Grade 5/6 Oral Speech Kit
Student:__________________________________________________________
Topic:____________________________________________________________
Parent Signature:____________________________________________________
Important dates for your speech!
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Students receive speech package and start thinking about a topic – Week of January 7th
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Check your local library, the Internet or speak to an „expert‟ for topic ideas.
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Let your teacher know what your topic is - by January 16th
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Continue researching/writing your speech
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Final teacher check in (speech should be complete, show copy) -February 6th
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Memorize your speech. Cue cards may be used.
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In-class presentations of speeches- February 11th - 13th
Remember...
Your speech needs to be a minimum of 3 minutes long and a maximum of 5 minutes
long
Use the rest of this package and your Writer‟s Notebook to help you to write your
speech.
Step 1: Prewriting
There are several types of speeches you can think about writing.
The Informative Speech
The focus of this kind of a speech in on sharing information. It informs the
audience about experiences (could be a retell) or facts. “How to Raise Goldfish”
and “My Winter Vacation” are samples of topics for this kind of speech.
The Persuasive Speech
You are trying to convince your audience to agree with certain ideas or beliefs when
you make a persuasive speech. “Why Girls Should Be Allowed to Play on Boys’
Hockey Teams” and “Why We Must Start Using Electrically Powered Cars” are
possible topics for persuasive speeches.
The Humorous Speech
Entertaining is the purpose of this type of speech. A series of short humorous
stories all on the same topic is one way to structure a humorous speech. “Five Good
Reasons For Not Keeping A Pet Racoon” and “My Mischievous Little Brother” could
be topics for humorous speeches.
Consider these questions before you begin...
Who will read or hear my speech?___________________________________
(audience)
Why am I writing this speech?____________________________________
(purpose - to inform, persuade, be humorous)
What form will use?_____________________________________________
(informative, persuasive, humorous)
Selecting A Topic
Consider possible topics that you think will be interesting to your audience. Do not
pick a topic that is too general. “Animals Around the World” could be too general
while “Bears of North America” could be specific enough.
*Use your Writers‟ Notebook to brainstorm possible ideas for your topic.
My topic:______________________________________________________
Respond to the following questions in your Writers‟ Notebook:
1. What do I already know about this topic?
Use point form.
2. What would I like to learn about my topic?
List your questions.
3. Now you will want to answer #2. You will need to do research of some kind.
You might need to research in books, magazines, an encyclopaedia, on-line, etc.
Your research might be to interview someone. Use jot notes to record your
findings.
We will look at this next part together in class...
Look at your point form notes and ask yourself the following:
-What information can I group together?
-What facts or information do I want to put in or leave out of my speech?
-What information should come first, second, last and so on.
Step 2: Writing My First Draft
Use complete sentences to organize the information from your research.
Write your first draft in your Writer‟s Notebook.
Your speech should include an Introduction, Body and Conclusion.
Introduction
The introduction should be short and as interesting as possible. This is when your
let your audience know your topic. It is best not to begin with, “The topic of my
speech is”. Possible ways to begin your speech are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Tell a funny story related to your topic.
Use a quotation from a famous person or some kind of expert.
Start with a challenging question.
Show the importance of your topic by listing surprising facts about it.
Write your introduction now.
Body
The body of a speech contains all the important points that develop the topic. Each
main point should be supported by facts, figures (number facts) or concrete
examples.
Write your body now.
Conclusion
The ending should be short. It should help your audience to remember your main
points in a dramatic way. Possible interesting ways to end your speech are:
1. Use a quote from an expert from something you‟ve read.
2. Tell a short funny story to highlight your main point.
3. Call on the audience to support your ideas and to do something to help promote
that idea.
Write your conclusion now.
Step 3: Revising, Editing and Proofreading
Revise - You can improve your draft by revising it.
You can:
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Add ideas
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Leave out ideas
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Exchange one idea for another
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Make sure your introduction is effective (will grab the audience‟s attention)
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Mare sure the points in the body of your speech are presented clearly and
logically (Are your points in an order that will make sense?)
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Make sure the conclusion is memorable
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Rearrange your ideas
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Change your sentences (make them varied - some long, some short and some in
between)
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Change your word choices
Edit - You can improve your draft by editing with others.
