For Thursday, please read Wesley Morris' essay The Rise of the NBA Nerd and write a 350+ word blog response.
In your response, please elaborate on what you believe is Morris' central argument. I would also like you to think about Visual Rhetoric. We understand the principles of rhetoric as they apply to writing, but what about when they apply to images? Is what we wear an argument? Can it be political? How?
Soon, you will be presenting your "Shark Tank" proposals for your projects. As you prepare, here is some important information to keep in mind:
Length I expect your presentation to last around three minutes. It is important that you do not go over time, as we will struggle to fit these into one week.
Q&A Following your presentation, a pre-determined group of four students will ask you a question regarding your presentation or its viability. I will allow (and even encourage) the audience to use a positive statement/critique approach; however, the students tasked with asking questions cannot just offer a positive statement.
Grading and Assessment You will be graded on both your presentation and your audience participation. That means that you need to come prepared not only for your speech but also for your role as feedback provider.
In regards to your proposal, we have agreed on the following grading criteria:
Proposal 25% Logos: Information, facts, and research. Your background knowledge of the subject. What is your plan for the project? What will this documentary look like at the end? Whom have you contacted? 10% Relevance link: Why would college students care about this project? What makes your subject interesting or unique? How is the angle you're taking with this project novel? In short, who cares? 10% Pathos: What makes this project important? Why are you passionate about this project? Convince us that you're driven to make this project work. 5% Ethos: What are your skills related to this project? Do you have any experience with interviewing? Video editing? Filming? Narrating? Writing Scripts? Doing research? Convince us that your project will succeed because you have the necessary skills.
Body Language 20% Preparation: Your speech presents evidence that you have practiced and prepared. Working on pacing and cadence, pauses and transitions. Think about how you will present yourself-- do you need to dress up? (yes, you do) Are you around three minutes? Have you anticipated the questions you will receive? Remember that you don't always need the answers for the Q&A session, merely the knowledge of how you would go about finding the answer. 10% Speed/Tone/Volume: Related to preparation, but this score focuses just on the oral element of your presentation. Project your voice, avoid monotone, and control your pace. 10% Eye Contact: Make sure you're not fixating on one person (especially not me!). Scan the room, look out at us, and avoid the walls, windows, and floor. Don't forget to blink! 10% Movement and Fluidity: Use your nervous energy to move your body around the room. Avoid pacing, as that distracts the viewer, but do not simply stand still with your arms folded. Stay active in the front of the room.
These are the times you will be meeting with me this week:
Thursday (9-11): In 1206 POT
12:00 Lina
12:05 Anna
12:10 Rana
12:20 Betsy
12:30 Alyssa
12:40 Aaliyah
12:50 Oakley
1:00 Noah
1:10 Chase
In our classroom (B-03 POT)
2:00 Shannon
2:10 Mike
2:20 Alex
2:30 Zach
2:40 Elizabeth
2:50 Sidney
3:00 Justin
3:30 Najwa
3:40 Callie
3:50 Gabrielle
4:00 Megan
4:10 Daniel
4:20 Justin
4:30 Savannah
4:40 Lynsey
Tuesday (9-16): In 1206 POT
12:00 Beth
12:10 Shelby
12:15 Mason
12:20 Brian
12:30 Seth
12:50 Shelby
1:00 Jimmy
1:10 Monique
1:20 Jared In our classroom (B-03 POT)
2:00 Caroline
2:10 Sam
2:20 Emma
2:30 Sabrina
2:40 James
2:50 Taylor
3:30 Kaelyn
3:40 Reacheal
3:50 Randi
4:00 Alex
4:10 Ben
4:20 Jon
4:30 Leon
Over the weekend, I'd like you all to continue thinking about your Shark Tank Proposals. What topics are you interested in? Can you narrow your interests down to two or three finalists?
Beyond the topic, I'd also like you think about speech itself. In order to understand what makes a good speech, I'd like you to find examples of good and bad speech.
For homework, your goal is to browse the TED website for examples of good and bad speeches. Don't just focus on "good" and "bad" as they relate to interest-level or content, but on how the speaker presents his or her ideas.
In a 500-word blog post, please link the videos (embed if you can) and provide an analysis of the success and failures of the speakers. What made this speech great? Where did the speaker fall short? How might each speaker improve in the future?
In a few weeks, you'll be pitching your own version of a Shark Tank Proposal. As we watch this video, pay close attention to the format of the presentation as well as the presentation itself.
As you watch for format, I'd like you to notice how the time is split. Less than half of the overall time is spent on the presentation. This means that, like the people in the above video, you'll need to focus on keeping your message short and sweet while still giving your audience the relevant information and a strong argument. The other half of the time is spent doing a Q&A session. This means that, aside from your speech, you'll need to anticipate and have answers for potential questions from myself and your classmates. That doesn't always mean that you have the answer, but it does mean that you should have considered potential problems and have an idea for how you might address these issues.
As you watch the presentation itself, I'd like you to think about body language and content. Frequently, we over-prepare for content, without much consideration of body language. As you watch, think about not only how the presenters structure their pitch, but how their body language (both good and bad) plays a role in their presentation.
Ultimately, a successful project is defined by the author's ability to understand what is needed and where his or her strengths are. Focus on what your weaknesses might be-- how can you improve or work around them? Where are your strengths? How can you emphasize them?
For Thursday, please read this article and respond with a 250-400 word blog post.
As this is your first blog post, I'd like to offer suggestions for how to respond to our readings.
Read the material slowly and carefully. The last thing you want to do is make an argument about the article that illustrates that you did not fully understand (or finish) the essay.
Take time after reading to think about your blog post before you begin typing. Your blogs should not be stream-of-consciousness journals about your feelings-- they should be tightly-constructed essays with a few main points.
Your blogs should perform two main functions: first, they should offer a summary of the central argument the author is making; second, they should offer your response to some element of the article (it can be the central argument, but it does not have to be).
For the central argument, you should focus on deconstructing the entire essay into a sentence. What point is the author trying to make? What tells you this is his or her main argument? Can you pull a quote that illustrates this main point? This section need only be brief and to-the-point.
The personal reaction section should be much longer than the summary section. How did you respond to the author's argument? To his or her writing style? Did the use of media play any part for you? Here, avoid simple inarticulate statements such as "I didn't like it" or "it was boring." Imagine that the article was not assignment for your entertain, but for you to learn something about your world or about argumentative writing. Respond with those ideals in mind.
Finally, think about how you might use media in your response. Blogs are great because you can embed pictures and video or link to other articles or websites. Do not treat your blog like a piece of paper-- embrace and utilize it to its full potential.
For class today, you will be giving one-minute speeches.
"Feet Wet" speeches are designed to be low-stakes and fun way to get over anxieties related to giving a speech in front of the class. You will choose your topic, and I will give you all one minute to prepare a speech to the class. Then, you will come to the front and deliver your speech. Easy!
In order to find fun and low-stakes topics (and to keep it fresh and random for me), we will be using the Would You Rather? question set.
Remember, these speeches are supposed to stress-free and there is no right answer. Focus on having a strong introduction, two or three main points, a strong conclusion, and filling up one minute.
