Name: ____________________________________

Perseverance Speech PacketTable of Contents:Perseverance Speech Assignment (and Rubric)…………..…………………….…1-2Strengths & Weaknesses 3-2-1.………………………………………………………………2Perseverance Quick Write………………………………………………………………………3“Set the Stage” Brainstorming Activity……………………………………………………3Definition / Synonym Activity…………………………………………………………………4Quotation Breakdown & Connection Activity………………………………………5-6Speech Writing Practice…………………………………………………………………….7-10*Extra Credit: Find Your Own Inspiration….……………………………………..11-12

Perseverance Speech AssignmentDEFINITION: PERSEVERANCE IS A STEADY EFFORT TO

MAINTAIN A COURSE OF ACTION, PURPOSE, OR BELIEF, OFTEN IN SPITE OF DIFFICULTY.

Write a speech for a school assembly about the meaning of perseverance as it applies to personal success. You may use the

following information as well as your own experiences to support your speech.

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time you fall. Source: Nelson Mandela

Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else

will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. Source: Lance Armstrong

I would go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it would split in two, and I knew it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.

Source: Jacob A. Riis

Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. Remember no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost. Sometime, somewhere, somehow we shall find that which we seek.

Source: Helen Keller

It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.

Source: Albert Einstein

If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Source: Michael Jordan

As you write your speech, remember to: • Focus on the meaning of perseverance as it applies

to personal success. • Consider the purpose, audience, and context of

your speech. • Organize your ideas logically and effectively. • Include specific details that clearly develop your

speech.

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GRADED AREASPOINTS POSSIBL

EEYE CONTACT

Did the speaker continuously make eye contact?Did the speaker take advantage of eye contact to connect with the audience?

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VOICE CONTROL/VOLUMEDid the speaker speak loudly and clearly?Did the speaker speak slowly?

10POSTURE

Did the speaker stand up straight?Did the speaker keep his/her hands in an appropriate place?

10GESTURE

Did the speaker use hand gestures to enhance or support their message?

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INTRODUCTION/HOOKDid the speaker use a hook to grab the audience’s attention?Did the speaker use the introduction to preview the main idea and convince the audience to listen?

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CONCLUSIONSDid the speaker use the conclusion to summarize speech and main idea?Did the speaker use appropriate transitions?

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TIME (3-5 MINUTES) 20TOTAL: 100

3-2-1: Identify 3 aspects of the grading rubric that you should pay attention to during your speech. Then, identify 2 of your strengths or concepts you think you have mastered. Finally, identify 1 concept you believe should be added to the rubric.1. ___________________ 1. _________________2. ___________________ 2. _________________3. ___________________ 3. _________________

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Quick Write: In your own words, explain a time in your life when perseverance was instrumental to your personal success.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Set the Stage: Envision the school assembly in which you are supposed to be speaking. Use your five senses to describe the assembly. Then, brainstorm on how you can gain and keep your audience’s attention.SIGHT – ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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SOUND – _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________SMELL – _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________TOUCH – _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________TASTE – ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________BRAINSTORM IT!! _________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Definition / Synonym ActivityGive ‘em the Breakdown!

persevere – to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of opposition

-ance – indicating an action, state or condition, or quality--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------In your own words, redefine perseverance. _____________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write about personal experiences that have molded your definition of the word. Use specific examples. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

***Using a THESAURUS, find at least 4 synonyms of perseverance or persevere.

1. ________________ 3. ________________

2. ________________ 4. ________________

Then, explain what these words reveal about the meaning or significance of the word(s). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

***Using a THESAURUS, find at least 2 antonyms of perseverance or persevere.

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1. _________________ 2.

_________________

Quotation Breakdown & Connection ActivitiesActivity #1: Using an encyclopedia or the web browser on your smart phone, research each person listed and explain how the word “perseverance” relates to his or her life. Use specific examples. Summarize.Nelson Mandela - _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lance Armstrong - ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jacob A. Riis - ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Helen Keller - ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Albert Einstein - ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Michael Jordan - ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Activity #2: Choose three quotations and re-write them in your own words. Simplify each quotation as much as possible. Be as direct and concrete as possible.Quotation #1: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Source: _____________________

Quotation #2: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Source: _____________________

Quotation #3: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Source: _____________________

Activity #3: Choose one quotation and explain how it demonstrates perseverance. Start by breaking down the quotation. Then, relate it to the author and to personal success in your life. Source: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Speech Writing PracticeRemember paragraphs are a minimum of 5 complete sentences.

Introduction Paragraph9

Write in the space provided the introduction to your perseverance speech. Write as if it were your real speech. Be sure to create a sentence for each section below. Pay attention to your thesis!

Attention-getter sentence: _______________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction (thesis) sentence: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summary of main points: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Body ParagraphsWrite in the space provided the body paragraphs of your perseverance speech. It should be an extension, or further explanation, of your thesis statement.

Point #1:_____________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Transitional Sentence: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Point #2:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________-_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Transitional Sentence: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Point #3: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion ParagraphWrite in the space provided a conclusion for your perseverance speech. It should be an extension of your body paragraphs and an inverse of your

introduction.

Transitional Sentence: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summary of main points: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Closing statement: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Remember the conclusion of your speech is not “And that’s my speech.” Be sure to create a conclusive paragraph that recaps the

information presented and asks the audience to think about one final question or statement.

**Extra Credit: Find Your Own Inspiration**

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,When the funds are low and the debts are high,And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a fellow turns aboutWhen he might have won had he stuck it out.Don’t give up though the pace seems slow -

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer thanIt seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given upWhen he might have captured the victor’s cup;

And he learned too late when the night came down,How close he was to the golden crown.

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Success is failure turned inside out -The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,It might be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit -It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

~ Author UnknownQuick Write: What is the message/theme of this poem? Use a specific line as support. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________*EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY: Find a poem with a similar meaning or theme. Be sure to include its title and author. Read it to the class during your speech for 10 points added to your speech grade.

**SUPER EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY: For 20 points added to your speech grade, write your own

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poem with a similar meaning or theme. Give it a title. Read it to the class during your speech.

Your poem does not have to rhyme, but give a try! You may have fun!

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