Read your work out loud to someone else. Ask them does your writing make sense?
A writing partner, teacher, editing group or family member can help you to:
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Say clearly what you want to say
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Include all necessary information
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Write a good introduction, body and closing
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Repeat some words or ideas for emphasis (because they are important)
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Make good word choices
Vary sentence length and the types of sentences you use (exclamation,
statement, question, command)
Stay on topic
Use interesting language such as similes, metaphors and alliteration
Proofread - You can improve your draft by proofreading it or having someone else
proofread it. Ask yourself:
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Have I used capital letters correctly?
Have I punctuated my sentences properly?
Did I spell words correctly?
Did I use words correctly?
Did I use proper form indenting, titles and margins?
Is my writing clear and easy and read?
Step 4: Writing Your Final Draft
You can now write out the final draft of your speech using neat writing or typing it
on a computer. Be sure to make all the necessary corrections from your first
draft. You may also want to write your speech on cue cards for your presentation.
Step 5: Delivering Your Speech
When your speech is well planned and thoroughly learned, you are ready to deliver it.
Here are some tips to help you:
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Take your time. Be sure everyone is listening before you begin.
Eye contact is important: include all of your audience as you speak.
Try to refer to your notes only when necessary. Try not to at the beginning
or end of your speech.
Speak clearly and enthusiastically. Make uses of pauses. Slow down.
Take your time at the conclusion of the speech.
Stand still while you are speaking; keep your hands relaxed.
SMILE!
Here are some more examples of ways to write an Introduction and Body.
Try one of these as an opener:
1. Ask a question.
Example: “Did you know that a parrot may live to be two hundred years old?”
2. Use suspense, don‟t announce your topic until the end of the first paragraph.
Example: “It affects everybody but nobody can do anything about it. It‟s the most
common topic for conversation. You take it for granted, yet you probably think of it
every day. It‟s likely that you have mentioned it at least once since you woke up this
morning. What is it? It‟s the weather.
3. Use a startling statement.
Example: “Before the summer is over, one of you will be in danger.” (This speech is
about water safety, the speaker should explain that he or she is talking about
statistics to do with water accidents).
4. Open with a well-known saying or quote.
Example: A funny speech about a scout camp cook-out might begin with, “Too many
cooks spoil the broth”.
5. Begin with a humorous story that is related to your topic.
Example: “Nobody is free of stage fright. Last week my little brother, who is in
Grade 1, had to say a poem in class when the parents came to visit. He was too
nervous to remember any of what he had learned. All he could do was to repeat his
special emergency speech that my mother taught him in case he ever got lost. „My
name is Bobby Sutherland. My address is 63 White Plains Rd.‟ He kept repeating
this like a broken record until the teacher rescued him”.
6. Use a prop.
Example: Demonstrating how to use a clicker while training a dog.
When writing the body you can make a point and illustrate with:
1. An example: “Helen Keller was a woman of great courage and determination. Let
me give you an example of her determination. Even though she could not read or
write, speak or hear, she attended university and earned a degree.”
2. A quotation: “A skier who tried too much too soon and broke a leg might use the
quotation, “A little learning is a dangerous thing”.
3. An anecdote or little story: “A speech on customs and superstitions might
include this anecdote (short story) “When his puppy lost a tooth, our six-year old
neighbour thought he would put one over on the tooth fairy. That night he put the
tooth beneath his pillow. In the morning to his surprise, he found a dog biscuit.”
(Reader‟s Digest June 1968)
4. An incident or personal experience: “Teachers are always telling us to speak
clearly. I found out for myself that you can‟t be too careful when you want someone
to understand you. I once taught O Canada to my little sister. I got a shock when
I heard her repeat it to my mother as „O Canada, our home and naked land‟.
5. A comparison: Suppose a speech is about The Art of Conversation. To explain
what a good conversation is, it might be compared with a tennis game: “Sometimes
you serve; sometimes your partner serves. The idea is to keep the „ball‟ going back
and forth, with first one and then the other making a point. If one drops the ball,
the other picks it up and the game goes on”.
The conclusion should review the main points of the speech in a slightly different
way and leave the audience with something to remember!