Speech September - October Topics
1. Discover a career (grown-up job) that interests you that requires science, math, or both.
2. Discover superstitions and/or "old wives" tales. Tell about one and its history (how it started).
3. Discover the History of the English Alphabet. Where did our words and letters originate from?
4. Discover our food source. What is genetically modified food? What does it mean to be a vegan or vegetarian? Where does our food come from?
5. Discover an Oregon symbol (bird, flower, animal, etc.) Tell why it was selected and what it stands for.
6. Discover the effects of pollution. What forms of pollution are there? How does it impact our world?
7. Discover a famous Oregonian, past or present. Tell us about him/her, his/her life, and why he/she became famous.
8. Discover alternative sources of energy and their use. Why do we need to be thinking of using various sources?
9. Discover Mars. Choose to tell about the Roman god for whom the planet was named, or explain what scientists have learned in recent years.
10. Discover an endangered species. Tell us why it is endangered and what we can do to prevent extinction for this animal.
11. Discover the law of supply and demand. How does it affect the cost of your holiday gifts?
12. Discover the Nobel Prize. Who was Alfred Nobel and when and to whom is the prize awarded? Name a few recipients and why they won this prestigious award.
13. Get your head in the clouds. Discover how clouds are formed and the various types of clouds in the sky.
14. Discover a famous musician. Tell us about his/her instrument and the type of music they play. Give us some history on either the person or the instrument or both! Let us hear the music!
15. Discover natural disasters. Think of some ideas for how much of the damage might be avoided or lessened.
16. Discover your zodiac sign. What are the traits of this sign? What famous people have this is sign? Are you alike or similar?
Speech November - December Topics
1. Research an inventor. Tell his/her story and how they have added to our lives.
2. Discover a famous African-American, past or present. Tell about his/her life and contributions.
3. Discover leaders who changed the world. How did they achieve this change and how did it impact society.
4. Discover the Winter Olympics. How is it decided where the Olympics will be held and what events will be featured? What are some of the traditions in the Olympics? What is the International Olympic Committee?
5. Discover the evolution of computers; when and where they were first developed, how they were used, what do we have to look forward to in the future.
6. What is the history behind St. Patrick's Day? What would it mean if you wore orange instead of green? Tell about Ireland's biggest ongoing problem past and present.
7. Are you "lucky"? Teach a game or do a trick where the "odds" of winning may not be good. Learn about probability. (You might ask your teacher for some game hints to share).
8. Let's go fly a ..a...Well, let's learn about aerodynamics and how/why planes, kites, and birds fly. You can teach paper airplane making, if you can show the reason it flies well!
9. Spring is in the air, or will be this month. Explain the vernal equinox (equi-nox) and why we are blessed to have seasons anyway.
10. Tell us the pros and cons of cloning. What is cloning and when did it start?
11. Persuade us that zoos are good/bad for the preservation of animals.
12. Persuade us that uniforms should/should not be compulsory (required) in schools.
13. Persuade us that it is/is not important to learn a second language.
14. Persuade us that there are/are not benefits to homework.
15. Persuade us that school testing should be allowed/not allowed to label students above average, average, below average.
Speech January - February Topics
1. Discover a state other than Oregon. Tell us about the state bird, flower, flag, etc. and remind us how and why it was chosen.
2. "We are pioneers!" Discover one of your ancestors who was an Oregon "pioneer" in some way. Who came here first? When? How? What did he/she bring to Oregon's culture?
3. Look at this pattern: 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21....Can you continue this famous number sequence? It's called the Fibonacci sequence after the Italian mathematician who "discovered" it. Discover Fibonacci and his life OR find examples of this sequence in nature. (Hint: Count flower petals in multi-layer flowers for starters).
4. With warmer weather comes more outdoor play....hooray! Discover safety on bikes, skateboards, roller blades, or scooters. Teach the class how to be safer while having more fun!
5. Discover a particular Revolution or Movement in History. Why is this movement important and what group of people did it impact and how.
6. Myths and legends are part of a group's heritage. Learn a Native American legend and practice telling it like it would have been told by Native Americans years ago. Don't read it! Tell it with expression, emotion, and personality!
7. Warm weather also means accidents. You should know some basic first aid in case of emergency. Explain what someone your age can do in case of bleeding, choking, or if someone isn't breathing.
8. Who are the state senators and state representatives for Multnomah County? Are they Republican or Democrat? Find out about one of them - - their family, jobs (normally), and views on things that are important to you.
9. Discover a National Park. How many are there in the USA? What makes it a "National" park? What is the history behind National Parks? Tell us about a few and what they are famous for.
10. What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? How is it use?
Speech March - April Topics