English I – Speeches Unit
Formal informative speech
For our unit on speeches, you will prepare, practice, and deliver one 5-7 minute speech.
Informative Speech - You are free to select the topic for this assignment keeping in mind two guidelines. (1)
Select a topic in which you are interested or already know something about and (2) select a topic for which
you can demonstrate relevance/significance to your audience. Your goal is to provide new information or
understanding to your classmates. You are required to turn in a typed outline of your speech on the day you
give your speech.
Requirements:
1. 5-6 minutes in length.
2. You are required to research your topic. Therefore, you will include in your speech supporting
materials that you may draw from the following: (1) library/computer resources and (2) interviews
with experts. You will mention (cite) at least three separate sources in the delivery of your speech.
3. You need to turn in a typed outline and works cited list with at least three sources of information. We
will use EASYBIB.COM to make your works cited lists.
4. When presenting you speech, you will be able to use your outline; you should not write out your entire
speech and read it word-for-word from a script. Follow the presentation guidelines covered in class.
5. You should incorporate multimedia (brief video or audio clip, pictures, web site . . . you may want to
use PowerPoint, Prezi, or any other multimedia delivery tool to assist you); the multimedia should
enhance the audience’s understanding of your topic, but it shouldn’t overshadow your oral speech. In
other words, use it as an aid rather than the main attraction.
For success, you’ll need the following:
1. Clear, identifiable introduction, body, and conclusion.
2. Introduction that includes getting your audience's attention, involving the audience, establishing your
credibility and providing a thesis statement and preview. Take your audience into account –
explain/show why your topic is relevant to them.
3. Body organized with main points and clear transitions.
4. Cited supporting materials that relate to the topic and your audience.
5. Conclusion that restates your main points and takes your audience into account.
6. Delivery reinforces what you are saying with emphasis on direct eye contact, vocal variety, careful
pronunciation, and purposeful movement.
Outline – 50 points | Speech – 100 points
Sample Informative Speech Outline
Welcome! All of you are here today because you have found a golden ticket in your Chilly Chonka
Chocolate bar, which means that you get to go on the Delicious Chilly Chonka Chocolate tour. While you are
getting over your excitement of winning, I would like to give you a sneak preview of the Delicious Chilly
Chonka Chocolate tour: We will first melt our way into the history of chocolate, secondly we will get a taste of
the three main types of chocolate, and finally we will dip into the chemical composition of chocolate.
I. The history of chocolate
A. Chocolate comes from the seed of the cacao tree
B. The cacao tree dates back more than 3000 years ago by the Maya, Toltec, and the Aztecs.
C. In the year 1502, Christopher Columbus brought cacao beans to Spain,
and chocolate slowly spread throughout the world.
Transition: Now that we have melted our way into the history of chocolate I'd like to take us to taste the three
main types of chocolate: Milk, white, and dark chocolate.
II. These are the three main types of chocolate. (According to completechocolate.com)
A.
Milk chocolate.
1.
Milk chocolate is made up of 10% chocolate liquor and 12% milk solids,combined with
sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla.
2.
B.
Milk chocolate is the most common chocolate in most sweet candies.
White chocolate.
1.
White chocolate does not contain chocolate liquor at all. Its ingredients include cocoa
butter, sugar, milk solids, and vanilla.
2.
There has been some debate as to whether or not white chocolate is "real chocolate"
because it doesn't contain chocolate liquor.
C.
Dark chocolate.
1.
Dark chocolate is made from 15-35% if chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter and vanilla.
2.
Dark chocolate is also referred to as sweet and semisweet chocolate, it got its name
dark chocolate because it was darker than the milk and white chocolate.
Transition: So now that we have had a taste of the 3 main types of chocolate: milk, white, and dark chocolate,
let's go take a dip into the chemical composition of chocolate.
III. These are the chemical compositions of chocolate according to John Glenn Benner, author of the book The
Emperors of Chocolate.)
A.
Chemicals in chocolate include:
1.
Serotonin: transmits calmness to brain.
2.
Phenoylthylamine: a chemical released in our brain when we fall in love.
3.
Endorphins: transmit high level energy and euphoria to our brain cells.
4.
Theobromine: a substance similar to caffeine, it affects brain function by increasing
alertness, concentration and cognitive functioning.
B.
The tree that chocolate comes from, means "food for the gods," according to Sara S. Berry
author of the book Cocoa, Custom, and Socioeconomic Change in Rural Western Nigeria.
C.
Chocolate has a blend of over five hundred flavors (2.5 times more than any other food.)
Conclusion:
Our tour has now come full circle. When all of you indulged in the chocolate I gave you, you may not have
been aware that the chocolate in itself contained milk, white, and dark chocolate. But now you are aware of
where chocolate comes from, the main types of chocolate and finally now you should understand why your
body reacted to the chocolate the way it did since we just freshly dipped ourselves into the chemical
composition.
