Demonstration Speech Assignment
6-7 minutes
60 Points Possible
Purpose of Assignment:
This 6-7 minute presentation is to show us how to do something we may not know how to do, or
might do incorrectly. You will show us how to begin each step, and then have a pre-completed
example of how that step will look when the project is complete. [Just like Martha Stewart or
American Chopper] If you are demonstrating how to make something edible, please bring
enough of the finished product to share with the class. Consider what you can do to make your
presentation original, personal, creative, vivid, engaging, interesting, and dynamic.
Requirements: (50 pts)
 Select a topic of interest to you and your audience. Consider hobbies and interests you are
passionate about. Your topic should be one that is easy to demonstrate. Be sure to narrow
your topic so you are able to develop vivid details and descriptions instead of giving only
a sketchy demonstration.
 Your presentation should have three parts—an introduction, body and conclusion.
Introduce your demonstration beginning with an effective attention getter, followed by a
clear thesis statement and preview of your main points. For the body, use two to four
main points supported by vivid demonstration, explanations, examples, and details.
Conclude with a cue, summary, and memorable close.
 Personalize your presentation by giving personal stories and/or telling us why the topic is
important to you and your audience.
 Use at least one visual or audio aid to illustrate, emphasize, or clarify your demonstration.
 Your presentation should be 6-7 minutes in length. Practice and time your speech to
assure you are within the time limits.
Outline Requirements: (10 pts)
 Write out your introduction in full.
 Following a logical organizational pattern, write out each of your main points in full
sentences.
 Write out your conclusion in full.
 Hand outline to me on the day you present prior to speaking.
 A proper heading (name, date & period) should be on everything you hand in to me.
Sample Topics:
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How to make lemonade
How to create a webpage
How to meditate
How to build a go-cart
Self Defense Techniques
How to hypnotize someone
How to splint a leg/arm/finger/ankle
How to Hip Hop Dance
* How to make a birdhouse
* How to make a potato clock
* How to bake cookies
* How to juggle
* How to draw manga
* How to properly wash a dog
* How to flyfish
* How to film a movie
Demonstration Speech Template
INTRODUCTION
 Attention Getter
- Personal Story
- Skit/Demonstration
- Hypothetical Scenario
- Relevant Humor
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Personalize
- Why you chose this topic
- Your credibility/experience with the topic
- Connect with the Audience/Audience Relevance
- Why it is important to the audience
- How the audience can use the information you are presenting
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Thesis
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Preview
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One clear, narrowly focused single statement of the purpose of your speech
What 2-4 main points you will cover
BODY
 Main Point 1:
- Support with explanations, testimony, stories, demonstration, audience
messages
 (transition)
 Main Point 2:
 (transition)
 Main Point 3:
CONCLUSION
 Cue: “in closing”, “in conclusion”, “now that you know…”
 Summary: repeat your main points
 Memorable Close
 Personal Story
 Skit/Demonstration
 Hypothetical Scenario
 Audience appeal
 Link back to introduction
Practicing Your Speech Delivery
Any successful speaker, novice or professional, will validate that it is ESSENTIAL to
PRACTICE a presentation prior to the final delivery to an audience. To not do so is to
undermine your chances of personal satisfaction, making a reasonable impression upon your
audience, and being able to be clear and effective with your message. PRACTICE IS
ESSENTIAL: Failing to practice is practicing to fail!
For most situations, an extemporaneous delivery works best. Extemporaneous delivery
entails careful preparation and ample practice. The main points/examples/ideas are deeply
embedded into your memory, yet each time you present; there is an element of spontaneity and
flexibility. You can be spontaneous and flexible only if you have practiced. Extemporaneous
delivery is neither memorized nor read. It is conversational and communicative with the
audience. The following is the “Four Day Practice Plan,” which is a highly effective process of
building conversational delivery and increasing one’s confidence regarding giving a speech.
Day 1: Outline
Four days before the speech: Practice using your outline. Practice out loud and standing.
Pay particular attention to your beginning, main points, and ending. Those parts of your speech
should be delivered while giving as much eye contact as possible to the audience (imaginary or
real).
Day 2: Note Cards
Three days before the speech: Use as many note cards as you need to feel comfortable to
make the transition between the outline and the note cards. Pay particular attention to your
beginning, main points, and ending. Practice out loud and standing. Start being aware of your
verbal and nonverbal delivery and timing. Consider video or audio recording yourself and using
that as feedback also.
Day 3: Minimizing Note Cards
Two days before the speech: Minimize the amount of information on each note card and
the number of note cards. Use only the number of cards that are absolutely essential to help “jog”
your memory. This will help you be extemporaneous and give you the maximum opportunity to
communicate and keep reasonable eye contact with the audience.
Day 4: Polishing your Delivery
One day before the speech: By this time, you will know the speech very well.
Concentrate on giving maximum eye contact with your audience. Don’t continue to do this
alone: have an audience to give this to! Take a moment to envision success…how you look and
sound as a clear and effective speaker. Having followed this process, you are ready!
Sample Speech
Introduction:
Here’s a fact from a Texas A&M University study: Every year U.S. motorists spend more than
3.7 billion hours in gridlocked traffic. Now imagine the busy streets of New York City, or San
Francisco. At any given time cars line the streets, backing traffic up for miles, creating the
bumper-to-bumper commute we all know so well from driving on I-405 in the morning
(attention getter and audience message).
It is known in all major metropolitan cities that the fastest way to get a message from point A to
point B is by bicycle messengers. So while you sit there in traffic, complaining about how late
you’re going to be for work, a bike messenger rides between your car, and the car to your left,
and you watch him disappear into the cluttered street ahead of you, and think to yourself, “wow,
a guy on a bike just sped past me in my car.”
That is why I’m here to teach you how you can convert your old beat up bicycle to a single speed
fixed gear, the very style these bike messengers use day to day (thesis). I will tell you what parts
you’ll need for your conversion and the proper way to install them. And finally I’ll tell you how
to ride your new fixie, and show you some tricks you can learn (preview).
Main Points:
1. What exactly is a fixed gear bike, and why do bicycle messengers prefer them to multi speed
bikes?
2. The parts you will need to convert your old bike to a “fixie”, and the proper way to install
them.
3. Teach the audience how to properly ride your newly converted “fixie”, and show video clips
of fun tricks you can learn to show off your skill.
Conclusion:
Now you know why you might want to ride a fixed gear bike, why they’re so popular, the parts
you’ll need to convert your bicycle to a fixed gear, and how to ride the bike once you’ve
converted it (cue and summary).
So think back to the situation I described only minutes ago, only let’s change it up just a little bit.
This time you feel great as you ride your bicycle down the street between cars, while looking at
the drivers’ faces. You know very well that guy in the $100,000 Mercedes you just passed is
thinking, “wow that guy on a bike just sped past me in my car”. You also know that bikes are
much cheaper than cars, and with a simple machine like a fixed gear no adjustments are ever
needed after the initial setup, with the exception of your tire pressure.
The bicycle is the healthiest way to get where you need to go, and feel better once you get there.
Just remember, be safe, ride with brakes, and always wear a helmet, because one of those angry
commuters might just try to take you out (memorable close).