1. AP Language and Composition
RHETORICAL SPEECHES

2. OBJECTIVE
Students will demonstrate a deeper understanding for one of society’s issues that they feel strongly about by giving a speech to bring awareness about the issue to the audience.
Students will incorporate the rhetorical skills that they have been analyzing in speeches, articles, and documents into THEIR own speech.

3. SPEECHES
You are to choose an issue that you see in current society you feel strongly/passionate about.
Write a speech that discusses your issue, as well as your viewpoint on the topic.
Include rhetorical strategies and what you hope bringing awareness to the topic will do for your issue.

4. SPEECHES
Your speech must be a minimum of 3 minutes long and a maximum of 5 minutes long.
You are allowed to use visuals BUT you cannot have text accompanying the visuals.
You can use a printed copy of the speech/index cards but you will deducted points if you strictly read off of the speech/index cards.

5. SPEECHES
You will turn in a copy of your speech with your rhetorical strategies annotated & explained.
You will be graded on the following:
CONTENT
SPEECH LENGTH
ENGAGEMENT OF THE AUDIENCE
USE OF RHETORICAL STRATEGIES
OVERALL PRESENTATION (Volume, eye contact, etc.)

6. SPEECHES
You will have Monday (1/19) and Friday (1/22) to work on your speeches
You must have your topic ready for review on Friday
Speeches will begin Monday, February 1st.
Extra Credit: Presenting the first day
Speeches are worth 100 points of your Essays/Projects/Presentation grade (40%)

7. Speech Rubric You will be graded based on the 9 point AP Rubric.
The speech is worth 100 points [essentially an essay]
Your speeches will be graded based on:
The use & effectiveness of rhetorical strategies (have a printed copy of your speech with all strategies annotated & explained in the margins)
Overall speech presentation (volume, eye contact, confidence)
Speech content
Speech length (3-5 minutes)
Engagement of audience

8. “The Great Dictator”
Watch the clip and read through the written version of the speech.
Tone
Passion
Rhetorical Strategies

9. Examples: American Rhetoric
Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird (8 min)
Remember the Titans (Audio 1-2 min)
Independence Day (Audio 2 min)
Avatar (1 min)

10. Sample Speech Topics Food Deserts Children in Foster Care
Childhood Obesity
Gun Laws
Marijuana Legalization
Police Brutality
News Bias
Planned Parenthood
Hunger and Homelessness
GMOs
Death Penalty
Environmental Issues
Social Class Issues
Gender Equality
Climate Change
You cannot discuss abortion/religion

11. Tips for a STRONG Speech Topic
Choose a topic that you are genuinely passionate about
It does not have to be a serious topic- one year, a student gave an extremely impassioned speech about milk and got a 9!
Do not choose a topic that is too broad
For example: Gun laws
Gun laws differ by state
Instead, maybe focus specifically on CA gun laws