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Day 3: Capstone Presentations Day 1

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Deliver capstone career plan presentations (first half of class); provide constructive Two Stars and a Wish feedback to peers
TEKS d(4)(C), d(8)(A), d(8)(B), d(8)(C)
Deliverable Capstone career plan presentation delivered + scored on rubric
Materials Students' written Career Plans + presentation outlines, optional slide decks, printed Capstone Presentation Rubric, timer, projector

Warm-Up (3 min)

WARM-UP: Take 90 seconds. Read your presentation outline silently. Eye contact. Clear voice. Confident posture. This is YOUR plan and YOUR future. Own it.

Quiet warm-up. No discussion. Project a 90-second timer. The energy this week should feel different from any other week. This is the year's most important presentation.

Activity 1: Capstone Career Plan Presentations (40 min)

Source: Day 2 written plans + presentation outlines + rubric

Today the FIRST HALF of the class delivers their 5-minute capstone presentations. The remaining students present on Day 4. Splitting across two days lets every student present to the whole class without rushing.

Presentation structure (from Day 2):

  1. Introduction, career goal + why
  2. The Path. Irving ISD pathway, courses, postsecondary
  3. The Year, how interests evolved + a specific moment
  4. The Plan, 3 action steps (30/90/365)
  5. Closing, one sentence + thank you

Format:

  • 5-minute time limit per student (visible timer projected)
  • Teacher scores each presentation using the Capstone Rubric
  • After each presentation, the class gives Two Stars and a Wish (specific positive + specific suggestion)
  • Move quickly to keep momentum, applaud every speaker

Presentation timing: the math does not fit 5 min/student

Half a class of 25 = 12–13 students. At 5 min each, that is 60–65 min. EXCEEDS the 50-min period before warm-up, feedback, and transitions. Plan for 2.5–3 min per student as the realistic baseline; 5 min is the ceiling, not the expectation. Choose one compression approach before Day 3 begins:

  • 2.5–3 min per student: ~32–39 min presentations + 8–10 min Two Stars and a Wish + 3 min warm-up = ~45 min. Safe margin.
  • Corner rotation: Split class into 3 groups of 8–9. Teacher circulates between corners; each group presents to a smaller audience at 3–4 min each. Lower pressure, more speaking time.
  • Co-facilitator model: Invite an administrator or counselor. One adult scores Day 3 morning, the other facilitates warm-up, timer, and closing. Allows the named 5-min ceiling for some students.

First-time presenters run long. Build in buffer. Presentation quality matters more than rigid 5-min timers.

Facilitation Tip

Treat this like a real event. Wear professional clothes. Greet students at the door. If possible, invite an administrator, counselor, or parent to attend as the audience for at least part of the day. Cheering for classmates makes the experience warm, the goal is celebration AND assessment.

Class feedback after each presentation:

  • One student gives a SPECIFIC star ("I loved how you connected your Hat Research from the Health Science week to your final career choice")
  • One student gives a SPECIFIC wish ("Your action steps were strong. I wish you had given more detail on which 8th-grade electives you want")
  • Move on quickly

DOK 4: As you watch your classmates present, evaluate which career plans are MOST realistic and well-researched. What specific evidence makes a plan convincing?

DELIVERABLE: Capstone career plan presentation delivered live, scored on rubric.

Exit Ticket (7 min)

EXIT TICKET (Ranked Justification) · Printable PDF:

Rank TODAY's presentations using these 4 criteria from MOST important (1) to LEAST (4) based on what made today's STRONGEST plan strong.

  • Research quality (H&L data, DFW salary, real pathway): rank ____
  • Organization (intro, path, year, plan, closing in order): rank ____
  • Delivery (eye contact, pace, confidence): rank ____
  • Personal connection (why this career fits THEM): rank ____

The ONE classmate's plan that impressed me most today:

Classmate / career: _____

For the Rank 1 criterion (most important), ONE specific thing that classmate did:

For the Rank 4 criterion (least important), why it mattered LESS than the others:

(d(4)(C))

Differentiation

  • Support: Allow note cards visible during the presentation. Allow a printed slide as a visual aid. Allow anxious students to present to a small group of 4-5 instead of the whole class. The very most anxious can present 1-on-1 to the teacher during a free period.
  • Extension: Students who finish their presentation early prepare a 1-minute Q&A. They take questions from the audience about their plan. Practices defending decisions under audience questions.
  • ELL: Allow Spanish or bilingual presentations. Pair ESL students with bilingual peers for audience feedback. Language flexibility lets ESL students show their career plan without language being a barrier.