Scuba presentation to 10 yr olds

[Jersey]

I've been asked by the teacher of my 10 yr old niece to come to class, with all my gear, and discuss gear and scuba diving. Before my mind fully engaged, my mouth had agreed! :shocked2: I've begun to put a brief power point together about gear, training and some pictures taken to give a feel for the environment.

My question for teens and adults - if you had to do the presentation, what would you want to say or want them to know? I've got 60 minutes for the presentation.



I already know they want to ask me about sharks. If anyone has any good pics of sharks they would be willing to let me incorporate I would be most grateful and willing to provide credit to the photographer. I've never had them near enough to get a good shot, or never had camera when they've come calling...never fails.

 

[Aeolus]

You are correct. The two FAQ inquiries are about sharks and how deep do you go? For ten year olds, I would not get very involved with any detailed explanations; just a brief description of each piece of gear and its function.. Many years ago, I did a presentation to a group of school kids about that age on offshore drilling. They were very interested during my talk, but when asked if they had any questioons - they wanted to know what they ate out there on the platforms. You never know what they are thinking.

 

[Jersey]

Thanks Aeolus! Good point on the 'how deep'. I agree, I didn't plan to get too detailed or theoretical on dive gear and configuration and the science behind it, though I was thinking about bringing in a bottle of seltzer, shaking it up and opening it to demonstrate the concept of pressure. (And some towels to clean up the resultant mess.) I'll bring gear, put it together, put it on. Tell them to be sure to understand math and science to pass the tests. ...And tell them to get really, really good jobs to be able to afford a gear intensive, high cost activity...

Yeah - give me a group of adults to present to any day. The things that come out of kids mouths are priceless!

Nice avitar - juvi spotted drum - one of my favorites! So shy and cute!

 

[llqwyd]

good luck...60 minutes with a group of 10 year-olds with short attention spans. good thing you are passionate about diving. don't dumb it down too much. kids are pretty damn smart and no one likes to be talked down to. not saying you have to teach the dive tables, but make it more interesting by giving them something to think about. i would recommend you include a question and answer session at the end of your presentation (10 mins or so). walk in with your gear on (scuba-steve style) and you will have their attention immediately.

 

[geokr]

Pictures - kids like pictures and if you have a movie that's even better even if it's not you in it. Bringing and explaining pieces of gear was a good suggestion, also bring some small things to pass around - things you don't care if you get back in the same shape they were originally in, that is! Old masks, shells, no dive knives, well - you get the idea.

 

[Diver0001]

My question for teens and adults - if you had to do the presentation, what would you want to say or want them to know? I've got 60 minutes for the presentation.

.

What *I* would do with 60 minutes is this.

- bring a regulator with several 2nd stages on it so they can try breathing off of it, blowing up the BCD and deflating it.

- do something like bobbing for apples or breath holding with a mask and snorkel and see who can hold their breath the longest

- to show them how much air is in a scuba tank blow up a rubber boat with one...

- bring a couple of experiments to demonstrate refraction, archemedies principle or boyle. Keep them simple and make the props child friendly so you can let them try it themselves in small groups. One that really works nicely is to put a piece of apple in a pressure tester and show them the bubble that come out after 30 min at 25 metres.... cola bottles or other small experiements like that make for good visual presentations. 5 min per experiment if you have 5 experiements then you're 1/2 way done....

- If you want to show them about sharks then get them to line up arm in arm until they have a chain 3.5 metres long. "Tell them THAT is how big a great white is.... they'll never forget it"

you're probably seeing where I"m going with this. If you stand and talk to them you'll lose them in about 30 seconds but if you keep it interactive and make some games from it they'll never forget.

R..

 

[Jersey]

Thanks for all the input! I plan to have a very visual powerpoint - pretty, vivid, colorful w/ large subject matter (critters or wrecks or divers) and video bits playing on a screen the whole time. The crackle and sound of bubbles that I find very soothing. We do have some good pics and pro quality video (just none of sharks).

LOL - the idea of me walking in geared up is just an invite to have the presentation done by the paramedics who are called after I fall over and crack open my skull! I do plan to bring every piece of gear I would normally use - including pounds of lead, safety sausage, lift bags, etc to demonstrate how really gear intensive diving is. I was thinking of bringing a second set of gear to kit up some kid and ask now how do you feel? Especially with a set of steel double 100's! Do like the idea of bringing old x-tra gear to pass around - plenty of that laying around our house. (I will bring my thigh knife - that's the whole reason I started diving - every girls' dream to engage in a sport with a knife! I do plan to leave the spear guns and sling poles home...)

Diver0001 - good food for thought! Displacement and bouyancy (positive and negative) should be easy demonstrations given common household or classroom items. Refraction - have to think on that. Stealing your ideas for air compression/blow up boat and 'size of shark' demo - love that! I would be happy to credit you and all others in my presentation!

I will keep it visual and interactive. I am in sales/marketing and understand audience participation and interaction. I'll field questions as we go along - I learn why they think from what is asked. I do want to include a section about underwater communications/signals. Years ago we did Disney and the adult divers did the Living Seas Dive. My niece and nephew were bigger hits on the outside with the other kids (and adults) as they gave us various signals for shark, turtle, rays, up, down, ok, tasty eats...

The only other things I want them to learn is that it is an AIR tank, not an OXYGEN tank (unless, of course, it is an O2 tank) and that divers are a unique group - kind, compassionate, ready to help out a fellow diver, share what we do and I'd like to think most of us are conservation minded when it comes to the seas.

Thanks for all the ideas, I'll provide feedback after the show!

 

[DiverBizz]

I did a presentation for another teacher to 8th graders and did walk in with all my gear on. I placed my fins on just outside the door and opened it and carefully walked in. I was using the regulator as well. Students have returned from high school and walk past my classroom door and say, "There is that scuba teacher who came into our classroom." They loved the power point and I shared some of things I had found while diving. Their questions were interesting to say the least. Have funny and don't be nervous.

 

[pidgiepoo]

. don't dumb it down too much. kids are pretty damn smart and no one likes to be talked down to.

I totally agree with this. My grandson was Jr.OW certified at age 10 and I think he would have been upset to have someone come to his school and talk down to him about something he worked hard to accomplish.
I also agree with all the others that think class interaction is the best way to proceed.
I loved the example about holding arms and seeing the size of a shark. Hope you are able to try that one.

 

[Walter]

You've been given some great ideas, but if you do walk in wearing your gear, carry the fins. Walking in fins causes flat places where your face used to be. If you do put on the fins and don't hurt yourself, you'll have taught the children something dangerous. Don't be a "do as I say, not as I do," type of person.

Be careful with the power point, keep it short, follow Diver0001's lead and get them involved in doing things.