The Pet Peeve Speech Project

I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving. Since you've been so good and thankful, let's turn the table a bit.

While information and persuasive speeches tend to be about serious issues, the Pet Peeve speech is an example of an entertainment speech. In it, the speaker discusses something that he or she doesn't like and gives reasons why he/she feels this way (and sometimes what a person can do to avoid annoying the speaker).

Here's an example of a Pet Peeve Speech:

• Bookish Pet Peeve

Consider the stand up comedy monologues such as:

• Bill Cosby: Dentists
• Eddie Izzard: Intelligent Design
• Ellen Degeneres: Flight Attendants

Brainstorm and write a pet peeve speech.

• Read the handout and samples of the pet peeve speech today in class
• Change the "specs" to: time limit: 5 minutes or less. 5 minutes is usually around 2.5 pages double spaced. It usually takes about 2.5 minutes per page when writing a speech text. Your pet peeve speech should be at LEAST 2.5 minutes in length (1 full typed page).
• Your pet peeve speech should be written. No credit will be given to students who improv their speech during their presentation! 
• Remember to include a good hook! Remember to think about your audience!
• Share with your classmates an experience or situation that bothers you. It need not be anything earth-shattering. You might sound off about your Friday night curfew or chores and obligations at home. Explore your feelings about the issue.
• In the handout chapter complete: the purpose and expectations of this assignment
• In the handout chapter complete: Choosing a topic
• In the handout chapter complete: Preparing.
• In the handout chapter complete: Reading of the two sample speeches on pages 84-87.

You should complete your pet peeve draft today by the end of class. If you don't, see homework below.

HOMEWORK: Make sure you have completed the bullet points from this post! If you did NOT, then please complete your speech as homework--bring it fully finished to next class!

Coffeehouse Reflection! Improv Games!

Congratulations, Freshmen!

You have successfully completed a public performance. I hope you enjoyed the coffee house and will participate in future ones.

Part of our goal this year is for you to get to know your strengths and weaknesses by completing a myriad of assignments, projects, and performances. Self reflection is an important component to learning.

How you felt you did last night as a performance. If you had to do it over again, what would you do differently? What did you learn about public speaking by performing your writing last night? What surprised you about the performance? Who's performance did you particularly enjoy? Did you notice anything different between the Freshman performances and the other Creative Writing performances? What did your parents say or think about the performance? What would you do differently the next time you perform a speech or public reading? What advice would you give other performers?

This morning, please take the first period (3rd period) to respond and comment to your coffehouse performance.

During 4th period, please come next door to 238 to play some improv games with Ms. Springer! This is her last day with us. 

HOMEWORK: None.

500-Word Story Project: Prep for Coffeehouse

This morning please make sure you have completed your homework:

Watch at least 3 500-word stories (see link above) and summarize each story in 1 sentence. Write your 1-sentence premise (summary) in your journals. Then, add to this list with some of your own 1-sentence premises. Choose one of the 25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer (see above) and in your journal, write this insight and what you think of it.

• 25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer
• Please watch and listen to at least 3 500-word stories from this site. 
• Lab: writing a 500 word story. 
• Come up with a short story that should be exactly 500 words in length.
• Subject and genre is completely up to you!
• Use the handout advice to get you started.
• Use the advice from the videos and the 25 insights to help you as well.
• Write. Drafts of your stories will be due by the end of class today. 

When you have completed your 500 word short story, proofread, print and turn in.

With time remaining, please complete the handout reflection sheet for your speech performances. Turn this in before the end of class today.

Then: choose what coffeehouse piece you would like to prepare and rehearse for our coffeehouse next Thursday (Nov. 19 at 7:00). Choose a tone for your piece, highlight your best and most important lines, and indicate where you will slow down and speed up in your piece. Write your "acting notes" in the margins of your "script". Begin rehearsing your coffeehouse piece.

HOMEWORK: None.

Speech's Due! Introduction to the 500 Word Short Story Project

Today we will complete our class speeches. As we deliver our speeches, please evaluate and critique your fellow peers.

When we have completed our speeches, please return to the lab to do the following writing/reading task:

On to our next writing task. Soon you will be choosing a selection to read and perform at our coffeehouse on Nov. 19. Before you do that, please print out any writing you have completed this marking period and put the draft in your portfolio. You should have already done this, but if not, please do it now.

Then watch these videos!

