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Engaging preschool and kindergarten students in early entrepreneurial skills is a fantastic way to foster creativity, collaboration, and communication. This lesson introduces young learners to the idea of presenting ideas, solving problems, and sharing their ideas with others. Using a pitch competition format tailored for four core content areas—Math, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies—this lesson allows students to build confidence, learn new concepts, and practice teamwork. The pitch competition options provided below offer various ways to adapt the activity for online, hybrid, and in-person learning, accommodating diverse classroom needs and schedules.
National Standard Alignment
This lesson aligns with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards for early learning, particularly emphasizing:
Approaches to Learning: Encouraging initiative, curiosity, and problem-solving through playful and structured learning experiences.
Social and Emotional Development: Fostering cooperative play, confidence in expressing ideas, and understanding different viewpoints.
Cognition and Knowledge of the World: Introducing concepts in math, science, language, and social studies that build foundational knowledge.
Lesson Plan Structure by Content Area
1. Math - "Shape and Pattern Pitch"
Objective: Students will use shapes and patterns to create a structure or picture, presenting their “design” to classmates.
Activity Description: Students will choose different shapes (e.g., circles, triangles, squares) to design something creative, such as a simple structure, pattern, or picture. After assembling their project, they will “pitch” it to their classmates, describing the shapes used and the idea behind their design.
Skills Developed: Shape recognition, spatial reasoning, verbal communication.
2. Science - "Animal Habitats Presentation"
Objective: Students will learn about animals and their habitats, presenting an animal and its home to classmates.
Activity Description: Each student selects an animal and learns a bit about where it lives. Using simple visual aids like drawings or animal toys, students will create a “pitch” about why their animal’s habitat is unique or interesting.
Skills Developed: Basic understanding of habitats, vocabulary development, curiosity about the natural world.
3. Language Arts - "Story Starter Pitch"
Objective: Students will develop basic storytelling skills by creating a simple story around a theme or character.
Activity Description: Students choose a character (e.g., a bear, a princess, a superhero) and tell a very brief story about that character’s adventure. They will pitch this story to the class, practicing storytelling and imaginative thinking.
Skills Developed: Creative thinking, vocabulary, confidence in sharing stories aloud.
4. Social Studies - "Community Helpers Pitch"
Objective: Students will learn about community helpers and present what they find interesting about a chosen helper (e.g., firefighter, teacher, doctor).
Activity Description: Each student selects a community helper, creates a drawing or uses props, and explains to classmates what the helper does and why they are important. This short “pitch” will introduce students to the idea of community roles.
Skills Developed: Understanding of community roles, empathy, and social awareness.
Structuring Your Pitch Competition with NextPitch
NextPitch provides a flexible platform for organizing engaging pitch competitions where students submit video and written entries. With options for online, hybrid, or fully in-person formats, NextPitch supports various classroom needs while offering voting and feedback features to enhance student engagement.
Option 1: Fully Online
Description: Students submit their recorded video pitches and written entries online through NextPitch, making the competition accessible to all participants virtually.
Execution: Students upload their video pitches to NextPitch, where classmates, teachers, and invited community members can view, comment, and vote on entries directly through the platform. This approach allows broader engagement and the chance for family members and the community to participate in voting and feedback.
Benefits: Ideal for remote learners, the fully online format with NextPitch supports family and community involvement, fosters digital presentation skills, and ensures an inclusive experience where every student’s work can be celebrated and evaluated.
Option 2: Hybrid – Initial Rounds Online, Finalists In-Person
Description: Students submit initial video and written entries online through NextPitch, with top entries advancing to an exciting in-person final round. This structure adds a competitive element, with finalists presenting in front of a live audience.
Execution: In the first round, students upload their pitches to NextPitch for online voting, allowing the whole class or even the community to engage with and evaluate each pitch. Finalists then present in person, either replaying their recorded pitch or giving a live presentation, with a live voting option for audience members to select the winning entries.
Benefits: Combines the accessibility of online participation with the excitement of a live final event. This hybrid format motivates students to excel, enhances community engagement, and provides a memorable experience for both participants and spectators.
Option 3: Entirely In-Person
Description: Students submit their pitches to NextPitch in advance, then present them in a live, in-person setting, such as a classroom or school event. The classroom or venue becomes a “pitch stage,” showcasing each student's work.
Execution: Students present their pitches live, or teachers can project each student’s recorded pitch from NextPitch, followed by a Q&A session. Teachers and students can use in-person voting as well as NextPitch’s digital platform, allowing for both live and online votes, which can include family and community input.
Benefits: Enhances in-person interaction, builds public speaking confidence, and creates a supportive classroom environment. With NextPitch’s integrated voting, even those unable to attend in person can view and vote on the presentations, extending the reach and impact of each pitch
Assessment and Reflection
After each presentation, students will be encouraged to share something they learned from their classmates’ presentations, promoting a supportive and reflective environment. Teachers can provide feedback based on effort, creativity, and participation, celebrating each child’s work and encouraging continuous learning and exploration.
By adapting the pitch competition format for elementary students, educators can create a fun and educational experience that builds foundational skills in problem-solving, presentation, and creativity. This lesson provides a memorable introduction to sharing ideas and collaborating with peers, helping even the youngest learners feel like confident participants in their education journey.