Keynote Designer Challenge

This is an activity that I love doing with students and staff members to help them practice their skills in Keynote! 

To start, each person creates a unique scene in Keynote. Depending on the time of year prompt users to create a different types of scene (i.e. fall, spooky, winter, summer etc.) As participants design, it is essential they keep their iPad screens hidden from others. I find it helpful to remind participants that they will need to verbally share directions for recreating their scene. This encourages thoughtful design over excessive complexity. Once creation time ends, everyone finds a partner, ensuring their screen remains out of sight.

Once participants partner up, give them directions. Partner one will give directions to their partner. They will need to be specific with their directions and explanations in order to receive the best outcome from their partners creation. Partner two will be creating the scene based off the directions they receive. They will need to listen carefully to directions and ask questions as needed.  

Once they finish, partners reveal and compare their two creations to see how closely the builder followed the designer's instructions. The comparison is always a highlight, generating excited reactions and immediate feedback. Partners then switch roles, with partner two becoming the designer and partner one becoming the builder.  

The moderator has the flexibility to introduce optional constraints to the partner work—for instance, requiring the builder to only ask "Yes" or "No" questions. Beyond reinforcing Keynote skills, this exercise highlights the importance of crucial speaking and listening abilities. Participants quickly gain a deeper understanding of how their descriptions, explanations, and questioning techniques directly impact the final result.

✨ Extensions & Adaptations:

Pre-Coding Focus: Use this activity to illustrate the importance of precise code. Explain that a computer (the builder) follows instructions exactly as given. If the verbal "code" (directions) is unclear, the "program" (scene) will not execute as intended. This highlights the process of trial and error inherent in coding.

Stage Direction Practice: Instead of a static scene, have participants use Keynote animations to practice stage directions. The Designer gives directions like: "The rabbit enters from stage left (Move In effect) and bounces three times (Bounce action)." The Builder animates the object based on the verbal commands.