how to write a speech for 4 h

Cooperative Extension in Cumberland County

Giving a 4-h presentation and demonstration, giving a 4-h presentation.

• Planning How you decide on your topic.
• Parts The three main parts of your presentation.
• Video:  It’s Showtime! How to Demonstrate the 4-H Way (YouTube) from New Mexico State University.

The first step is to decide the topic for your presentation.

The three parts of the demonstration or speech:

1. Introduction:

• Grab the audience’s attention with a quick story, question, quote, joke or another method.
• Tell the audience your personal information (name, age, 4-H club, years in 4-H).
• Tell the audience the theme or topic of your talk — this is when you tell the audience, in a short sentence, what you are going to tell them in the next part of your presentation.

2. Body: Tell the audience the information.

The body of the presentation is the longest part of your presentation and should take up most of your time. The body should include the main points (or steps) of the presentation in an organized order. For example, when making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the steps you give the audience might be to:

gather ingredients/supplies, put peanut butter on bread, put jelly on bread, and put the pieces together to form a sandwich.  Your presentation will probably be much more detailed than this!

3. Conclusion: Tell the audience the information that you just told them.

The presenter should use one or two paragraphs to summarize their presentation by restating the main points of your talk. During your conclusion, you should always:

• Ask if there are any questions from the audience. Make sure to repeat any questions asked so everyone in the audience can hear what is asked.
• Conclusion from 4:10 to end: 4-H Victoria Watson demonstration part 2 (YouTube)
• and this video from 2:34 to 3:48: How to Give a 4-H Demonstration (YouTube)

There are a lot of things to remember when you are “performing” your speech or demonstration. For right now, we are going to focus on four important steps that will help your audience follow your presentation. We will use the acronym “P.A.V.E.” to remember these steps:

P :  Pace The easiest mistake to make as a speaker is to talk too fast! Practice your presentation in front of an adult or your siblings and ask them to tell you if you talk too fast. It is a good idea to talk especially slow while you share very important points in your presentation.

A: Audience Remember your audience by making eye contact and smiling.

V: Volume Make sure your audience can hear you. Don’t be afraid of a microphone — it is there to help you!

E: Energy Be excited about your topic! Tell the audience what you like about your topic and what it means to you. And smile! If it seems like you don’t care about the topic then the audience won’t care either.

Four things to avoid when giving a presentation!

• Video:  Top 4 things to avoid while giving a speech (YouTube)

For more resources about choosing, writing, and giving a 4-H presentation, visit Public Presentations from University of Illinois Extension page.

Let’s try a speech

• Write a 30-second speech that has an introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Join your 4-H club
• Attend 4-H Mini-Forum
• Give a demonstration at the Public Presentation Festival
• Volunteer to help collect food for the Food Bank
• Raise an animal/pet such as a cow, horse or dog (or any animal you want!)

Demonstration Guidelines

What is a Demonstration? Demonstration is an opportunity for any 4-H participant to prepare, organize and present an idea by using visual aids and teaching skills. Such things as showing a friend how to tie a knot, take a picture or play cribbage are all examples of giving a demonstration.

Why should I do a Demonstration? Giving a demonstration in front of an audience will help you to think on your feet and to speak in front of a group of peers and families.  This is a great and fun way to begin to prepare you for more challenging events that may involve public speaking.

What will I get out of doing a Demonstration? Once you’re done you will feel proud of yourself for taking part in a County event and talking to an audience.  You will boost your confidence to try other events.  You just might meet some new people and make a new friend.

Each participant is encouraged to demonstrate a topic or activity that interests you.  Anything goes and the sky’s the limit!! Remember to be a successful 4-H Demonstrator, you must understand what you are demonstrating, keep it simple and comfortable to do, and most of all have fun doing it!

Wisconsin 4-H Publications

Division of extension, 4-h public speakers handbook.

All aspects of organizing and researching, writing and presenting speeches are included in this manual, along with tips for improving oral delivery; and coping with stress, stage fright and competition. Communication information that is covered includes: speech planning and delivery techniques,  speech topics, vocal delivery and pronunciation and enunciation skills. This handbook is part of the Building Bridges Communications series. (PDF – 28 pages, 988 KB) Keywords – audience, appropriate, non-verbal communication, gestures

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• Guide to Making Great Speeches

Communication and public speaking are important life skills gained through 4-H participation. Speaking face-to-face is one of the oldest forms of communication and is still the most effective. The listener hears your words, but more than that, he/she watches your face and your hands. They catch your enthusiasm or your concern. It is a warm, personal way of communicating. For the rest of your life, you will be communicating, trying to persuade and to inform. The work you do now in 4-H public speaking will have longer-lasting benefits than any event. So give it all you’ve got!