Speech outline assessment rubric
A
B
C
D
Introduction
(10)
Introduction is sufficient
in length. There is an
effective attention
grabber, a clear thesis
statement, and an
effective brief preview of
the main points.
Introduction length is
acceptable, but could use
more content. There is
an attention grabber, a
clear thesis statement,
and a brief preview of the
main points.
Introduction is insufficient
in length. An attention
grabber, a clear thesis
statement, and an
effective brief preview of
the main points are not
present.
Conclusion
(10)
Conclusion is sufficient in
length. There is an
effective, brief
restatement of the main
points and a creative
closing.
Conclusion length is
acceptable. There is a
brief restatement of the
main points. An
acceptable, fitting closing
is given.
Body
(20)
Contains three or more
main points.
Excellent, well-detailed
content.
No empty wording
Follows format of sample
outline, including
transitions. If there is a
one, there is a two; if
there is an A, there is a B,
etc.
Contains at least three
main points.
Good content detail.
Minimal (if any) empty
wording
Mostly follows format of
sample outline, including
transitions, but may lack
one or two formatting
elements. If there is a
one, there is a two; if
there is an A, there is a B,
etc.
Two or three elements of
formatting may be
missing. List contains
three or more entries.
Introduction lacks
sufficient content. There
may be an attention
grabber, a thesis
statement, and a brief
preview of the main
points, but some items
may be missing.
Conclusion lacks
sufficient content. There
may be a brief
restatement of some
main points. An attempt
at a closing lacks
effectiveness.
Contains two or three
main points. Inadequate
content detail.
Some empty wording
Format
(5)
Works cited
list
(5)
Works cited list is
properly formatted and
contains at least three or
more entries.
Somewhat follows format
of sample outline,
including transitions, but
may lack several
formatting elements.
More than three
elements of formatting
are missing. List contains
two entries.
Conclusion length is
insufficient. There is no
brief restatement of the
main points. A closing
attempt is not present.
Contains two or fewer
main points; content is
severely lacking or not
present.
Mostly empty wording
Does not follow format of
sample outline, including
transitions. Ideas and
points appear without
organization.
Improper formatting for
one entry, or no works
cited submitted.
A -
B
-
C
-
D -
Assessment Rubric – formal informative speech
Content and Fluency (45)
Very effective attention grabber
Very detailed introduction that thoroughly
introduces the topic and clearly previews where
the speech will go
Very strong, pertinent examples in body
At least three pieces of very strong/pertinent
information from a variety of sources cited
Student very clearly shows how the topic is of
importance or interest to the audience
Very clear transitions help speaker seamlessly
flow from point to point
Conclusion very effectively reinforces the main
points and offers satisfying closure
Effective attention grabber
Detailed introduction that thoroughly introduces
the topic and previews where the speech will go
Strong, pertinent examples in body
At least three pieces of strong/pertinent
information from a variety of sources cited
Student clearly shows how the topic is of
importance or interest to the audience
Clear transitions help speaker flow from point to
point
Conclusion effectively reinforces the main points
and offers satisfying closure
Attention grabber present but does not
completely captivate audience
Introduction introduces the topic and attempts
to preview where the speech will go
Some pertinent examples in body
At least three pieces of pertinent information
from a variety of sources cited
Student shows how the topic is of importance or
interest to the audience
Transitions help speaker move from point to
point
Conclusion reinforces the main points and offers
closure
Effective attention grabber
Detailed introduction that thoroughly introduces
the topic and previews where the speech will go
Strong, pertinent examples in body
At least three pieces of strong/pertinent
information from a variety of sources cited
Student clearly shows how the topic is of
importance or interest to the audience
Clear transitions help speaker flow from point to
point
Conclusion effectively reinforces the main points
and offers satisfying closure
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Delivery (40)
Relaxed, self confident
Professional, formal
manner
Holds attention through
direct eye contact with
all parts of audience
Fluctuation in volume
and inflection to help
maintain audience
interest and emphasize
key points
Multimedia Integration (15)
- Multimedia greatly
enhances audience
understanding
- Multimedia is
effectively used as
an aid rather than
the speaker’s focus
Quick recovery from
minor mistakes
Mostly professional,
formal manner
Fairly consistent use of
direct eye contact with
audience
Satisfactory variation in
volume and inflection
-
Some tension or
indifference present
Formal manner
Occasional but brief eye
contact with audience
Uneven volume with
little inflection
-
Obvious
nervousness/tension
Informal manner
Very little effort to make
eye contact; eye contact
is not spread around
audience
Low volume, little
inflection resulting in
disengaged audience
-
-
-
-
Multimedia
enhances audience
understanding
Multimedia is used
as an aid rather than
the speaker’s focus
Multimedia
somewhat
enhances audience
understanding
Multimedia is
mostly used as an
aid rather than the
speaker’s focus
Multimedia does
little to enhance
audience
understanding
Speaker begins to
use multimedia as
the focus rather
than an aid