Require Learner Participation
To view this portion of the lesson as it will be dispensed to students visit the blog.
Day 1: In-Class Introduction (15 minutes): “Last week, we completed your informative speeches. This week we will be working on demonstrative speeches. This is a speech where you teach the audience how to do something. For this speech you will not speak in front of the class individually. Instead, you will be placed in groups of three, choose your topics, and use a digital recording device and editing software to create your speech. This speech lesson will be done completely on the computer and over the internet, where you must post your final products to your blogs and then critique each group product. I’m going to give you the first fifteen minutes of class to get into your groups and discuss your topics and meeting times because this will be due in three weeks. Brian storm ideas and then visit my blog tomorrow.”
Day 2: On this day, students will be tasked with listening to the first blog, which is an audio blog entitled "Choosing Topics & Tools," for this lesson. Students will also be tasked with responding to this blog by listing their group mates and their topic for their speech in a comment.
Choosing Topics and Tools:
Students: Before you can proceed to create your digital demonstrative speeches, your groups need to choose topics and tools in which to film, edit, and create your speeches. The topics that you choose should be topics that your group is comfortable presenting on and have the resources and time to do so. The topic chosen to be demonstrated should be able to fit reasonably within the three to five minute time frame. Also, you should take into consideration whether the particular skill or product you want to demonstrate on can be digitally filmed with ease. Here are some possible topics that you may want to explore: How to throw a shot put
How to dye hair
How to make a hat out of recycled cans
How to cook kadu
How to use Window’s Movie Maker
How to weave a basket
How to make a smoothie
How to cha cha
How to create a résumé
You are not limited to the topics you can choose. I do ask that you please refrain from demonstrating anything that is related to the consumptions of alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes, or anything that demonstrates sexual activity. However, if you are demonstrating to the class how to say no to drugs or how to properly use a condom, then you may do so. For this purpose, I am asking you to respond to this blog by telling me your group members and the topic that you have chosen to demonstrate on.
After you have chosen your topic, you need to consider what tools you have to create to digital demonstrative speech. You are required to edit your film. The main technological tool you will need is some sort of digital recording devices such as a digital camera. Before filming, you should be acquainted with what your camera can and cannot do, any features that may be helpful, such as zooming or macro viewing. Next, you will need some sort of editing program. I use Window’s Movie Maker because it is simple to use. However, there are other types of software that offer more editing features than Movie Maker, such as Muvee and iMovie, which is specifically for Mac users. Further, if you are demonstrating something on the computer, you have the option of using tools such as Snapz Pro X (for Mac) or All Capture (for Windows). These tools allow you to record your activity on the computer. In this case, you may need some sort of digital voice recorder. What ever editing software you decide upon, be sure that you know how to operate it and, as with the digital camera, get to know the features before you being recording. In conclusion, choose your topics according to the material you have. You do not need to purchase any of the software mentioned above. Think outside the box, get creative, and think of different ways in which you can film, edit, and create your digital demonstrative speech and don’t forget to respond with your group member information and your topic.
Day 3: Topics should be submitted and students will view the second blog post (“Project Expectations and Rubric”) which is posted in PowerPoint format through Slide Share.
Project Expectations and Rubric
Project Expectations:
o There must be visuals, whether they are bodily representations, drawings, pictures, or actual products.
o Speech must be clear, as well as grammatically and mechanically correct.
o Speech should be between three to five minutes.
o Each group member must participate to produce the short film. For instance, one group member may be the person doing the speech, another may film and edit, and the other may create the dialogue or purchase the materials. Or all members may participate equally in each aspect.
o Be sure you are loud enough to be heard and there is not excessive background noise.
Before Filming: Students will need to provide teacher with the group’s topic and a script that will include any dialogue, stage direction, camera direction, and editing techniques that your group will consider using in your production.
After Filming:
o Students in each group will evaluate their other group members. This evaluation will apply to the final evaluation.
o Students will also be required to evaluate the works of the other groups. This will also be a part of the final evaluation.