• 25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer
• Daniel Radcliffe: 500 Words story
• David Walliams: 500 Words story
• Please watch and listen to at least 3 500-word stories from this site. 
• Lab: writing a 500 word story.
• Go to the lab. 
• Come up with a short, short story that should be exactly 500 words in length.
• Subject and genre is completely up to you!
• Use the handout advice to get you started.
• Use the advice from the videos and the 25 insights to help you as well.
• Write. Drafts of your stories will be due this Friday. You will have time in the lab to complete your story then.

HOMEWORK: Watch at least 3 500-word stories (see link above) and summarize each story in 1 sentence. Write your 1-sentence premise (summary) in your journals. Then, add to this list with some of your own 1-sentence premises. Choose one of the 25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer (see above) and in your journal, write this insight and what you think of it.

Finally, consider what pieces you have written that you think are your best work. We will be selecting our coffeehouse piece next class. Our Coffeehouse is Nov. 19 at 7:00. Please invite your parents/guardians/family and friends. Light refreshments will be served that evening!

Journal due! Speech Rehearsal

Your journals are due today. Please turn these in now. Make sure your name is printed on your journal.

After our quiz on the communication process, tone, diction, and key terms covered in marking period one, please go to the lab next door and revise/put the finishing touches on your speeches.

1. Divide the speech into paragraphs--each paragraph should contain one of your main points. 
2. You may cut up your speech and paste, tape, glue your work onto index cards that you can use for your notes while delivering your speech.
3. Highlight important key points in your speech; Slow down during these highlights when you deliver your speech. Try to make eye contact during these important places in your speech.
4. Identify TONE and changes or transitions in your speech. Where are you excited, energized, business-like, sad, etc. Write your tone in the margins of your speech or index card(s). 
5. Consider where you might put in a gesture to help communicate your ideas. Consider the PACING of your speech--which parts are slow, which parts are fast?
6. Rehearse with your partner. You may use our lab or the classroom next door (a238).

During 4th period (or after you complete the steps above), we will begin rehearsing speeches.

Effective speech is largely based on knowing well what you wrote. Being familiar with the words you used and how to pronounce them are helpful. In addition,

• sincerity (you've got to believe and mean what you say)
• effective volume (if we can't hear you, then there is no point in communicating)
• eye contact (helps gain feedback from your audience)
• effective pacing (slow down during important points, speed up during non-important points or digressions)
• effective gestures and posture (physical communication is helpful to communicate an idea)

can help make your speech more effective and interesting.

Pair up to "rehearse" your speech. Deliver your speech to one another, taking turns. The listener (receiver) should give you feedback about effectiveness. What parts of the speech are weak, vague, or badly delivered? Where does the listener stop listening in the speech? Does the opening of the speech effectively hook or interest the listener? Critique each other.

Use your time provided to go over your speech again and again. Seriously, the more time you practice, the better you will be prepared. Don't goof off or throw away this opportunity. Work until we tell you we are going to deliver our speeches!

HOMEWORK: Practice your speech if you did not deliver it today!

Speech: Persuasive, Informative, Entertainment

EQ: brainstorm topics for a speech, create a thesis for our speech, and write your speech in the lab. Your draft is due by end of class. If you finish early, please begin rehearsing your speech for Wednesday.

Watch this video about Picking a Public Speech Topic.

When you have finished, please brainstorm some topics for a speech. Refer to the chapter handout on Preparing a Speech.

• From your list, choose 3 of the best topics. For each of these three topics, list possible sources of information you could explore.
• Consider which topics would require you to do the most research? The least? 
• Estimate how many minutes you would need to adequately and creatively speak to an audience about the topics you chose. Our speech will be short this time (about 2-4 minutes--that's about 2 pages double spaced).
• Narrow your topic(s) until you have a specific THESIS. 
• Write a thesis for each of your 3 chosen speech topics. 
• Pair up with a partner and share your thesis topics with him/her. Offer feedback to your partner.
• Choose your best topic and thesis. 
• Determine your purpose. What are you trying to accomplish with this speech? Are you giving information, persuading us to think differently, or entertaining us?
• Persuasive speeches motivate people to change a behavior or ideology
• Informative speeches provide accurate and supported information to an audience
• Entertainment speeches seek to entertain an audience to make them feel, laugh, or cry
• Create an outline and plan what your topic sentences will cover in each paragraph.
• In your introduction, your THESIS is your first point.
• In your body, each topic sentence (the first sentence in the paragraph) should clearly state what your paragraph will cover. The rest of the paragraph are the details of that topic sentence.
• In your conclusion, consider the purpose of this speech: are you informing us, entertaining us, or persuading us? Explain WHY and HOW your thesis is important to us, as an audience.
• NOTE: See the handout sample of how to create an outline. You may also check here.
• Begin writing a short speech (about 1 full page to 2 pages in length--double spaced).