Impromptu-ish speaking 4 rounds

These will all be 2--minute talks, even though they are technically somewhat prepared, they need to seem natural. No notes. Know it, don't memorize it. Rehearse. Be flexible. Adapt and Improvise. ​YES - any or all of this work can be used as fodder for any other work done this term. 

Round #1 - watch Aimee Mullins TED talk "The Opportunity of Adversity", then plan a 2 minute talk inspired by the breakdown of a single word's meaning. Your choose the word. This continues our wordplay games by look at how words are used to label, constrict, or expand our perception of self, others, and the world around us. 
  • Speaking focus is on poise, stance, & body language; following a structure of the 4 phases: lead & intro, body 1, body 2, move to wrap up and end on message. Your stance is CLEAR.
  • Sauve example typed draft - practice yours to get it to the 2-minute mark, then put it down and perform it, some things will change, this is normal - keep in mind the affordances of both written and spoken language - eg don't use ten dollar words that look good in print, but that you trip over orally. Make it engaging - bring the personality (and da funk and da noise)
  • If you're having trouble finding a word, make two columns, one one side list all the qualities and values other people think you have / think of you, on the right side list the ones you think you have (they may line up, and they may not. Somewhere in the gap between the columns will be a concept, a word, that you could use to discuss what people think versus what is.
​Round #2 - ​Pitch your article to the class.
  • focus is on your message, the types of support you'll use in your article, and using all three rhetorical appeals: ethos, logos, and pathos (while still doing all expected in talks 1).
Round #3 - watch Shawn Achor's TED talk "The Happy Secret to Better Work", then plan a 2-minute talk on a lesson you've learned in life so far that you value, and use anecdote as your central strategy to get this point across, like he does in his opening. Also observe his pacing, and how he alternates between humour and seriousness. I'm calling this game Spinal Tap - Turn it up to 11 - because I want to see variations in tone, emotion, pacing...to engage your audience. Make sure you end on a message we can all learn from your personal experience and at least 3 tips on how to apply this lesson in our everyday lives (like he does with 5 ways to retrain your brain toward the positive).
  • focus on rhetorical strategies, audience engagement, voice, using the anecdote! (while still doing all expected in talks 1 & 2)
​Round #4 - watch Cal Newport's TED talk "Quit Social Media" as well as Nathalie Fratto's "3 Ways to Measure your Adaptability" and make an impassioned plea of your own for teens / people to do less of OR to do more of something. For this talk you will use your thesis topic - so make sure you have your argument and your 3 points that you think prove your argument. You can also follow his structure and debunk the common arguments. This talk will let you know if you have a good thesis topic and enough clear points to research.
  • Focus on persuasive techniques and oratorical ability. Be convincing (while still doing all expected in talks 1, 2, & 3).