Rubric: Students’ speeches will be graded according to the following criteria:
o Props and Visual Aids: Student uses several props (costume) that show considerable work/creativity and which make the presentation better.
o Stays on Topic: Stays on topic all of the time.
o Direction: The group provided clear and concise directions that were easy to follow and understand. Group also provided a list of needed materials that was clear and concise.
o Introduction: Group has an excellent attention getter that was clear and that appealed to audiences.
o Silences: There were no silent periods within the speech and/or group effectively used filler material.
o Conclusion: Group summarized the purpose of their demonstrative speech, restated all the steps, and offered at least one suggestion for use.
o Sound: Volume and Clarity: Speaks clearly, mispronounces no words, and the volume is loud enough to be heard by all audience members throughout the presentation. There are no background noises that interfere with the presentation.
o Visual Effectiveness: The video demonstration is filmed clearly and visually aids viewer’s comprehension. Video effects are used only where they add emphasis or understanding for the viewer.
o Time-Limit: The presentation falls between the three to five minute time period.
Day 4: Students will be tasked with viewing “The Demonstrative Speech,” which will be posted in PowerPoint format through Slide Share. Students will receive the script writing assignment, which will be due on day six.
The Demonstrative Speech
What is a Demonstrative Speech?
o A speech that tells/shows an audience how to do something.
o It requires that you provide instruction by using materials in which to perform a specific task.
General Outline
o Introduction:
· Attention getter
· A statement of what it is your are going to do
o Body:
· Provides a list of materials
· Explains how to do the certain thing
· Shows the stages of production
o Conclusion:
· Review the steps briefly
· Explains how learning this particular thing will help the audience
The Introduction: Choosing a Topic, Appealing to Audiences, and the Attention Getter
o Choosing Your Topic:
· Choose a topic that you and your group are proficient at or are comfortable presenting on.
· Also, choose a topic that can be addressed during the allotted time.
· While you want to catch your audience’s attention, you may choose a topic that they may not be fond of. You just need to appeal to them and catch their attention.
o Appealing to Audiences:
· You want your audience to take something away from your demonstration, as well as be interested, so you must appeal to them.
· Consider the demographics of the audience.
· For example, you’re showing a class of middle-aged women how to change a tire. What might you say to grab their attention in the beginning and throughout the speech?
o The Attention Getter:
· First impressions are important.
· Grab your listener’s interest within the first ten to 15 seconds of the introduction.
· Don’t just state, “This is a demonstration on how to make pizza”
· Give a scenario, provide an interesting fact or statistic, or ask a question.
The Body: Materials, Visual Aids, Fillers, and Steps
o Materials:
· List your needed materials or skills.
· Make sure the materials and what you do with the materials are visible. With demonstration speeches, use speech to enhance what it is you are demonstrating. That is, what you do and what you say should work together.
· Also, provide any vocabulary that the audience may need to know.
o Visual Aids:
· Be sure that your visuals can be seen clearly.
· If you cannot reproduce the exact product in your short film, drawings, models, and pictures may be used. Visual representations should be accurate. For instance, if you are teaching some one to throw a shot put, but you do not have a shot put, you can use a softball, as opposed to a baseball.
· Label drawings, models, or pictures if necessary or be sure to point to a specific thing.
· For creativity, you may also want to consider dressing or acting the part.
o Fillers:
· Throughout your speech, there should never be a prolonged moment of silence.
· If your speech has pause in between steps, instead of remaining silent, tell the audience how they can use the final product, warn them about any errors that are likely to occur if not careful, or any variations of the thing you are demonstrating to them.
· Be sure not to confuse the audience by going off topic.
· When choosing filler, make sure they are interesting, informative, and appeal to audiences.
o Steps:
· Supply the audience with the steps needed to finish the task.
· Your audience should be able to follow along with your steps.
· Steps should be simple to follow and detailed.
· There should be a reasonable amount of steps. Take into consideration the time limit.
The Conclusion: Restate, Summarize, and Suggest:
o Restate and Summarize:
· During your conclusion, restate your steps.
· Also, summarize the purpose of learning the particular skill you choose to demonstrate.
· Remember that it is a conclusion, so be brief.
o Suggest:
· To finalize, don’t end with, “and that is how you…”
· Instead, suggest how the audience can use this particular thing to better their lives.
· For example, if you teach an audience to make instant pudding, a final statement could be, “now that you know how to make instant pudding, you’ll always be prepared for last minute guests, as long as you have a package of instant pudding handy.”
Students: You should start writing a script for your presentation. In this script you should include who will be saying what, any stage or camera directions, and any camera, editing, or sound effects that you will use, as well as the filming and editing tools you will potentially be using. Keep in mind the time limits that you have (three to five minutes). This assignment will be due two days from this post and the assignment will be sent via e-mail. Keep in mind that this script is just a draft and also that scripts are meant to simply guide you along your speeches.
