All of the speeches this year were incredible! Each and every student should be proud of their accomplishments. As a judge it was incredibly hard to choose who would be moving on to the finals.  Remember that these events are opportunities to grow and further your develop your learning skills. Later today I will be sharing individual rubrics with each student.

The 2020 Middle School Public Speaking Finalists are:

Grade 8

• • Ari Kotkowski
  • Talia Cherun
  • Jessica Ages

Grade 7

• • Jenny Peters
  • Maayan Shrem
  • Yamaya Newman

Grade 6

• • Audrey Baker
  • Maya Spanglet
  • Samara Spivock

 

FAQ

1. When are the finals?

The Public Speaking Finals will be held on Friday, June 12, 2020.

The Grade 4 & 5 Public Speaking Finals will be held from 9:00-10:30AM

The Middle School Public Speaking Finals will be held from 11:30 AM-1:00PM

 

2. Can family members, friends, and other loved ones watch the finals this year?

Yes! We will be sharing more information throughout the week as to how we will be broadcasting the 2020 Public Speaking Finals.

 

The end is near! At this point, students should have their rough draft complete. The majority of students have received feedback on their third body paragraph and conclusion this week. The remaining students will be receiving their feedback tonight.

Tomorrow we will decide the order of our public speaking class presentations. Please note that in-class presentations will begin on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2020. If a student is not prepared to go on the date of their presentation they will be docked 10 points. 

Please click the link below to access tips, suggestions, and the public speaking rubric:

Washerstein Public Speaking Google Slides Presentation

 

Public Speaking FAQ’s:

1. 1. When are the finals?

The Public Speaking Finals will be held on Friday, June 12, 2020.

The Grade 4 & 5 Public Speaking Finals will be held from 9:00-10:30AM

The Middle School Public Speaking Finals will be held from 11:30 AM-1:00PM

2. Do I need to sit or stand for the presentation of my speech?

The choice is yours! Students will have the opportunity to either sit or stand. Remember that you want your audience to see any meaningful gestures you incorporate into your speech.

3. How long does my speech need to be?

The speech should fall within the 4-5 minute time frame. There is a 10 second barrier (both over and under) before any points are deducted. Once you have surpassed that barrier, students will lose one mark for every 10 seconds they are short/over.

4. Do I need to make cue cards?

The choice is yours! Students will be able to use cue cards if that method suits them in their presentation style. You could also memorize your speech entirely (for those that are able to). Lastly, since we are presenting in a digital context this year, students can also have their speeches up on their computer. It is important to note that we must be able to see your face/body throughout the entirety of your speech. Remember that eye contact is key!

Grade 8

• • Finalize public speaking topic and email Mr. Washerstein by Friday (4/24)
  • Read and annotate Ch. 1 of The Great Gatsby by Monday (4/27)
    • • • Remember to fill out the characterization chart as you read
  • Public speaking speech planner graphic organizer due Friday (5/1)

 

Grade 7

• • Finalize public speaking topic and email Mr. Washerstein by Friday (4/24)
  • Finish reading The Outsiders (Ch. 11 and Ch. 12) by Monday (4/27)
  • The Outsiders Character Web Assignment due Friday (5/1)
  • Public speaking speech planner graphic organizer due Friday (5/1)
  • The Outsiders Culminating Activity due Monday (5/11)

 

Grade 6

• • Finalize public speaking topic and email Mr. Washerstein by Friday (4/24)
  • Exhilarating Reading Adventure Project (artifact and blog post) due by Friday (5/1)
  • Public speaking speech planner graphic organizer due Friday (5/1)

As we begin to wrap up our novel study, students will be asked to choose one of the following options to complete as a culminating activity. Please remember to complete your character web assignment as well which is due on Friday, May 1st. The quotes you selected for your character web may also be applicable for this assignment.

Artifact Options (Choose ONE):

• • • Essay
    • Letter of Recommendation
    • Facebook Profile
    • Film Comparison

Click this link to view the artifact descriptions, requirements, and rubric:

The Outsiders Culminating Activity Google Doc

Schedule: 

Assigned: Tuesday, April 21st

Check-In #1- Tuesday, April 28th

Check-In #2-Friday, May 1st

Due: Monday, May 11th

This post contains all of the essential information for public speaking

Welcome to this year’s public speaking contest for grades 6-8.  Expressing ideas aloud in a clear and effective way is an important life skill! Students will have the opportunity to plan, develop, and deliver a speech to showcase these skills. Students will be spending the upcoming weeks working towards preparing a 4-5 minute speech. Additionally, we will be spending time in class practicing various oral communication skills (eye contact, inflection, effective use of gestures, etc.)

