During the holidays: Checklist

 
Here are your priorities for Night of Notables in the Term 3 Holidays (in order):

1. Finish your mini-biography, extended biography, timeline, collection of quotes and ensure I have seen them or they are ready for me to see. 
2. Proofread ALL of your work. The aim is to create a display without any spelling or punctuation errors! 
3. Start writing your speech. If you are ahead, practise your speech for an audience (for example: your family) and ask for their feedback. Attempt to memorise your speech!
4. Make a plan for your display.
5. Make a collection/shopping list for your display.
6. Start making your display!
7. Consider your costume, start organising it.

Q.  I am not sure of what to include in my speech.
A. Read the post below on this blog, there are lots of tips there.

Q. Help! I am nervous about creating a display!
A. Read the post below on this blog, there are some examples and suggestions there.

Q. Will you check your email on the school holidays?
A. Maybe once or twice, but not every day. There will be times when you have to make decisions on your own.

Q. I'm lost and am not sure of where to begin.
A. Go back to the checklist I gave you on the first week of class. If you follow that, and read through this blog, you should be set to get back on track.

During the holidays: Speech

 

The time has come to write, practise and deliver your notable speech. Following are some points that will help you create your Notable's speech!

Q. How long should my speech go for?

A. 2 minutes.

Q. Where should I start?

A. Start by looking at all of the information you have gathered. You are telling a life story. You are including the most interesting and engaging aspects of your notable's life.You should aim to display a deep knowledge and understanding of every aspect of your notable's life - that you know and are able to share as much detail as possible.

Q. How do I talk about my notable?

A. You write about your notable in the first person. You actually become them on presentation day! Your tone should be conversational, like you are sharing a story. Tip: Don't just start your speech with 'I was born...' - see if you can do something a little more creative than that!

Q. Any other tips for the presentation of my speech?

A. You should attempt to memorise your speech, at the very least use palm cards and aim for lots of audience eye contact.

Q. When do you want to see a draft of my speech?

A. At the end of Week 1, Term 4.

Q. There is other work I need to finish first. Should I go on and write my speech anyway?

A. No. Please finish all of your other work and research first, and make sure you have emailed it to me or shown me.

Q. What other things do I need to do?

A. After your speech you will go to your stall and take questions from visitors looking at your display. Your should attempt to anticipate all of the different types of questions you will get and have some answers ready! You can practise this at home with a brother or sister, parent, grandparent or friend!

During the holidays: Creating a display

Isn't it exciting? Here is the moment where you can be creative - take some time to sit back and imagine how you will set up your area for the Night of Notables presentation!

Here are some important points that will help you to make your display:

Q. Should I create a plan for my display?
A. Yes. It will also help you make checklists for items you need to collect and things you need to buy for your presentation.

Q. What is the timeline for my display?
A. I would like you to use the holidays to create your display. At the minimum you should draw a plan, like the one below - I want to see it the first week back after holidays. You should then create a list of items you require (to find or buy) and start collecting them. This is followed by actually creating and constructing your display.

Q. Where will I be making my display?
A. Mostly at home, then bringing it in to school.

Q. Where will I be storing my display at school? 
A. Mainly in your classroom or in the Pathways Room. We try our best to look after the displays for you but we can't guarantee it is 100% safe. The best thing to do is to create a plan and show me, then make your display at home in pieces, bringing it in the week before presentation (So, due at school Term 4, Week 2).

Q. I am ahead of time, can I actually make my display at home over the holidays?
A. Yes. But please be careful, especially of your spelling and punctuation. Please check things with an adult before you take out the glue stick! Perhaps you could use something like blutack to move things around before you finalise exactly how you want your design to be,

Q. What are the items that MUST be included on my display?
A. Biography, timeline, quotes - then other items that are of interest to your notable.

Q. Can I have food on my table that represents my notable?
A. Yes. Please just make sure that you don't include nuts, sesame seeds or anything else that may cause allergies in your snacks.

Q. Does the school pay for display materials?
A. Sorry, no. You need to buy your own materials.

Q. What are the dimensions for my display?
A. You have 3 choices:

1. A 'piece of the stage' in the hall - there are 12 of these available (they will be seperated into 'tables')
Dimensions: 183cm long x 122cm wide by 62cm high (adjustable height)

2. A trestle table from the hall - the ones we use for cake stalls, book stalls etc.
Dimensions: 175cm long by 75cm wide (approx).

3. A school desk from your home room (to be negotiated with your teacher).

Q. What about pinboards / cardboard for behind (or to sit on top of) my display?
A. you need to provide this yourself.

Please note the images and ideas below are not from our school. So they are to be used as a guide only, to help with your ideas. Take some time to read and imagine, then go ahead and create a plan for your notable!

Below is a plan hand drawn by a student - you can use your book or folder to create your own!

 

This student created their plan on a computer.

 

Stuck for ideas, not sure how you want to do your display? Here is a plan below. You do not have to use this plan. This is just to help you should you get stuck. The only comments I would like to add if you would like to use this plan below:

• You are not required to include your bibliography (I check your book for that)
• You must include your extended biography somewhere on your display.

 

Here are some displays for you to consider:

• This Anne Frank display is very easy for the audience to read. I particularly like the pictorial timeline at the bottom!
• The photographs are large and easy to see
• The students name is large and easy to read.

 

This Dr Seuss display has so much information! I enjoy that it is colourful and there are examples of his books included, along with a laptop display.

 

Look to the bottom left of this display on Benjamin Franklin. An actual diorama of his Print Shop has been created! Also an excellent timeline is on display here.

 

I'm not sure about who this table represents but some lovely items are arranged to invite a curious audience over to the table.

Wishing you luck, I hope this post has got your creative juices flowing!

Issue: Using Quotation Marks

Using quotation marks correctly is a very important requirement of Night of Notables.

Education Scotland explains it well:

Speech marks – which are also known as inverted commas – simply separate the words someone in a sentence actually says from the rest of the sentence.

These words are called direct speech. For example:

"I’ll be back home soon," Jim shouted to his mum.

There are some simple rules to follow:

• Put every word that was said inside speech marks.
• Always use a capital letter for the first word of each sentence inside the speech marks:
• "I’m going out now. Is that OK?" he asked.
• Mum said quietly, "Please sit down."
• Separate the direct speech from the rest of the sentence, usually using a comma:
• Mum said quietly, "Please sit down."
• "Please sit down," Mum said quietly.

You can test your knowledge by taking an online quiz here.