Session 22: Showcase Demo Day & Graduation
At a glance: every team delivers a 3-minute live pitch of their capstone project, with every member speaking, then pupils reflect on their journey, take the Digital Leader's Pledge and graduate. · Time: 90 minutes (adjust the timings if your period is shorter) · Workbook pages: 6
Learning outcomes
By the end of the session, pupils can:
- Deliver a 3-minute pitch in three acts: the hook and problem (0:00–0:30), the live demo (0:30–2:00), and a bug fix with a call to action (2:00–3:00), followed by 1 minute of Q&A.
- Share speaking duties so every team member has a role: introducing the problem, driving the laptop, explaining the bug and fix.
- Answer audience questions using Listen, Thank, Answer simply.
- Stay calm and keep talking if the technology fails on stage.
- Reflect on the skills they have mastered and commit to using them responsibly.
Before the session
- Confirm each team's
Capstone_v1.1file is inFinal_Showcaseand opens on the projector PC. Copy every file to a USB stick as a backup. - Test the projector, cables and speakers. Have a charged laptop ready in case the power goes.
- Fix the order of teams and write it on the board. Plan about 5 minutes per team: 3 minutes pitch, 1 minute Q&A, 1 minute changeover.
- Get photo and video consent: check which pupils' parents or guardians have agreed. Pupils without consent must not appear in photos or videos.
- Prepare the certificates in advance: type or write each pupil's real name on the name line (the sample name "Ama Mensah" is only a hint and does not print). Arrange for the headteacher or lead to sign.
- Invite guests and appoint a timekeeper with a timer and a "1 minute left" card.
Running order
| Time | Activity | Workbook | What the mentor does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–15 min | Setup and pre-flight technical checklist | Page 2 | Teams work through the pre-flight checklist. |
| 15–25 min | Final rehearsal and the 3D lab pitch step | Pages 1, 4 | Teams rehearse once against the timer. |
| 25–30 min | Welcome guests and explain the format | Page 1 | Explain the format: 3 minutes per team, applause for all. |
| 30–70 min | Team pitches and audience Q&A | Page 4 | Keep strict time. Note each team's strengths. |
| 70–78 min | Personal growth reflection | Page 3 | Pupils write; two or three share. |
| 78–83 min | The Digital Leader's Pledge | Page 5 | Read aloud and tick. |
| 83–90 min | Certificates and graduation | Page 6 | Present certificates. Photos only with consent. |
If you have more than 8 teams, run pitches in two rooms or extend the period; do not shorten the pitches.
Key ideas and how to explain them
- The 3-minute pitch formula: entrepreneurs pitch big ideas in 180 seconds. Act 1 is the hook and the problem (30 seconds), Act 2 is the live demo (90 seconds), and Act 3 is the bug fixed and a call to action (60 seconds). Then 1 minute of audience Q&A.
- Live demonstration: show the real file working: recalculate the sheet, play the game, flip the slides.
- Everyone has a voice: one speaker (Ama) introduces the problem, one (Kofi) drives the laptop, one (Kwesi) explains the bug and fix. In a team of four, the fourth member can lead the Q&A or share Act 2.
- Call to action: end with one clear request, for example "Wash your hands with soap before you eat."
- Stage resilience: if the projector goes black, Speaker 1 keeps describing the project from memory; if needed, Speaker 2 keeps talking while you (the mentor) check the cable and power. Pupils never touch cables or plugs. The audience will respect your calm.
The 3D lab
Use Build the Whole House only during rehearsal. The last mission is "Step 5: give each part a speaker and practise the 3-minute pitch." The lab uses the same three acts and timings as the workbook: Act 1 The Hook & Problem (30 s), Act 2 Live Digital Demonstration (90 s) and Act 3 Bug Fix & Call to Action (60 s). Teams choose a speaker for each act from their charter names and practise against the timer. Do not run the lab on the projector during pitches.
Common mistakes and quick fixes
| Pupils often… | Try this |
|---|---|
| Open an old version from Drafts | Before going on stage, check the title bar says v1.1 and that the file is from Final_Showcase. |
| Speak too fast or face the screen | Look at the audience rows, stand tall and smile. |
| Run over time in the demo | The timekeeper shows the "1 minute left" card at 2:00: move to the bug fix and call to action. |
| Freeze when a question is hard | Use Listen, Thank, Answer simply. "We don't know yet, but we could find out" is a good answer. |
| Let one person do all the talking | Check the speaking order during rehearsal; each member must say their part. |
When things go wrong
- No internet: every project should open offline from
Final_Showcase. Online-only Scratch projects should have been saved as.sb3and opened in the Scratch Desktop app. - Not enough PCs: one projector PC is enough; the next team waits with its USB copy.
- A PC freezes or the power goes: follow the Panic Button. Speaker 1 keeps talking while Speaker 2 restarts or switches to the backup laptop. If power is out for a while, teams pitch from their printed work or the workbook, and the live demo can be repeated when power returns.
Answer key
There are no questions with fixed answers on Demo Day. Use this guidance.
Personal growth reflection (Page 3), questions 1 to 3: Look for: a specific skill named (for example =SUM, debugging loops, file folders, touch typing), a real description of the team's project and its community problem, and a realistic plan to help school, family or community next term.
Live pitch (Page 4): Look for the three acts in the right order and roughly on time: 0:00–0:30 hook and problem, 0:30–2:00 live demo, 2:00–3:00 a real bug from the Change Log and a call to action. Then two audience questions (3:00–4:00) answered with Listen, Thank, Answer simply.
Digital Leader's Pledge (Page 5): each pupil reads the five commitments aloud and ticks them. There are no right or wrong answers.
Support and stretch
- Needs more support: let nervous pupils say one short, practised line or drive the laptop. Allow notes on a small card. Rehearse with them during setup.
- Finished early: help with changeovers or ask another team a good question.
Evidence for sign-off
- The team delivered its pitch with a live demo of the v1.1 file and every member had a speaking or driving role.
- The pupil completed the three reflections on Page 3 and the pledge on Page 5.
- The pupil's earlier milestones (Sessions 20 and 21) are signed. Only then sign and present the certificate.
Safety and wellbeing
Take photos or videos only of pupils whose parents or guardians have agreed, and don't post them online without the school's approval. Check projects on screen show only fictional data, with no real phone numbers, addresses or passwords. Ask guests for kind questions. Praise effort and calm, not just polish.