Public Speaking, How to Give a Powerful Speech, PDF & Google Drive, CCSS

Help your advanced middle school and high school students identify and analyze the elements of powerful public speaking with these multimedia lesson materials.

This download includes:

• Step-by-step directions/suggestions to lead your students through a 50-minute lesson

• A well-written, high-interest informational text article about powerful public speaking techniques written by Chris Anderson, curator of the internationally renowned T.E.D. Talks (link included)

• A short answer question set to help students dig back through Anderson’s article and analyze elements that apply to speeches in both the classroom and the business world (both printable PDF & interactive Google Drive version included)

• A detailed answer key to help guide a full-class discussion and ease your grading

• Two illustrative examples of the presentation techniques discussed in the article using a cringe-worthy example from Shark Tank and an example of excellence from a teen-led T.E.D. Talk (video links included)

I use this lesson before my students’ first speech assignment of the year and refer back to the discussion points throughout the term as I give feedback on their presentations. Students like the lesson because it shows the real-world application of the work they’re assigned and brings a fresh energy to the necessary-but-sometimes-boring discussion of speech prep.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cover image credit: Pexels, Public domain