Junior Year Culminating Project

This I Believe 

This culminating activity is inspired by the This I Believe international organization.  According to their website the goal of the organization is to engage people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values and believes that guide their lives. 

Our goal with this project is generally the same, to engage you in talking about a lesson, belief, and/or value that matters to you. It is also to help set you up for the kind of personal writing that you will be tasked with next year. 

Click here for your own copy of this packet

After listening, let's debrief. What are some of the reasons Murrow offers for the need for this type of radio show? How does Murrow describe the purpose(s) for the “This I Believe” speech?  Fill out your thinking on the Performance Task packet.

For a recap of our discussion, see the recorded video below.

Explore the This I Believe Writing Guidelines and Speeches:

The Guidelines: https://thisibelieve.org/guidelines/#explore

The Speeches: https://thisibelieve.org/themes/

Part 1: Teacher models analysis of a “This I Believe” Essay/Speech 

Your first task is to act like a sociologist and observe the “analysis moves” and annotations of that I make. As I analyze the text, add annotations to your own copy of the “This I Believe” essay. After reading and annotating, your I will model the process of using the “Teacher Model Note-Catcher” chart to analyze how the theme of the essay was developed over the course of the text.  After reading, I will lead a think aloud/discussion with the class regarding how the piece I informed my beliefs and values.  

If you are in class, work along with me, taking notes on my thoughts and adding your own thoughts to the “Teacher Model Note-Catcher”. If you are working from home watch the video below and see my annotations and my modeled work on the Note-Catcher.

Part 2: Small Group Analysis of a “This I Believe” Speech 

The first step is to choose a “This I Believe Speech” from a bank of speeches below. 

If you are in class, you will work in groups with other students who chose the same speech as you to complete the “Group Student Note-Catcher” chart. If you are not in class, you will have to work through this part on your own.

Use the provided copy of the “This I Believe” essay guidelines (below) to analyze how the speaker develops his/her theme through the course of the text, as well as how the speech fits the guidelines.  To do this, follow these directions:

1. As you read the “This I Believe” essay, annotate the text looking for evidence of the author’s belief as well as words or phrases that indicate some of the choices the author made in writing the piece.

2. Identify on your “Group Student Note Catcher” the author’s belief and tone as well as significant choices the author makes to convey his or her belief.  A significant choice might be a metaphor.  It might be sarcasm.  It might be charged words.  There are many choices an author could make to convey the belief.  After you have identified the author’s significant choices, analyze on your “Group Student Note Catcher” how these choices convey the author’s belief.

3. After analyzing with your group and filling out your “Group Student Note Catcher”, answer the following question on the note catcher, individually: 

In what ways does this piece inform your own beliefs and values?  For example, by agreeing or disagreeing with the author, did the selection help you keep, expand, or discard your previous beliefs? (Write your answer on the “Group Student Note Catcher”) 

This I Believe Guidelines

• Tell a story: Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events of your life. Consider moments when belief was formed or tested or changed. Think of your own experience, work, and family, and tell of the things you know that no one else does. Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be funny—but it should be real. Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and the shaping of your beliefs.

• Be brief: Your statement should be between 350 and 500 words. That’s about three minutes when read aloud at your natural pace.

• Name your belief: If you can’t name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about a belief. Also, rather than writing a list, consider focusing on one core belief, because three minutes is a very short time.

• Be positive: Please avoid preaching or editorializing. Tell us what you do believe, not what you don’t believe. Avoid speaking in the editorial “we.” Make your essay about you; speak in the first person.

• Be personal: Write in words and phrases that are comfortable for you to speak. We recommend you read your essay aloud to yourself several times, and each time edit it and simplify it until you find the words, tone, and story that truly echo your belief and the way you speak. 

Part 3: Composition of This I Believe Speech

Your assignment:  Using the sample “This I Believe” speeches you analyzed and the “This I Believe Guidelines”, you will now compose your own, “This I Believe” essay/speech making intentional authorial choices to create and develop a theme over the course of the text.  You will present this speech orally or by audio/video to your class.

Directions:  

1. After reading and analyzing this author’s essay, you are inspired to write a “This I Believe” essay.  So, you read the guidelines for writing one.  You learn that you must tell a brief, personal story in which you name your belief in a sentence or two.  You learn also that your story must be positive and should sound like you.  

2. Before writing your essay, you want to know how well the essay you just read meets the stated guidelines so on your note catcher you list the five criteria from the Guidelines and evaluate the essay’s effectiveness in each category.

3. Prepare to write your essay by spending at least 3 minutes brainstorming on personal binder paper and listing your beliefs.  Next, spend at least 3 more minutes determining whether you have a specific, personal story for each belief that illustrates when the belief was formed or tested or changed.  Next, pick one of your beliefs as the topic of your paper and outline it using a point-by-point, web, or other graphic organizer.

4. Draft your essay.

5. After writing your first draft, revise it for content, organization, and authorial choices.  Go back through your draft.  What choices did you make to present the stories and the beliefs?  Could you do anything differently or more deliberately to get your point across? Keep in mind that you will be presenting the essay orally in speech form.  Considering this, are there any other choices you would make?

6. Peer Review with a partner, discussing your authorial choices and their effects on the audience.

7. Have a peer read your essay and complete chart below on how well your essay followed the “This I Believe” essay writing guidelines.  Then, have the same partner re-read your essay and complete the “Author Says, Author Does” chart below.

*** See your packet for the peer review sheet***

Part 4: Complete an analysis of your own “This I Believe” Speech 

Directions:

1. As you read your “This I Believe” essay, identify specific textual evidence – words or phrases – that indicate some of the choices you made in writing the piece.

2. Identify on your “Individual Note Catcher” the theme you attempted to convey to your audience, as well, as significant choices you made to convey your belief.  A significant choice might be a metaphor.  It might be sarcasm.  It might be charged words.  There are many choices you might have made to convey the belief.  After you have identified these significant choices, analyze on your “Individual Note Catcher” how these choices convey your message/belief.

 Question: What was the most effective technique you used to convey your belief? How do you hope your audience’s beliefs will change after listening to your speech? (Write your answer on the “Individual Note Catcher”!) 

Part 5: Deliver of your "This I Believe" Speech to an Audience.  

Directions:

1.   Make any final changes to your speech, based on the peer review and your own analysis of your speech.

2.   Read the Writing/Speaking Performance Task Rubric. *** See your packet for this information***

3. Practice your speech.  

4. Make and deliver an audio or video recording of your “This I Believe” essay to your teacher to be listened to in class, or deliver your speech live in class.