Badger High School Forensics Team

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Badger High School Forensics Team

• Building a Tradition of Excellence in Public
  Speaking

Special thanks to Coach Jankowski, Waterford H.S.
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What is Forensics?

• A team dedicated to individual and group speaking
  events performed for competition

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Why should I join?

• Provides important life-speaking skills
• Meet fun and exciting people
• Win trophies and medals
• Impress colleges and employers
• Express yourself!!!

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What is the time commitment?

• Required Weekly practices
• Tuesday-Friday (once a week for about 45 minutes)
• Individual rehearsals of performance
• Saturday festivals /tournaments
• Mid-January to Mid-March
• Evening performance at Conference Subdistrict
• State competition _at_ UW-Madison in April

FOR MORE INFO...

• See WHSFA or WFCA websites
• listed on Badgers forensics page.

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What will practice include?

• Select piece and/or write speech for performance
• Revise wording / add content
• Improve organization
• Perform speech/piece for coach/peers
• Work on spoken delivery
• Improve blocking and movement
• Kindly critique others to improve performance

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What can I expect at a meet?

• Bus departure around 645 a.m.
• Three rounds of preliminary competition against
  students from other schools
• Munchies, socializing, and fun
• Power round of best speakers
• Awards ceremony tournaments only
• Return home with an occasional detour for a
  fine dining experience

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How do I know which category to choose?

• Interpretation
• Perform something
• by a published author
• Many performers
• Highly competitive

• Speech
• Present an informative piece
• that you write
• Small categories
• Big trophy potential!

• Prose Poetry
• Farrago Storytelling
• Solo Serious Humorous
• Group interpretation
• Play acting

• Public address Oratory
• Special Occasion Radio
• Demonstration Four Minute
• Moments in History
• Extemporaneous

16 different categories!
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Speech Categories

• Public Address 6.5 to 8 minute speech on a
  contemporary issue
• 2007-2008
• Working Teens What impact, if any, does teen
  employment during the school year have on
  academic performance and co-curricular
  participation?
• NASA To what extent, if any, should the federal
  government continue to fund NASA?
• Presidency What qualities have made past
  presidents successful?
• Downloading Music and MP3 File Sharing To what
  extent, if any, should consumers be able to
  download and engage in MP3 file sharing without
  compensating the record artists and record
  companies?

May use one notecard!
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Speech Categories continued

• Special Occasion 6.5 to 8 minute speech on one
  of these occasions (may be humorous or serious)
• 2007-2008 topics are
• A Presentation of a Gift or Award
• A Speech of Protest
• A Graduation Speech
• A Speech to an At Risk Group

May use one notecard!
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Speech Categories continued

• Oratory 6.5 to 8 minute persuasive speech on a
  significant topic
• Examples may include
• Medical issues
• Media controversies
• Cell phone/technology security
• Transportation efficiency/safety

May use one notecard!
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Speech Categories continued

• Demonstration 8 to 10 minute speech showing how
  to do something or explaining how something works
• Examples may include
• Dances
• Arts/crafts
• Maintenance
• Sign language

May use one notecard!
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Speech Categories continued

• Moments in History 5 to 6 minute speech on a
  topic occurring during the years of a specific
  time period
• 2007-2008 time period
• The Decade of the 1920s
• (ie. people, sports, inventions, monuments,
  entertainment, etc.)
• Four Minute 4 minute informative speech on an
  interesting topic
• 30 second grace period

May use one notecard!
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Speech Categories continued

• Radio 5 minute radio presentation
• News, weather, and sports
• Prepared 30 minutes before each round
• Reader performs by reading script and timing self
  
• with watch (no eye contact)
• Extemporaneous 6 to 7 minute speech
• Related to current events (news, politics, etc.)
• Prepared 30 minutes before each round
• Choose between 3 topics, one notecard permitted

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Interpretative Categories

• Prose 6.5 to 8 minute selection
• from quality prose literature which surrounds a
  specific theme or emotion.
• Introduction must be memorized.
• Poetry 6.5 to 8 minute selection
• of various quality poems which surround a
  specific theme or emotion.
• Introduction and transitions must be memorized.

Note these are huge categories!
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Interpretative Categories continued

• Farrago 8.5 to 10 minute selection of two or
  more literary genre of very high quality pieces
  surrounding a specific theme or emotion
• Themes may include
• Journey
• Change
• Courage
• Despair
• Introduction and transitions must be memorized

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Interpretative Categories continued

• Storytelling 6.5 to 8 minute story told from
  memory on these topics
• 2007-2008
• A Native American Story
• A Fractured Fairy Tale
• A Scary Story
• A True Story
• A Story of Rivalry

Speaker sits in a chair to perform.
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Interpretative Categories continued

• Solo Acting 6.5 to 8 minute memorized selection
• Quality dramatic or humorous piece of literature.
  
• May be a monologue or piece with a number of
  characters

This category has entry limitations.
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Interpretative Categories continued

• Group Interpretation 2 to 5 readers present a
  piece of literature through vocal and physical
  action
• This is not an acting category!
• 10 to 12 minutes
• Introduction/transitions must be memorized.

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Interpretative Categories continued

• Play acting 2 to 4 people act out a scene or
  cutting from a quality, approved play
• Must be memorized
• 10-12 minutes

This category has entry limitations.
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Can if I miss a practice or meet?

• Practices are required each week.
• If you are sick, arrange a practice the next day.
• If you must be late, bring a pass from your
  teacher.
• If you fail to practice, you will not be allowed
  to compete.
• Absences from a meet must be submitted
• (in writing) at least two weeks before the
  event.
• If you are extremely sick, call the coach so that
  we do not worry.
• The team must pay for your entry whether or not
  you show up once the two week deadline has
  passed.
• Cost Each entry fee (7-10 person) judge fee
  (15 entry)
• That means the team throws away 25 for every
  missing entry!!!

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Informational Meeting

• November 28, 2007
• 300 p.m.
• Room 610
• (see Mr. Zastrow or Mrs. Mabon if unable to
  attend)

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Barnes and Noble bookstore trip

• Wednesday, December 5
• Leave at 300
• Return by 800