Ohio Resource Center > Record > Inventing and Presenting Unit 2: Effective Speeches and Building the Invention

ORC Resource Number #2827

Inventing and Presenting Unit 2: Effective Speeches and Building the Invention

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PROFESSIONAL COMMENTARY

In this culminating interdisciplinary unit, students apply their knowledge of experimentation and the scientific method, critical thinking, clear writing, and effective speaking. Students read about inventors, propose inventions to solve problems they have identified, and build and test their inventions. They record and graph data and create visuals to share that data. In addition, students study famous speeches to identify the elements of effective speaking, and they propose in writing an appropriate scenario for sharing the results of their experimentation. Each student prepares and delivers a speech publicly. (author/ncl)

CAREER APPLICATION

Because this lesson centers around creating an invention and delivering a speech on it, almost any career-technical instructor could focus the lesson on the specific career field being addressed. This lesson can be used to teach critical thinking skills and problem solving skills, making use of the information and skills being developed within the career-technical field by having students create an invention to solve a particular problem or need which arises in that field. The rubrics and handouts guide the students through the process. At the end of the lesson, the student presentation requires them to demonstrate their use of the scientific method and research skills which they used to develop the project. While ostensibly an English language arts lesson for grades 5 and 6, the content has scientific and mathematic overtones which make it applicable across a wide band of both academic content and career technical competencies and which certainly can be applied to communications skills required within most career-technical Technical Competency Profiles.

OHIO STANDARDS

English Language Arts Standards

Communications: Oral and Visual Standard

Benchmarks (5 - 7)

Explain a speaker's point of view and use of persuasive techniques in presentations and visual media.

Vary language choice and use effective presentation techniques, including voice modulation and enunciation.

Select an organizational structure appropriate to the topic, audience, setting and purpose.

Present ideas in a logical sequence and use effective introductions and conclusions that guide and inform a listener's understanding of key ideas.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 5)

Identify the speaker's purpose in presentations and visual media (e.g., to inform, to entertain, to persuade).

Demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language and select language appropriate to purpose and audience.

Use clear diction, pitch, tempo and tone, and adjust volume and tempo to stress important ideas.

Adjust speaking content according to the needs of the situation, setting and audience.

Deliver informational presentations (e.g., expository, research) that: a. demonstrate an understanding of the topic and present events or ideas in a logical sequence; b. support the main idea with relevant facts, details, examples, quotations, statistics, stories and anecdotes; c. organize information, including a clear introduction, body and conclusion and follow common organizational structures when appropriate (e.g., cause-effect, compare-contrast); d. use appropriate visual materials (e.g., diagrams, charts, illustrations) and available technology; and e. draw from several sources and identify sources used.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 6)

Interpret the speaker's purpose in presentations and visual media (e.g., to inform, to entertain, to persuade).

Demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language and select language appropriate to purpose and audience.

Use clear diction and tone, and adjust volume, phrasing and tempo to stress important ideas.

Adjust speaking content and style according to the needs of the situation, setting and audience.

Deliver informational presentations (e.g., expository, research) that: a. demonstrate an understanding of the topic and present events or ideas in a logical sequence; b. support the controlling idea or thesis with relevant facts, details, examples, quotations, statistics, stories and anecdotes; c. include an effective introduction and conclusion and use a consistent organizational structure (e.g., cause-effect, compare-contrast); d. use appropriate visual materials (e.g., diagrams, charts, illustrations) and available technology; and e. draw from multiple sources and identify sources used.

NATIONAL STANDARDS

Standards for the English Language Arts

Range of materials and purposes for reading

Reading strategies, language use, and conventions

Write, speak, and visually represent to create text

Research and inquiry

RESOURCE TYPE

Instructional Resource

PRACTICE LEVEL

Promising Practice

STANDARDS ALIGNMENT

Grades 5–6

CAREER FIELDS

General Career Skills

TOPICS

English Language Arts --
Writing;
Communication;

OHIOWINS INSTRUCTIONAL TOPICS

Writing

FOUND IN

AdLIT
Standards First
OhioWINS

KEYWORDS

inventors;
public speaking;
scientific method;
interdisciplinary unit

Publisher: IRA/NCTE

Author: Karen Sinning and John Blank

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