Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a short, persuasive speech that is used to spark interest in a topic. The name comes from the idea that it should be possible to deliver the pitch in the time it takes to ride an elevator, usually around 30 seconds.

An elevator pitch is a good classroom activity because it helps students develop critical thinking and communication skills. In order to create an effective pitch, students must be able to identify the key facts about a person or topic and then present them in a clear and concise manner. Adding language frames can linguistically support English Learners -- and reduce the affective filter.

Try using an elevator pitch to kick off your next unit of study or an important time of the year like Black history month, women's history month, or winter holidays.