2015-16 Research Project – Step 6 Presentation (20 points)
à Task 6: Prepare a presentation. Practice.
1. SPEECH. Plan a 5-7 minute speech that clearly teaches a listener about your topic. Be informative and interesting. (Note: you should not be able to include everything you learned. Reduce the topic to the most important facts.)
· The introduction should hook your audience.
· The speech should cover all important information listed on your research outline, and should examine issues of both pride and shame in our own history (e.g., by discussing who is admirable).
· The conclusion should comment on what positive lessons can be learned from this story.
2. NOTE CARDS. Create note cards to use when you present.
3. VISUAL AID. Find several images (minimum 5) that will help your audience understand your topic.
· Include images of important people, places, and events so that your audience can connect with your story. I recommend starting with a map that shows where your event happened.
· Warn them before showing upsetting images, and only show those images for a short time.
· Smoothly integrate references to the images into your presentation.
· Powerpoint or print? Your choice.
o If you print the images, you must print at home; each image must be at least full page size (8½ x 11); no exceptions.
o Chromebooks will probably be available for powerpoints. We’ll discuss laptop options.
4. PRACTICE. Practice using your note cards & visual aids to give the speech.
* Note cards & visual aid images due with presentation
à Task 6: Present! Participate! Turn in a full set of your project materials!
5. PRESENTATION RULES. Student may use note cards for presentation to small group audience; reading the speech is not allowed. Student must include a minimum of 5 audio/visual aids, smoothly integrated into presentation. Length: 5-7 minutes.
6. TURN IN the following Presentation materials
- note cards
- printed visual aid images (Powerpoint images can be printed 4 per page)
7. PARTICIPATION RULES. Audience members must be attentive and participate in discussion, by asking and answering questions. Students will reflect on what they have learned in the Reflection Essay.
The Grading Rubric will look for the following elements:
Content
· Complete - clearly covers all important aspects of topic
· Organized – excellent order and grouping of information
· Thoughtful – hooks audience and shows student’s opinions
Presentation skills:
· physical presence, poise and confidence
· eye contact
· voice and articulation (volume, pace, rhythm, intonation, and proper pronunciation)
· dramatic appropriateness (i.e., interested mien, minimal but appropriate gestures)
· shows evidence of understanding
Visual Aids:
· ≥ 5 excellent images
· Introduced well
· Incorporated appropriately
Presentation Advice for the student:
· In order for the audience to understand the story fully, you must understand the story fully. Be sure you know the meaning of every word in your speech, especially when you are quoting. If you are unsure about something, it will be apparent to the audience.
· Present yourself well and be attentive. Use good posture. Be confident.
· Use eye contact to make a direct connection with the entire audience; don’t focus solely on the teacher. Relax and be natural. Enjoy your speech; the audience will notice.
· Nervous gestures, poor eye contact with the audience, and lack of poise or confidence will detract from your score.
· Project to the audience. You want to capture the attention of everyone, including the people in the back row. However, do not mistake yelling for good volume or projection.
· Proceed at a fitting and natural pace. People may speak or express themselves too quickly when they are nervous, which can make a speech difficult to understand. Do not speak so slowly that the language sounds unnatural or awkward.
· Make sure you know how to pronounce every word in your speech. Articulate.
· Occasional gestures may be appropriate, but the line between appropriate and overdone is a thin one. When uncertain, leave them out.
· Avoid a monotonous delivery. If you sound bored, you will project that boredom to the audience. However, too much enthusiasm can make your performance seem insincere.