kicks in.
3
Physical signs: racing heart, shaky voice, sweaty palms.
"It's just your body trying to protect you!"
Fast Heart
Shaky Hands
These feelings are physical , not a sign of failure.
Building Your Presentation Power-Up
You're not stuck with anxiety.
You can learn to manage it.
We'll build your 'toolbox' of strategies.
Practice makes progress , not perfect!
Presentation Power Up Teacher Script Facilitator Resource
Teacher Script
Presentation Power-Up
1
Welcome and Check-in (5 min)
Say: "Hi [Student's Name], thanks for coming today. We're going to spend about 30 minutes together focusing on something many people struggle with: speaking in front of a group. My goal is to help you feel more comfortable and confident when it's your turn to present."
Ask: "How are you feeling about presentations right now? What specifically makes you feel anxious about them?"
Ask: "Are there any physical sensations you notice when you think about presenting, like a racing heart or shaky hands?"
2
Understanding Anxiety (7 min)
Display Slide 1: Facing the Stage Fright Monster
Say: "You're not alone in feeling this way. In fact, many, many people, including adults, feel nervous about public speaking. It's totally okay to feel that way. We're not here to make the nervousness disappear completely, but to learn how to manage it so it doesn't stop you from sharing your awesome ideas."
Display Slide 2: What's Going On Inside?
Say: "Let's talk a little about what's happening inside. Have you ever heard of the 'fight or flight' response? It's our body's ancient alarm system. When we perceive a threat, whether it's a tiger in the jungle or standing in front of your classmates, our body gets ready to either fight or run away. That's why your heart might race or your hands might get sweaty. It's your body trying to protect you! It's not a sign you're bad at presenting; it's just your body's system kicking in."
Ask: "Does that make sense? Have you ever noticed any of these physical signs yourself?"
Display Slide 3: Building Your Presentation Power-Up
Say: "The good news is, you're not stuck with this feeling. We can learn to calm that alarm system down. Today, we're going to start building your personal 'toolbox' of coping strategies. Think of them as tools you can use to help yourself feel more in control. Remember, the goal isn't to be 'perfect' but to make progress. Are you ready to explore some strategies?"
3
Coping Strategies Exploration (8 min)
Say: "Great! I have a Coping Strategies Handout for you. Let's go through some of these together. As we talk about each one, tell me if you think it might be helpful for you."
Deep Breathing
"This is super powerful. When we're anxious, we take shallow breaths. Deep breaths signal to our brain that we're safe. Let's try one together: In for 4, hold for 4, out for 6."
Coping Strategies Handout Presentation Power-Up
Your Coping Strategy Toolkit
Techniques to calm your mind and body before the stage.
Deep Breathing
How it helps
Slows your heart rate and sends a signal to your brain that you are safe and in control.
Try this: The 4-4-6 Breath
1 Inhale slowly through your nose (4 counts).
2 Hold your breath (4 counts).
3 Exhale slowly like blowing a candle (6 counts).
Positive Self-Talk
How it helps
Changes negative thoughts into empowering ones, boosting your confidence and focus.
Swap your thoughts:
✖
"I'm going to mess up."
✔
"I've prepared, and I can do this."
✔
"The audience wants me to succeed."
Visualization
How it helps
Prepares your mind for a successful experience and reduces fear of the unknown.
The Success Movie:
Close your eyes. Imagine yourself walking confidently to the front, speaking clearly, making eye contact, and seeing people nodding along. Feel the success.
Physical Grounding
How it helps
Brings your focus back to the present moment and reduces feelings of being overwhelmed.
Connect to the now:
Feel your feet firmly on the ground.
Wiggle your toes in your shoes.
Gently press your palms together.
Notice 3 things you can see right now.
Pro-Tip: You don't have to use all of these! Pick one that feels natural to you and practice it whenever you start to feel nervous.
Practice Scenario Worksheet Power-Up Practice
Skills Application
Student:
Date:
The Scenario
Imagine this
Imagine your English teacher has asked you to briefly introduce a book you recently read to a small group of three classmates. You don't need to give a full presentation, just share a few interesting facts about the book and why you liked it for about 2 minutes.
Your Action Plan
1
Choose 1-2 Coping Strategies from your handout that you think would be most helpful in this situation.
2
Take a moment to apply them. Actually do the deep breath, say the positive thought, or visualize the moment.
3
Mentally (or quietly) practice what you might say for about 30 seconds, using your chosen strategies.
Reflect
1. Which strategies did you choose?
2. How did it feel to use these strategies before/during your practice? Did you notice any difference in how your body or mind felt?
Low-stakes practice builds high-stakes confidence.
Reflection Journal Reflection Journal
Building your Presentation Power-Up
Take a few minutes to reflect on our session today. This is a private space for your honest thoughts and feelings as you grow.
01
What is one new thing you learned about your anxiety or about managing presentations?
02
Out of the strategies we discussed (Deep Breathing, Positive Self-Talk, Visualization, Physical Grounding), which one or two do you think you will try to use the most? Why?
03
Describe a specific time you could use one of these strategies in the near future (it doesn't have to be a formal presentation).
04
What is one small step you can commit to taking to practice managing your presentation anxiety before your next classroom presentation?
My commitment:
Growth mindset in action
