Attention Getters
Startling Statements
OBJECTIVE: The students will be able to identity and write a startling statement for their speech topics.
MATERIALS: Topic worksheet, computer/internet usage
STEPS:
- Give an overview to the students of what a startling statement/attention getter is. (It is statement or fact that grabs the audience’s attention in order to make them want to listen to your speech.)
- Hand out the topic worksheet.
- Pair students into groups of two.
- Explain to students the instructions on the top of the sheet.
- Give students a maximum of 20 minutes to search the internet to find or come up with a startling statement or attention getter for each of the topics on the worksheet. *BE SURE TO CONSTATNLY MONITOR THE STUDENT’S INTERNET USAGE TO BE SURE THEY ARE STAYING ON TASK!*
- After students have found a startling statement for each topic, bring them back together into one group and have them share a few what they found with the class.
- Explain to the class which suggestions/findings were good ones and which were not, and explain why.
RESULTS: Have students write down 5 startling statements that work with their speech topic. They will be expected to share them with the teacher the next day.
Name:___________________________________ Date:________________
Directions: Using the internet, find startling statements that would work as an attention getter for each of the following speech topics. Record the website you obtained your information from. Get creative! Don’t just use boring facts for each one! Remember: They are supposed to grab the audience’s attention and pull them into wanting to listen to the rest of your speech!
- The movie Ghost Busters
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Source: ___________________________________________________________
- Football
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Source: ___________________________________________________________
- Volleyball
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Source: ___________________________________________________________
- Paper
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Source: ___________________________________________________________
- Spiders (any type, but PLEASE SPECIFY)
__________________________________________________________________
Source: ___________________________________________________________
- Vehicle Manufacturing
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Source: ___________________________________________________________
- Abortion
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Source: ___________________________________________________________
- Alcoholism
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Source: ___________________________________________________________
- Your favorite music group.
__________________________________________________________________
Source: ___________________________________________________________
- A topic of your choice (PLEASE SPECIFY): _____________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Source: ___________________________________________________________
Name: TEACHER’S COPY__(Examples)____ Date:________________
Directions: Using the internet, find startling statements that would work as an attention getter for each of the following speech topics. Get creative! Don’t just use boring facts for each one! Remember: They are supposed to grab the audience’s attention and pull them into wanting to listen to the rest of your speech!
- The movie Ghost Busters
Start speech by singing the theme song.
- Football
The first girl to play tackle football was Luverne “Toad” Wise who played in 1939 for the Escambia County (Alabama) High School football team. (http://www.fortunecity.com/wembley/mueller/641/princesses/timeline.html)
- Volleyball
Volleyball was created in 1895 for middle aged men who were looking for a sport to play that was less strenuous than basketball. (http://mountolivevolleyball.tripod.com/id6.html)
- Paper
Recycling one ton of paper saves about 17 trees. (http://paperproject.org/paperfacts.html)
- Spiders (any type, but PLEASE SPECIFY)
Daddy Long Legs are the most poisonous spider in the world, but their mouths are too small to bite anyone.
- Vehicle Manufacturing
Over 10,000 people were laid-off by Chevy in 2009.
- Abortion
About 3,700 abortions take place everyday in the U.S. (http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html)
- Alcoholism
Signs of alcohol show up in 10 minutes and last over an hour. (http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com/alcoholism-facts.html)
- Your favorite music group.
Start by singing one of their songs
- A topic of your choice (PLEASE SPECIFY): _____________________________
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Mandy Brabec
9-9-09