Important Due Dates

• Topic Brainstorming Sheet Due: Monday 4/20
  • Choose topic + fill out topic brainstorming sheet (email your teacher with your choice by the end of the day)
• Speech planner/Graphic Organizer Due: Friday 5/1
• Introduction Paragraph Due: Friday 5/8
  • I will be providing students with feedback on each paragraph throughout the speech writing process
  • If students complete paragraphs early they can always move ahead and work on the next step in the process
• Body Paragraph 1 Due: Wednesday 5/13
• Body Paragraph 2 Due: Tuesday 5/19
• Body Paragraph 3 Due: Friday 5/22
• Conclusion Due: Wednesday 5/27
• Class Presentations Begin: Tuesday 6/2
• Self-Assessment/Reflection Due: 6/12
• The date of the Public Speaking Finals has yet to be determined (TBD)

Click the links below to access important public speaking documents: 

2020 Public Speaking Student Package

• • • This contains the public speaking writing process, tips, and requirements

2020 Public Speaking Due Dates Checklist

2020 Public Speaking Speech Planner Graphic Organizer

2020 Public Speaking Rubric

2020 Public Speaking Self-Reflection

 

Beneficial Resources:

 

I hope everyone is having a fantastic Passover break. A few students have reached out and asked for some resources/websites that could provide a spark for a public speaking topic.

Reminder that students have been asked to complete the PS Topic Brainstorming Graphic Organizer by Monday, April 20th, 2020. The students must brainstorm 2-5 topics and decide the purpose of their speech for each topic. Once completed, this graphic organizer should be shared with Mr. Washerstein

Check out these public speaking topic brainstorming resources:

https://www.myspeechclass.com/school-speech-topics.html 

https://blog.prepscholar.com/good-persuasive-speech-topics

https://www.write-out-loud.com/interesting-speech-topics.html

https://www.5staressays.com/blog/impromptu-speech-topics

Today we had another fantastic discussion with the Grade 7 students. It’s time for us to “begin with the end in mind” and prepare for our future English classes.

Upcoming Schedule:

1. Read Ch.8 & Ch. 9 by Monday 4/20 (yes…you need to continue reading over the break)
2. Read Ch. 10 by Wednesday 4/22
3. Read Ch. 11 & Ch. 12 (finish the book) by Monday 4/27
4. Complete Character Web Assignment by Friday 5/1

Today we will discuss public speaking! We will review the different types of speeches (informative, entertaining, and persuasive). Students will receive more information about public speaking (due dates, check-in dates, etc.) after Passover.

Click the links below to access our first public speaking sources:

Intro to Public Speaking Slideshow

PS Topic Brainstorming Graphic Organizer

Task: Students will complete their Brainstorming Graphic Organizer by 4/20 

• • • • The students must brainstorm 2-5 topics and decide the purpose of their speech for each topic. 

Welcome to all wizards, muggles, trolls, and goblins! The Triwizard Tournament might be over, but today competition awaits middle school students at OJCS. A muggle librarian named Sydney Krawiec from McMurray, PA (Pennsylvania) created this adventure. You may keep your wand at the ready, but wait for Professor Washerstein to send you own your way. Which student will emerge victorious from each house (grade) at OJCS? Even Professor Trelawney can’t predict that!

Please do not access the link to this activity prior to receiving the official “Go” in class. 

Click the link below to access a unique journey:

Hogwarts Digital Escape Room

When you have escaped, please report back to the Google Meet to log your time with Professor Washerstein. He will be timing each student as they complete their journey. 

 

Welcome back to another week of online learning. I have been thoroughly impressed during our novel study discussions thus far. I enjoy hearing the opinions and insight that each member of our classroom community has to offer during these chats.

Please review the following due dates:

1. First ReadWorks Assignment (Monday 3/30)
2. Ch. 6 of The Outsiders must be read before class on Tuesday (3/31)
3. Ch. 7 of The Outsiders must be read before class on Thursday (4/2)
4. You should be continually working on the Character Web Assignment which will be due upon the completion of the novel.