By giving a speech, you develop:

• Ability to express yourself clearly and convincingly
• Skills in organizing your ideas and ability to present them in a logical order
• Research skills and factual information to support your ideas.
• Poise and confidence in your ability to present your ideas.

The only way to learn good public speaking skills is to give one, and you’ll get better the more you give.

Start with something simple, perhaps among friends at a 4-H Club meeting. You’ll have their interest and support, and the butterflies won’t be jumping in your stomach. All 4-H members should give at least one presentation or public speech each year. Once a year, you can find something to talk about, that you want to share with others. And you will learn more when you do a presentation than the members who watch.

Remember that public speaking is basically the same as a presentation, except that:

• It is just telling.
• It requires careful planning and effective delivery with gestures, voice variety, and proper grammar.

Types of Speeches

Before selecting a topic, you need to be aware of the different types of speeches. There are four major types: informative, persuasive, motivational and entertaining.

• Informative speech gives your audience information and facts on a subject.
• Persuasive speech is used to affect the listener’s behavior by changing a way of thinking. You are trying to convince or persuade them that your opinion is best.
• Motivational speech encourages people to join an activity, initiate a program or take some other kind of action.
• Entertaining speech amuses the audience, but it can also be used as a tool to communicate a message.

Selecting a Topic

Your first step is to select a subject or topic. Usually you’ll do best if you choose a subject from your own experiences. Determine the purpose of your presentation. Is it to inform, or do you want to create action?

When selecting your subject, ask yourself is it:

• Something you like to do.
• Something you have learned to do in 4-H or about 4-H.
• One single idea or theme.
• Something you think others would like to know how to do or know about.
• Timely and seasonal.
• Something interesting and worthwhile to you and your audience.
• Something you can do in a limited time.
• Something that has economic or practical importance to your community, your family, or to you.
• A topic on which you already have some knowledge, would like to know more about, and have an interest.
• A subject suitable to your age, experience, and surroundings.

You can find information about your subject from books, the Internet, newspapers, and magazines. Talk to parents, leaders, or teachers for ideas.

Select the topic you feel will work best and begin to organize your thoughts.

Planning a Speech

The purpose of your speech should be to communicate your ideas to your audience. To do this, your speech must be organized so that the audience can understand what you are telling them. A speech is usually outlined into three major parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion.

• Introduction : captures the attention of the audience. It introduces the central thought of the speech and appeals to the interests of the audience.
• Body : presents the major points through discussion and examples. This is the longest section fo the speech.
• Conclusion : restates the central thought and summarizes the major highlights of the speech. This is the "final thought," the high point and the last chance to impress the audience.

Identify Key Ideas First. Don't start gathering material until you have listed two to five major ideas or thoughts you want your listeners to know. These will guide your search.

Get Organized The four common ways to organize a speech are: 1) Logical, 2) Topical, 3) Spatial, and 4) Chronological.

• Logical . In this form, the problem is stated and the speaker gives the possible solutions. In a persuasive speech, the action or response the speaker gets from the audience is part of the solution.
• Topical . Here the speech is divided into general areas which become main headings. Suppose we were to inform an audience about the 4-H Club emblem. We might say that the emblem is composed of four H's. The names of these four H's woudl become our main headings. 
• Spatial . In this arrangement, the main headings are physically related to each other. An informative speech about the human body (head, shoulders, legs, feet, etc.) would use spatial arrangement.
• Chronological . The fourth arrangement is according to time sequence. In telling the history of America, a speaker discusses the events of history year by year.

Of these four arrangeents, logical and topical are used most often.

Use an Outline An outline is used to help you prepare the speech. It gives you a format to follow and helps get your thoughts onto paper in an organized manner. Here is a simple outline that you can change to fit your needs. This might be used for an informative speech with topical organization.

• Introduction
• Opening phrases to get audience attention
• Subject or purpose statement - why the audience should be concerned
• Bring 4-H into speech
• Sub-point, including detail
• How 4-H is or can be involved
• Summary of main points
• Closing statements

A good speaker usually prefers speaking from an outline. Speaking from a script may hamper delivery because one tends to read rather than "speak" from notes. However, in some instances, it may be wise to write out a speech. Make the decision based on what makes you the most comfortable. If you use notes, write them large enough so you can see them at a glance.

Develop a Catchy Introduction A good introduction is like a handshake; it introduces you in a friendly way. An attention-getter during the introduction makes the audience react positively and makes you feel successful. When you capture the listener's attention, you make them want to listen. The other purpose of the introduction is to inform the audience of your subject. This is where you will state the main points of your speech. Do not expand on them yet; just state them so that the audience knows what your speech is about.

