Tradition Speech

This week, our class is giving speeches about a tradition their family has.  It might be holiday related, but could also have to do with birthdays, or  a special trip done annually, or just a Friday night tradition.  To start, I gave my class two examples. 

I told my class about how, when I was little, we taped the Christmas cards we got on the back of the front door.  When we took all the decorations down, we  put the cards in a basket and left on the dinner table.  Each night before we ate dinner we would take a card from the front of the basket and pray for the family who sent it.  Then the next night we would repeat the process, during the month of January.  I also told them about our weekly Sunday tradition.  Most nights of the week, my mom cooked dinner and we all ate at the kitchen table.  On Sundays, we were on our own.  We could reheat leftovers, eat cereal, make a sandwich AND we got to eat in the living room with Sunday night television.  Life Goes On is the show I remember the most. 

Anyway back to my class....we started speeches and one of my students who struggles a bit academically and thoroughly freaked out by speeches did hers today and I thought this strategy was brilliant....what a great parent she has:-)

Her tradition was about going to get her Christmas tree.  She started with a tree on her presentation tri-fold.  The black dots are velcro. 

Then she had notes on ornament shaped pieces (yes she even wrote them...again how I love parents who assist and don't do it for them.)

As she gave her speech she would use the notes and then add it to the tree.

All the dots filled up....a complete speech from start to finish.  And because the notes were so short, she could read them, add details, and still be able to look at her audience.

Side note...these pictures depict the actual event....I was busy listening and scoring speeches and couldn't get pictures taken.

Happy Tuesday,