Filming a PSA: Stop the Drop, an anti-littering campaign!
Students will learn how to write and film a 30 second Public Service Announcement.
A class will create a PSA encouraging citizens to recycle as part of an anti-littering campaign. Students will write, cast, create a shooting script and film their PSA.
Interview Skills: Can I Ask You Something???
We all love to talk about ourselves! Students will learn the StoryCorps model of conducting interviews. Students will interview each other and upload interviews to SoundCloud. Everyone, EVERYONE!, practices alone for their BIG interview using a hairbrush as a microphone! In this series students will learn the value of documenting everyday-people’s stories in this oral history project. They will learn how to listen to each other, answer questions thoroughly, and learn the art of the “follow-up” question. Hopefully students will learn more about each other and how much we each have in common!
Lincoln-Douglas Debate: I Love to Argue!
This is learning how to argue in a good way! Students will work in pairs. Each pair will receive a resolution to resolve appropriate to their age. Following the model of the National Forensic Association’s L-D Debate, each student will write a “for” and “against” for the resolution. The pairs will present their arguments to the class, and the class will vote to resolve the resolution. Example resolutions include, Should recess be extended? Should the school calendar abolish summer vacation? Should students wear uniforms? Everybody loves to argue and everybody has an opinion. This experience hopes to shape debate skills by “listening” to the other side, teaching debate manners, and arguing BOTH sides of an issue to develop empathy, and a well-rounded, example-based opinion.
Informative Speaking: Tell Me Something I Didn’t Know!
We feel most comfortable talking about what we KNOW about. Can you tell us how to play Minecraft? About My Little Pony Season 6? Show us how to make a friendship bracelet or how to make a great birthday card for someone we love? After creating their “expertise” list of topics, students will pick a subject with which they are very familiar. They will then draft their set of ideas into a speech with an opening statement, a preview, supporting points, demonstration, and conclusion.
Impromptu Speaking: Making It Up As You Go Along!
Working as a group, improvisational acting techniques such as freeze theater are used to develop impromptu speaking skills. Speaking off-the-cuff or from-the-top-of-your-head is a valuable lifelong tool. Students will learn how to budget their time while developing a response. They will first practice how to collect their thoughts, sketch out main points, and demonstrate the bravery necessary to speak without paper in their hand.