May 15

1. Have them read about Presentation speeches on page 385 and 386. Then, have each student write his or her name on a piece of paper and fold it up. All names go into a hat (or whatever). Each student then draws a name (not his or her own, thought) to write a presentation speech (one paragraph long as explained on page 386). The award given can be serious or humorous but MUST be appropriate. Example could be BEST FACIAL EXPRESSIONS DURING SPEECH. The speech must be a secret because Monday we will present and the recipient must give an impromptu acceptance speech.
2. Have the students create a certificate for the award also, using a piece of computer paper and colored pencils.
3. Read page 393 about eulogies. Write a eulogy for a cartoon character such as Mickey Mouse following the five points on page 393.

Arguments - May 12

Just like the bell ringer from yesterday, create a piece of data, a warrant (reasoning), and a reservation for ONE of the following claims:

School should start at 9:00 and end at 4:00
Driving age should be twenty years old
Curfew for teenagers should be 10:00 on weekends
Students should be able to use cell phones during school
Teachers should be able to wear sweatpants to work
Teenagers should get a $100 allowance for cleaning the house each week

Introductions April 29

For ONE of the following topic, write an entire introduction, using one of the attention getter options from the text (quotation, rhetorical question, personal/historical/audience reference, humor, startling statement, or incident) and ending the intro with a sound thesis. At the end of the introduction, indicate which type of attention getter you used. DUE Friday, May 1.

Topics:
1. Society places too much emphasis on winning
2. The working age should be raised to 17.
3. Children are growing up too fast.

April 23

Today, we practiced the speeches and studied for tomorrow's test (chapters 9-11). Those wishing to make a study guide may do so. They need to be hand-written. Test tomorrow; speeches Monday.

Visual Aids - April 16

For three of the following topics, choose three, and for each one identify two possible visual aids you could use: camping, softball, Vietnam War, History of the Automobile, Comfort Food, Exercise, Clothing Styles, The Eighties, The Nineties, The Fifties, The Sixties, The Seventies, Scary Movies, Fishing, Cosmetic Surgery, Career Choices in Medicine, Stress Relievers, Childhood Board Games, Dealing with Grief, Bargain Shopping, Pets, Driving Laws, Child Abuse, Gardening, Skateboarding, History of Telephone, The Grand Canyon, Knitting, The Milky Way, The Berlin Wall, Hurricane Katrina, Cleveland, Survivor's Guilt, Bipolar Disorder, Amnesia, Ballroom Dancing, Rocks.

March 16

DUE MARCH 18:

Write a paragraph using THREE methods of making language memorable, which you should list at the beginning or end of the post. The paragraph should be about the topic of music.

March 9

For the topic of LOVE, choose a tone from the book on page 121 (ex: certain, patient, hateful, arrogant, cautious, etc) and write a paragraph about the topic with the chosen tone. DUE MARCH 11

Feb 12 - Wacky Words!

Let's discuss Wacky Words! What words do you find difficult to articulate? What words are fun to say because they sound funny or feel funny to pronounce? Are there any pronunciations of words that drive you CRAZY? I love to say the words "nonchalant," "flabbergasted," and "fervor." It bothers me when people say "melk" instead of "milk," and for some reason when they do not pronounce the "t" in "often." What about you?

Feb 2 - Poetry

Let' discuss our "take" on poetry. What do you think of poetry - especially in its spoken form? Do you believe that it speaks to the soul? How do you think it differs from telling a story? Have you ever written a poem? Do you have any favorites that you would like to share?

Jan 27

Post a response - discuss at least two people's favorite movies...

Jan 26 Favorite Movie

Let's "communicate" about our favorite movie! This should be a complete paragraph (count to at least SEVEN!)

Your Speech Experience

Tell us about your speaking experiences - formal and informal. Have you ever given a formal speech? How about just and informal one, such as at a birthday party or at a Thanksgiving dinner?