Badger High School
Forensics Team
Speak? Easy!
Badger*4N6
What is Forensics?
A team dedicated to individual
and group speaking events
performed for competition
Why should I join?
 Provides
important life-speaking skills
 Meet fun and exciting people
 Win trophies and medals
 Impress colleges and employers
 A chance to express yourself!
 See Mrs. Machan and Mrs. Harms
again 
What is the time commitment?
FOR MORE INFO...

Required Weekly practices:
See WHSFA or
WFCA websites
listed on Badger’s
Forensics page.
– Monday-Thursday
(once a week for about 30 minutes)
– No practice after 4pm
– ABSOLUTELY NO FRIDAY PRACTICES!
– 3rd Wednesday is staff meetings at both schools ~
practice starts at 3:30pm

Saturday festivals /tournaments
– Mid-January to Mid-April
– Evening performance at Conference & Sub District
(March)
– State competition @ UW-Madison in April
How do I secure my spot on the
team?
Submit your informational paperwork
 Submit a copy of your speech outline,
piece, stories, etc.

YOUR SPOT IS NOT
SECURED UNTIL YOU HAVE
BOTH TURNED IN!
PAPERWORK IS DUE BY NOVEMBER 28TH
 PRACTICES START NOVEMBER 26TH

What will practice include?
Select piece and/or write speech for
performance
– Revise wording / add content
– Improve organization
 Perform speech/piece for coach/peers
– Work on spoken delivery
– Improve blocking and movement
 Kindly critique others to improve performance

What can I expect at a meet?
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Bus departure around 7:00 a.m.
Three rounds of preliminary competition against
students from other schools
Munchies, socializing, and fun – bring a lunch or
buy snacks there
“Power” round of best speakers
Awards ceremony – tournaments only
Return home with an occasional detour for a
“fine” dining experience
How do I know which category to
choose? 16 different categories!
Interpretation:
Perform something
by a published author
 Many performers
 Highly competitive
Prose
Poetry
Farrago
Storytelling
Solo Serious & Humorous
Group interpretation
Play acting
Speech:
Present an informative piece
that you write
 Small categories
 Big trophy potential!
Public address
Oratory
Special Occasion
Radio
Demonstration
Four Minute
Moments in History
Extemporaneous
Speech Categories
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Public Address: 6.5 to 8 minute speech
on a contemporary issue
2012-2013 topics:
Sports-related injuries – what , if anything, should be
done to reduce brain injuries caused by sports/athletics?
Political Partisanship – what, if anything should be
done to reduce the level of partisanship in state and nat’l
gov’t?
Great Lakes – to what extent, if any, should the GLC
consider sale or sharing of water with other parts of
continent?
The Draft - To what extent, if any, should a military
draft be re-instituted by the US government?
*May use one notecard!
Speech Categories…

continued
Special Occasion: 6.5 to 8 minute speech
on one of these occasions (may be humorous or
serious)
*May use one notecard!
2012-2013 topics:
 Present a book talk on at least two books for younger
students to the local book club or local library board for a
summer reading program.
 You, as maid of honor/best man, are to speak at your
sibling's wedding.
 Present a speech at a local organization about your recent
experience as a foreign exchange student.
 Address your local school board concerning a school policy
students want to change.
Speech Categories
continued

…
Oratory: 6.5 to 8 minute persuasive
speech on a significant topic
Examples may include
– Medical issues
– Media controversies
– Cell phone/technology security
– Transportation efficiency/safety
*May use one notecard!
Speech Categories
continued

…
Demonstration: 8 to 10 minute speech showing
how to do something or explaining how
something works
Examples may include
–
–
–
–
Dances
Arts/crafts
Maintenance
Sign language
*May use one notecard!
Speech Categories
continued
…
Moments in History: 5 to 6 minute speech
on a topic occurring during the years of a
specific time period.
 2012-2013 time period is
1901-1913 – Turn of the
Century to the Eve of the Great War
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– (ie. people, sports, inventions, monuments, entertainment,
politics, world issues, etc.)
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Four Minute: 4 minute informative speech
on an interesting topic
– 15 second grace period
*May use one notecard!
Speech Categories
continued

…
Radio: 5 minute radio presentation
– News, weather, and sports
– Different speech prepared 30 minutes before each round
– Reader performs by reading script and timing self
with watch (no eye contact)
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Extemporaneous: 6 to 7 minute speech
– Related to current events (news, politics, etc.)
– Different speech prepared 30 minutes before each round
– Choose between 3 topics, one notecard permitted
Interpretative Categories

Prose: 6.5 to 8 minute selection
from quality prose literature which surrounds
a specific theme or emotion.
– Introduction must be memorized.

Poetry: 6.5 to 8 minute selection
of various quality poems which surround a
specific theme or emotion.
– Introduction and transitions must be memorized.
*Note: these are huge categories!
Interpretative Categories …
continued
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Farrago: 8.5 to 10 minute selection of two or
more literary genre of very high quality pieces
surrounding a specific theme or emotion
Themes may include
–
–
–
–
Journey
Change
Courage
Despair
*Introduction and transitions must be memorized
Interpretative Categories …

continued
Storytelling: 6.5 to 8 minute story told
from memory on these topics
2012-2013 story topics:
-A
-A
-A
-A
story from Greek or Roman mythology.
story involving a ghost.
war of military story.
story involving trickery or deceit.
*Speaker sits in a chair to perform.
Interpretative Categories …
continued
 Solo Acting: 6.5 to 8 minute memorized
selection
– Quality dramatic or humorous piece of
literature.
– May be a monologue or piece with a number
of characters
*This category has entry limitations.
Interpretative Categories …
continued
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Group Interpretation: 2 to 5 readers
present a piece of literature through vocal
and physical action
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This is not an acting category!
– 10 to 12 minutes
– Introduction/transitions must be memorized.

THIS CATEGORY IS NOT OPEN TO FIRST
YEAR PARTICIPANTS
Interpretative Categories …
continued
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Play acting: 2 to 4 people act out a scene
or cutting from a quality, approved play
– Must be memorized
– 10-12 minutes
THIS CATEGORY IS NOT
OPEN TO FIRST YEAR
PARTICIPANTS
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*This category has entry limitations.
Can I miss a practice or meet?
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Practices are required each week.
– If you are sick, arrange a practice the next
day.
– If you must be late, bring a pass from your
teacher.
– If you fail to practice, you will not be
allowed to compete that week.
 YOU
WILL STILL BE REQUIRED TO
ATTEND AND SUPPORT THE TEAM!
Can I miss a practice or meet?

Absences from a meet must be submitted
(in writing) at least two weeks before the event.
– If you are extremely sick, call the coach so that we do
not worry.
– The team must pay for your entry whether or not you
show up once the two week deadline has passed.
Cost = Each entry fee ($7-10 person) + judge
fee ($15 entry)
 That means the team throws away $25 for
every missing entry!!!
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Barnes and Noble
bookstore trip
Tuesday,
December 4th
Leave at 3:00
Return by 8:00
•Dinner at Kopp’s (bring money for enormous
burgers and ice cream)
•Look over Barnes and Noble books for ideas
•Starbucks coffee!
•Socialize with other team members
Edmodo group for team!
group ID number is b82jef
 Go to edmodo.com
 Create an account if you don’t have one
 Join the group
 We will update on this site, post scores
from meets, etc.
 This is the coaches’ way of connecting to
you without “friending” you on Facebook
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Need help with a topic?
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Avoid topics like:
– Death
– Love
– Favorite pet
– Breakups
– Edgar Allen Poe’s poetry