This is for a college Public Speaking class. What I need to do is make a speech, approximately 7 minutes long, including visual aids, where I show the class how to do something.
The problem here is that I have no idea what I should talk about. It can’t be too complicated (or it would go over the time limit) and it can’t be too simple (like how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich). Like Napolean Dynamite, my problem is that I don’t have any cool skills. I hope the venerable members of the Straight Dope can give me some suggestions for a topic. I have to come up with something by Friday, May 13th.
How to tie a shoe was a big favorite back in the day. Shining shoes would also work. Maybe tying a necktie? Bake a cake? Clean a fish/small game/waterfowl? Set up a tent? Change a tire (fieldtrip to parking lot optional)?
I teach seventh grade - yes, way too young for your college class - but feeding a baby and changing a baby were done, making non-bake cookies, and polishing silverware. With the dearth of home ec in schools, even sewing a button or ironing a shirt would work.
Well, when I was in speech class (back in 1986), a team did a demonstrative speech as Bob & Doug McKenzie cooking “back bacon”. They brought in a camp stove and had “brews” (IBC Root Beer) while they cooked.
While I realize that you (and/or your fellow students) might not get that particular joke, it’s not a bad starting idea.
Can you demonstrate on a person? I pierced a girl’s ears in high school (but in reality they were already pierced, I just put ice on them and stuck a needle thru).
I was also the “model” for another girl in my class to do a “How to apply Makeup” speech; she chose me because I didn’t use makeup and it was easier. However, it did result in a photo of me with cold cream all over my face making it into the yearbook…
I took a speech class during my senior year of high school, and we also had to do a demonstrative speech. I chose to give a brief lesson about writing programs on the TI-83 calculator. It helped that the math department had nifty devices that could directly connect the calculator to an overhead projector.
Some other ideas:
How to correctly use hyphens, dashes, and semicolons.
How to play chess
How to interpret different time signatures in progressive music
My niece did this same thing, she did fancy napkin folding. The instructions for folding are simple to find on the internet, and she gave a napkin to each class member so they could follow along (audience participation is always a big hit). I think she got the cloth napkins at the dollar store, although if the class has more than a few students I suppose you could get them at a thrift shop or maybe use paper napkins.
Origami would be along the same lines, teach everyone how to make a swan!
I hope the venerable members of the Straight Dope can give me some suggestions for a topic. I have to come up with something by Friday, May 13th.
