16 Wedding Toast // Due the week of March 18, 2015

Hi Everyone!

This week, present a wedding toast in which you celebrate a friend's wedding as though you were the best man or maid of honor! The couple getting married can be real people you know or it can be fictional people like Katniss/Peta, Elsa/Hans, etc.

It should:

• be 3-5 minutes long
• have an attention grabber at the beginning
• have at least one story that is either touching or funny (ideally both) having to do with your "best friend" and love/marriage/something relevant
• wish the happy couple luck/happiness/etc at the end

15 Spring Break Inspirational Speech // Due the week of March 8, 2015

Hi Everyone!

This week, be ready to give a 2-3 minute inspirational speech that tells how you think spring break should be spent. You can defend a particular activity, tourist destination, or more. I'm going to be looking primarily for enthusiasm and preparedness!

14 Leading a Discussion // Due the week of Feb. 24, 2015

Hi Everyone!

If you have not yet led your class discussion, that will be done next week. We will also be doing an improv activity with the elementary class next week.

Thanks and have a great week! —No homework if you're done with your class discussion.

13 Leading a Discussion // Due the week of Feb. 10, 2015

Hi Everyone!

Next week, you will be leading a class discussion on a topic of your choice!

You will:

1. Give a 1-2 minute intro, in which you: 
1. Introduce your topic in an interesting way
2. Provide a few key facts about your topic
3. Briefly show both sides of the topic
4. **You can use visuals if you'd like, but it's not required
2. Lead a 5-7 minute discussion in which you:
1. Bring conversation back to the main point if it gets way off topic (I'm okay with a little off topic—mostly I like good discussion here)
2. Have 4-5 questions prepared to push people further if the conversation is a little slow
3. Call on people who haven't said much

When choosing the topic, consider the following things:

1. Controversy is exciting—so it's okay to pick real topics. Just remember, the more intense the topic, the more people will get worked up, so be careful—because you'll have to be ready to handle the intensity!
1. My only two topics that are not allowed because they're just too intense and I don't want any major fights are:
1. Abortion
2. Gay Marriage
2. Make sure you are not so passionate about one side of your topic that you could not play the devil's advocate. 
1. IE: If your topic is dogs vs. cats and you can't even imagine why people like dogs—not a good topic. What if everyone else only likes cats—you'll have to be ready to defend dogs to get conversation going
2. Mentally prepare yourself to defend both sides, so you're ready for anything
1. I suggest making a T-Chart so you have several good arguments for both sides

Email me if you have questions!

12 No Homework this Week // Due the week of Feb. 2, 2015

Hi Everyone!

I didn't get a chance to explain any homework this last week after the great activity with the younger classes—so no homework!

By the way, it sounds like the younger kids really enjoyed it and felt great about it afterward! Great job being welcoming to them and showing them your mad skills at public speaking!

11 Monologue or Children's Story // Due the week of Dec. 16, 2014

Hi Everyone!

For our next speech assignment, you will have a choice between two assignments—however, you will eventually have to do both (it's simply a question of which you want to do first).

The options are:

1. Monologue: 
1. Pick a pre-written monologue from a movie, book, TV show, etc. in which a character is talking for 1.5-2.5 minutes about something dramatic, funny, clever, sad, etc.
2. You can search for monologues online by searching for famous movie monologues—or sometimes you can find a book at the library with a variety. **Not all things online will be school appropriate. Be sure to either pick one that is, or to adapt one to be school appropriate.
2. Children's Story:
1. Pick a 4-5 minute (when read aloud) children's story, in which you could have a very dramatized exciting voice.
2. Check out the library if you don't have any at home.

For next week, I just want you to bring one of these to class—you don't need to do anything with them yet. Memorization will come later.

Thanks and email me if you have any questions!

10 Self-Critique // Due the week of Dec. 8, 2014

Hi Everyone!

In class this week, you all performed a 1 minute speech that we video-taped on your own phones so you could have it for later.

For homework, write a paragraph for the speeches that critiques what you did well, or what you could have done better.

If you were absent this week, you can wait until next week and we'll videotape you giving a speech.

Thanks!