Activity
1. It is suggested that this lesson be conducted in one class period. If
your students need more reinforcement with the concepts, you could
expand the activities into two class periods and reduce the Explore
Lesson to three classes from four.
2.
Ask the students to picture a speaker giving a presentation
before a Congressional committee or a
Presidential panel. Ask them to write down how that person should
be dressed, how he or she should sit and what type of body language he or
she should project, how that person should speak, and
what he or she should avoid
in order to create a responsible image of an expert, someone to be listened
to and trusted on a matter, someone who knows what he or she is talking about
and be able to persuade others that he or she is the authority on whatever
issue is being presented. Give the students about ten minutes to record their
ideas for the above categories.
3.
Hold a class discussion to combine the ideas of the students
into lists that you write up on
the board or on large sheets of white paper. These
will be used in the next lesson to help formulate rubrics
for rating the effectiveness
of an oral presentation before a government committee.
4.
Here are some possible responses for the class discussion.
Add your
ideas onto these:
| What
To Do |
What
To Avoid |
| How
a person should be dressed: |
|
Neatly
In a business suit
Earth tones/conservative colors
Blue or black
Conservative hairstyle
Modest jewelry
Carry a briefcase |
Disheveled
Casual or trendy clothes |
How
a person should sit and what type of body language
he or she should use:
|
Sit up straight
Eye contact with the panel
Assured gestures
Try to relax
Try to create an appearance of responsibility and trustworthiness |
Slouching
Merely looking at notes
Shaking
Any indication of nervousness
Avoid acting haughty or arrogant |
How a person should speak: |
Loudly
Slowly enough for people to listen Comfortably
Speak in complete sentences
Use proper grammar
Use short, simple sentences for highlighting major points
Vary the tone/intonation of one’s voice
Repeat key concepts
Use specific vocabulary
Use scientific vocabulary that is explained
Believe in your words
Use your information to persuade
Have a definite beginning and ending |
Being
too quiet/talking into one’s notes/papers
Racing through one’s text
Laughing (hysterically) as a sign of nervousness
Overly complex sentences that are difficult to follow
Too many short, simple sentences
Monotone
General word choice
Slang
Difficult scientific terms not adequately explained
Apologizing |
Closure
Discuss with the students that it is not just the quality of one’s message,
but also how that message is delivered that makes an impact.
Embedded
Assessment
The quality and frequency of a student’s class participation is a good
indicator of his or her engagement with this first lesson.
Homework
None |
