Small Group Alternative Activity

In your group complete the activity below by ranking items after careful consideration and deliberation with the members of your group. There is only one correct combination that would secure your survival.


Once you've tallied your individual ranking (IR) meet as a group and complete your group ranking. Then on Thursday, April 29, log onto this site to get the correct ranking to see how you did.

Then write an original and thorough evaluation of your group's discussion and participation in the following three areas; quantitative participation of each member, qualitative participation of each member, and an overall analysis of the group's communication as a whole.

USAF Survivor Worksheet

You have just crash-landed in the woods of North Minnesota and Southern Manitoba. It is 11:32 a m. in mid-January. The small plane in which you were traveling has been completely destroyed except for the frame. The pilot and co-pilot are dead, but no one else in your group is seriously injured.

The crash came suddenly before the pilot had time to radio for help or inform anyone of your position. Because your pilot was trying to avoid a storm, you know the plane was considerably off course. The pilot announced shortly before the crash that you were eighty miles northwest of a small town that is the nearest known habitation.

You are in a wilderness area made up of thick woods broken by many lakes and rivers. The last weather report indicated that the temperature would reach –25 degrees in the daytime and –40 degrees at night. You are dressed in winter clothing appropriate for city wear – suits, pantsuits, street shoes, and overcoats.

You may assume that the number of survivors is the same as the number of people in your group and that the group has agreed to stick together.

While escaping the plane your group salvaged the fifteen items listed here. Your task is to rank these items according to their importance to your group’s survival, starting with “1” for the most important and proceeding to “15” for the least important:

A. 7  Compress kit (with 28 feet of 2” gauze)

B. 2  Ball of steel wool

C. 1  Cigarette light (no fluid)

D. 12  Loaded .45-caliber pistol

E. 4  Newspaper (one per person)

F. 15  Compass

G. 10  Two ski poles

H. 6  Knife

I. 13  Sectional air map made of plastic

J. 5  30 feet of rope

K. 8  Chocolate bar (one per person)

L. 11  Flashlight with batteries

M. 14  Quart of 85 proof whiskey

N. 3  Extra shirt and pants for each survivor

O. 9  Can of shortening

Persuade Rubric

1. Speaker effectively draws audience into presentation with attention-getting step.
_____ (10 Points)

2. Speaker sets up the direction of their persuade by stating their claim and sign posting their warrant and solvency.
_____ (10 Points)

3. Speaker establishes claim with evidence, adequate research to establish ethos.
_____ (10 Points)

4. Speaker justifies claim with a logical and/or psychological warrant, providing reasoning that seeks solvency.
_____ (10 Points)

5. Speaker sites evidence, backed up with specific source citations that support their reasoning.
_____ (10 Points)

6. Speaker makes transitions from claim to warrant to solvency that relate each item and progress the speech.
____ (10 Points)

7. Speaker demonstrates improved delivery skills in enunciation, dynamics, audience address and movement.
_____ (10 Points)

8. Speaker’s product shows preparation and rehearsal.
_____ (10 Points)

9. Speaker concludes presentation with a call-to-action and ties back to the attention-getting step in their introduction.
_____ (10 Points)

10. Speaker shows competency overall in organizing the main ideas of a persuasive speech and delivering them to an audience.
_____ (10 Points)


Total Points :_____(100 Points)

Sample Persuade Outline - Monroe

This is a sample outline for a typical motivational persuade based on Monroe's Motivated Sequence. Use this in constructing your presentation and include where you would integrate your images for support.


Topic:
Specific Purpose:
Thesis Statement:

I. Introduction
A. Attention-Getting Step:
B. Tie to Audience:
C. Credibility Material:
D. Thesis & Preview: (The preview includes your three platforms)

(Transition into Body of Speech)

II. Body
A. Main Point #1 -- Need

1.(Statement of Need for Action)
a.(Description of Problem)
b.(Signs, Symptoms, Effects of Problem)
c.(Example, Narrative, or Testimony)

2. (Importance of Problem)
a.(Extent of Problem)
b.(Facts/Statistics)
c.(Expert Testimony)

3. (Who is Affected)
a. (Facts/Statistics)
b. (Example/Narrative)

(Transition into Main Point 2)

B. Main Point #2 (Present Solution that Satisfies Need)
1. (Description of Solution)
a. (How Solution Satisfies Need)
b. (How Solution can be Implemented)
(1) (Plan of Action)
(2) (Steps of Plan)
(i) (Step 1 of Plan)
(ii) (Step 2 of Plan)

(Transition into Main Point 3)

C. Main Point #3 (Visualize Results)
1. (Describe Expected Results of Action)
2. (Describe Consequences of Inaction)

(Transition into Conclusion)

III. Conclusion
A. Summary:
B. Tie Back to Attention-Getting Step:
C. Call for Action:


Checklist:
I have analyzed my audience on this topic & have determined they are ready for action.

I have narrowed my topic to focus upon a problem that needs to be solved with action

I have clearly stated the purpose of my speech.

My thesis statement is written as a complete declarative sentence.

My introduction focuses attention, establishes my credibility, & previews my message.

The first main point in my speech establishes the need for action.

The second main point in my speech details a plan of action that satisfies the need.

The third main point in my speech visualizes the results of action and the consequences of inaction.

My integrated visuals support my points but do not draw away from my delivery.

Persuasive Appeals

Take a look at this.



As she indicated, a combination of at least two of these appeals will affect your audience on deeper levels.

The appeal to logic has to be synthesized or reduced enough to reach your audience and make that light turn on. Speaking above their heads or using jargon that thwarts shared meaning will only increase the psychological noise of your listeners, so make sure your logical appeal makes sense and functions to the end of supporting the direction of your presentation. Integrating images can help you reach this end through illustrating your point.

Pathos is more easily reached when compounded visually. The power of an anecdote can be increased with a photograph or photographic sequence. At the same time, you can't discount your delivery in attempting an emotional affect, your paralinguistics - rate, tone, pitch - need to interpret meaning from your anecdote or story as much as your images provide a context for that meaning.

Ethos is all about you, your charisma, your competency, your character. Take a look at two polarized examples regardless of your political moorings; President-elect Obama and President Bush.

Persuasion and Proof

No message can be considered and produced without regard to the audience, not a new idea, it's one whose truth was comprehensively brought to light by Aristotle. "The orator has therefore to guess the subjects on which the hearers really hold views already, and what those views are, and then must express, as general truths, these same views on these same subjects."

No small task. This is where it comes in handy to do two things; find your own standpoint, and be open to others, seemingly a juxtaposition in task.

That's why so many resources are devoted to market research, demographic study, opinion polls, even swiping your Albertson's card. This data provide paradigms by which advertisers, evangelists and politicians can craft their messages.

Feeling vulnerable? If you're using Google's Gmail for instance, watch the relevance of the ads posted alongside the messages in your in box. Watch how these ads change in relevancy and content while you compose your next message, or open a new message. Audience analysis on a virtual intelligent level, though it's just matching terms and proper nouns, though it's working well enough to make Google billions.

Aristotle held that there are common ideas, values that give us motivation, impetus to respond based on how we feel, how strongly we're connected, how thoroughly we're convicted. Family, security, wealth, health, sex, wisdom, longevity, propriety...

What are yours? What is your standpoint?