Chapter 1 Lesson 3 Health Risks and Your Behavior
Persuasive Speaking
Directions - Read the following passage. Then complete the activity that follows.
There are six risk behaviors listed below. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
considers these to be the riskiest behaviors for teens. These behaviors have both short and long term
consequences.
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Tobacco use
Unhealthy dietary behaviors
Inadequate physical activity
Alcohol and other drug use
Sexual behaviors that may result in disease or unintended pregnancy
Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence
Write a Persuasive Speech
A persuasive speech is one in which you share your point of view with others to try to change their
opinions or behaviors. Choose one of the risk behaviors listed above. Write a speech to persuade
other teens to avoid or reduce the risk behavior. Include facts to make your speech more persuasive.
Use the following questions to help you prepare your speech. You will be giving your speech next
class.
1. What is the point you are trying to make? Which behavior did you pick and why?
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2. List one statistic and the source of that statistic relating to the risky behavior you chose.
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3. Why do you think this is an important issue for teens?
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4. What solutions or actions will you mention to reduce the health risk? What can teens do in
place of the risky behavior?
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5. List another statistic and the source of that statistic relating to the risky behavior to end your speech.
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CATEGORY
Information
4
All information
presented in the
speech was clear,
accurate and
thorough.
3
Most
information
presented in the
speech was
clear, accurate
and thorough.
Understanding of The student
Topic
clearly
understood the
topic in-depth
and presented
their information
forcefully and
convincingly.
Use of
Two major
Facts/Statistics
points were
made with
reliable statistic
and the source
was stated.
Organization
All points were
clearly tied to an
idea (risk
behavior) and
organized in a
tight, logical
fashion.
The student
clearly
understood the
topic in-depth
and presented
their
information
with ease.
One or two
major points
were made with
reliable statistics
but the sources
were not given.
Most points
were clearly tied
to an idea (risk
behavior) and
organized in a
tight, logical
fashion.
2
Most
information
presented in the
speech was clear
and accurate,
but was not
usually
thorough.
The student
seemed to
understand the
main points of
the topic and
presented those
with ease.
1
Information had
several
inaccuracies OR
was usually not
clear.
The student did
not show an
adequate
understanding of
the topic.
One statistic was No statistics or
used with or
sources were
without a
used.
source.
All points were
clearly tied to an
idea (risk
behavior) but
the organization
was sometimes
not clear or
logical.
Presentation Style Student
Student usually Student
consistently used used gestures,
sometimes used
gestures, eye
eye contact, tone gestures, eye
contact, tone of of voice and a
contact, tone of
voice and a level level of
voice and a level
of enthusiasm in enthusiasm in a of enthusiasm in
a way that kept way that kept
a way that kept
the attention of the attention of the attention of
the audience.
the audience.
the audience.
Points were not
clearly tied to an
idea (risk
behavior).
The student had
a presentation
style that did not
keep the
attention of the
audience.