Day 5: Post “Examples of Demonstrative Speeches,” which provides a sample of that the teacher created that also demonstrates some basics of Movie Maker.
Examples of Demonstrative Speeches
Students: Below are a few clips of demonstrative speeches that I have randomly selected from a site called http://www.videojug.com. I want you to review each of these speeches and as you view them, take note of the pros and cons, according to the outline I have given you in the previous blog. Take into consideration the rubric as well. These are not the only examples out in the World Wide Web. Explore VideoJug.com or other resources and find speeches that you like or are interested in and see how others approach similar topics. The first one is one that I did myself that will show you how to use Movie Maker. However, I expect that your group speeches will be better.
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-turn-someone-down
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-moon-walk
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-high-five
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-a-how-to-film
Day 6: Student scripts are due today and will be submitted through e-mail.
Day 7: Teacher will return the corrected and critiqued rough drafts. Students will then take the rough drafts and follow the teacher’s recommendations. Students will edit and resubmit the scripts by day nine.
Day 8: Continue with the revision of final speech drafts.
Day 9: Groups must submit their final speech drafts via e-mail. This submission will be graded, but student can still make corrections for the purpose of the speech. The teacher will offer final recommendations. After revisions, students should begin filming and editing their speech.
Day 10-17: Students will be given till day 18 to work on their speeches by filming, editing, and preparing the final production for submission.
Day 18: All students must submit final products through their individual blogs. Students must then e-mail the instructor with their blog URL, which the teacher will first evaluate and assign grades to. Teacher will then choose one blog in which other students are to place comments on for each of the groups. Teacher will post “Peer Review Etiquette.”
Peer Review Etiquette
Criticism Expectations:
When giving and receiving criticism for this assignment, take into consideration:
o Spelling, grammar, and mechanics count, so run responses through a word processor and edit accordingly.
o Write criticism in paragraph format.
o Be polite and specific.
o You must respond to each group’s presentation.
o Look at your evaluation rubric and judge the different groups according to those standards.
Giving Criticism:
o As you view the different presentations of the other groups, take note of what you think the group did well on, as well as what aspects could use improvement.
o Take into consideration what the groups and their final products are being graded on (see the demonstrative speech rubric).
o Start with what the group did well on and be specific.
o Next, discuss what the group did not do so well on. Again, provide specifics.
o Offer suggestions and alternatives for the parts in which the group did not do so well on. Again, be specific.
o Respond politely and respectfully.
o End on a positive note.
Receiving Criticism:
o Do not take criticism as a personal attack. Instead, think of it as a way to better your work.
o As much as possible, thank each person for their criticism and respond to their suggestions. Be polite and courteous.
o If you feel that you are being unfairly criticized, that is, you feel that you are being criticized for something outside the demonstrative speech, or are being attacked, inform the teacher.
Peer Review Criteria:
These are the criteria in which you will be graded on for your peer reviews:
o Spelling, grammar, mechanics, and format: There were no spelling, grammar, or mechanical errors. Student wrote responses in paragraph format.
o Courtesy: Student responded in a polite tone and ended evaluation on a positive note.
o Specifics: Students provided specific details about what groups did and did not do well on.
o Total:Student responded to all group presentations.
Day 19: Students will be sent a list of the websites where the demonstrative speeches appear and students will be responsible for critiquing each group speech. Students will post their evaluations on the different blog sites.
Day 20: As students evaluate, students will be required to fill out a peer evaluation form, which will be sent via e-mail.
Day 21: Final day for students to evaluate all groups.
Day 22: All evaluations should be completed, both the individual critiques and peer evaluation forms. Students will be sent their grades via e-mail as soon as all evaluations are in. Teacher should post “The Wrap Up” blog.
Students:
Job well done on the demonstrative speeches! I was extremely impressed and entertained. I was able to learn things that I did not know how to do before and see things done through digital media that I was completely unaware of. I enjoyed all of your speeches and applaud your good work. However, one common problem that I saw through out the speeches was the long pauses and periods of silence. Most of you did not utilize the filler material or did not anticipate their being any silent pauses within your scripts and therefore did not plan for any. With more practice, I’m sure you all will understand this concept much better.
Something that impressed me with all the groups was the introductions. Every speech I watched had excellent introductions that grabbed my attention within the first few seconds of the speech. The introductions were all very informative and made me want to listen to the rest of the speech. Good job students! Again, I applaud your good work and look forward to the work you will do in future with persuasive speeches and all other assignments and projects.
