Speeches Part 3- Cue Cards and Recitation

Once students have completed their full drafts, it is time to time their speech. The guideline of between 600-700 words was given and students should aim to have their speeches be between 3-5 minutes long.

Students should be reciting their speeches between 2-4 times per day in order to prepare for the recitation. 

We would like to present our speeches the week of February 10-14. 

Students will be instructed on how to make cue cards and given enough to make one set. Some students may find that after a few days they may want to make another set that suits them better when they know their speech topic.

Here are some guidelines and tips we discussed in class. Students should NOT write their entire speech word for word on their cue cards and some students may end up making more than one set, as they become more and more familiar with their speech.

A good process is to have a full draft in front of them, and working through each section, cover portions of the speech to see what needs to be written as a "cue".   The first few words of each sentence is a good start. Numbers and details should be written as well if there are many in the speech to keep track of. 

Making Cue Cards TIPS

·         have ONE main heading or idea per card

·         write clearly using larger than usual font (so you can read them easily)

·         have plenty of white space around each word or phrase to help them stand out

·         use bullet points or numbers to itemize the supporting ideas under the main heading

·         write on one side of the card only

·         number your cards or tie them together so that the cards can be flipped.

·         color-code clearly showing your main idea, supporting ideas, examples and links

Speeches Part 2- Body First Draft - Due Monday, January 27

Students should be working on a first draft of their body paragraphs that reflects the outline they have put together from their research.

Students may have between 2 - 5 body paragraphs.

Remember, each paragraph should have a topic sentence, key words and a concluding sentence that ties into the main topic of the speech.

We will work on the "polishing" in class, so don't worry, it doesn't have to be perfect right away.

Length- A Rough Guideline

The entire speech is between 3- 5 minutes, so the entire speech would contain around 600-700 words.

Depending on the introduction and conclusion then, the body should contain between 400-500 words.

This is just a guideline. At this point, get as much information as you can into your speech, and when it is completed and you practice, it may be necessary to add or delete to get the timing correct.

Daniel Memory Work Part Two- Due Wednesday, January 29th

Memory Work 2

Daniel 4: 2-3

It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders

that the Most High God has performed for me.

     How great are his signs,

   how mighty his wonders!

His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;

   his dominion endures from generation to generation.

Daniel and His Friends / Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Quiz Summary

There will be a quiz on parts one and two of our Daniel unit. Below is a summary.

Daniel and His Friends/ Nebudchadnezzar’s Dream

Where were Daniel and his friends taken when they were taken captive? Babylon

Who was the reigning king?  Jehoiakim

How long were they trained for? 3 years

What new names did each of the following receive?

Daniel - Beltshaazar

Hananiah- Shadrach

Mishael- Meshach

Azariah- Abednego

Why didn’t Daniel and his friends eat from the king’s table?

1. It may have been unclean

2. It may not have been prepared according to their law

3. It was likely dedicated to idols

How long did Daniel and his friends eat just vegetables and water? 10 days

King Nebuchadnezzar found Daniel and his friends to be how many more times wiser than all the magicians and enchanters?  10 times

Why did King Nebuchadnezzar insist that the wise men first tell him his dream, before interpreting it? So he would know if they truly had a revelation from the gods.

What was the punishment if the dream was wrong? They would be cut into pieces and their houses turned to rubble.

What did Daniel ask for from the king? More time.

What did the statue represent? Four earthly kingdoms.

What did the rock represent? The Messiah

What did the dream mean? The God of heaven would set up an indestructible kingdom that would end other kingdoms. It would endure forever.

Did King Nebuchadnezzar recognize God as Lord of all? No

Speeches Part 1- Research and Prep

We are well underway to preparing to write out speeches. Students have selected a topic in conferences with me.


At school, in conferences, students and I meet to fill out the speech package in the link here: Speech Package

They do not have to fill out one at home, but the information and outline on there will be helpful as a resource at home.

Students are to be researching their topics and in conference with me, putting together their outlines. We will be starting with the "body" first.

At home, parents should be assisting students in researching and ensuring students have their speech material at school each day, below are some sites that might be helpful, but please don't forget about the good old public library!

An email went home with additional information.

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

http://kids.britannica.com/

http://www.britannica.com/ (more advanced content)

http://kids.discovery.com/

Old Yeller Summary 13-16 -Test January 13

Old Yeller Chapter 13-16 Summary

 Describe the actions of Spot and the roan bull during the next few days.

Spot was bawling, staying out all night, letting her calf go hungry, wandered in circles and even wanted to fight with Mrs. Coates.  The roan bull moaned, walked with his head held low, wobbled, reeled, staggered headlong into a mesquite tree and later tried to attack Mrs. Coates.

What were they forced to do when they couldn’t move the dead bull?

They were forced to build a huge fire and burn the carcass.

 Explain what happened to Spot?

She got hydrophobia and Travis waited until she wandered far from the cabin onto a wide sand wash and then shot her.  This avoided the problem they had faced trying to drag the bull away from the cabin.

Why does Travis start to worry about Mama and Lisbeth?

It is getting late and they still haven't returned from burning the cow's (Spot's) carcass.

What instructions does Mama shout out to Travis?

She yells at him to make a light and get his gun.

 What horrific scene unfolds in front of the cabin?

Old Yeller and a mad wolf are battling to the death.

 What does Mama reluctantly offer to do if Travis can’t?

Realizing that Old Yeller may be rabid she offers to shoot him knowing that it will be difficult for Travis to shoot the pet he loves so dearly.

What does Papa bring for Travis?

He returns with a blue roan saddle horse for Travis.

Summarize what Papa tells Travis about life?

He tells Travis that life is unfair and cruel at times but that we must learn to concentrate on the positive things and not waste time worrying about the bad things.

Why is it exactly that Travis begins to feel better?

He begins to feel better for a number of reasons.   His father is home, he has a horse of his own, time has healed his thoughts of Old Yeller and now the new pup yelps and bawls just like Old Yeller.