To capture the attention and interest of the audience, you might begin your speech by:

• Challengin them wtih a question.
• Giving a startling statement, but not an offensive one.
• Recounting a personal experience or telling a story.
• Using an appropriate poem or quote. Be sure the method you choose is one that relates to the audience and to what you are going to say.
• Referencing a common experience with humor.
• Revealing statistics related to a cause.

Speakers usually don't begin with, "Good morning. My name is . . ." because it does not capture the interest of the audience. The introduction sets the stage for the speech, so you may want to write this section last. The length of the introduction should never exceed the body of the speech. It should be about five to ten percent of the total time allotted.

Develop the Body The body portion of your speech is where you support the main points of your topic. It contains the heart of your information. Plan this part of your speech first, and then you can develop an introduction and a conclusion that are appropriate. Three to five main points are a good number to use so the audience will not get confused. Try to keep your ideas well-defined so that the audience will remember them. The material supporting main points may be classified into four general types: testimony, statistics, examples, and analogies. 

• Testimony: the expression of an opinion on a topic by any person.
• Statistics: quantitative information produced by organizing and analyzing data collected and the relationships among them.
• Examples: include personal experience interviews with knowledgeable and experienced people, documents, and library resources.
• Analogy: a method of reasoning, concluding that when two particulars are alike in a number of known respects, they will be alike in an unknown respect.

Create a Memorable Conclusion The conclusion is the part of your speech that the audience will remember the most. It should summarize your main points in the body, briefly giving your audience one more chance to hear what you have said. Your conclusion may also motivate your audience to action or just round out your thoughts bringing the speech to a smooth ending. Don't expand on your points in this section. All of the details are given in the body. Listeners tend to remember first and last statements. Give these crucial moments of your speech special attention. While experts recommend that you not memorize your entire speech, it is helpful to memorize your introduction and conclusion. This insures you will get off to a good tsart, even if you are nervous. 

The introduction tells what you are going to tell them, the body is where you tell them, and the conclusion is where you tell them what you have told them. 

Using Transitions Transitions are the connecting parts of the speech. Transition words or phrases allow you to move smoothly from one point to another, developing relationships to help listeners understand your message. 

Transitions can be used between the three major parts of the speech and within each part. Use transitions between:

• The introduction and body. ("I will identify five reasons . . .")
• The major points wihtin the body. ("In addition to that, we need to . . . otherwise, we will not be able . . . and consequently the 4-H'ers . . .")
• The body and conclusion. ("So this means we must . . .")

These sample words can help accomplish the following transitions:

• Further, besides, also, finally, again -- to add a point.
• But, despite, however, on the contrary, yet -- to contrast one point with another.
• Consequently, therefore, accordingly -- to identify a result of an activity.
• Either, both, not only, on the other hand -- to link two alternate points.

When, then, inasmuch as -- to identify a cause of a major point.

So this means, to be sure, in reality -- to repeat and emphasize a point.

Points are, first, the, follow by, next -- to call attention to the next point. 

Planning Your Time There are approximately 150 words in each speaking minute. If you have seven minutes for a speech, you will prepare approximately 1,050 words. Consider this time schedule as a guide:

• 5-10% Introduction (50-115 words)
• 80% Body (850 words)
• 10-15% Conclusion (115-150 words)

Tips for Writing Your Speech

• Use your own words. Your words when spoken versus a written script will have a conversational quality and sound natural.
• Try not to use long sentences. They are hard to understand when spoken.
• Simplify ideas and main points so that the audience can understand and remember them.
• Use examples, stories, dialogue, or anything to help your audience visualize what you are telling them.
• Avoid clichés and words that are hard for you to pronounce.

Delivering Your Speech

The First Impression You will come to the audience’s attention as soon as you start to walk to the front of the room or onto the stage. You will have written and learned your speech, but there are other things that you need to do to be a successful public speaker:

• Create a “presence” by walking briskly to the front of the room with a sense of purpose. Project a feeling of confidence.
• Pause just a few seconds and smile naturally to relieve tension before speaking.
• Don’t be rigid. Use a relaxed and balanced posture. Often it works to separate your feet by 10 to 12 inches, perhaps with one foot slightly forward. This is a “home base” posture. It is your starting point for the speech. You don’t have to stay planted the entire time, however. You can move around. Move back and forward, going to and from the home base.
• Stand straight with your arms at your sides until you are ready to gesture. Practice good posture at all times.
• Look good. Get “a little bit dressed up”— reflect to your audience that this is an important event for you. Make a special effort to be well-groomed. Wear attractive, comfortable clothes (nothing inappropriate).
• If you’re nervous, don’t announce it. Once you do, your audience feels obligated to worry about you.

Delivery Delivery is a very important aspect of public speaking. It includes how well you use your voice and nonverbal communication or body actions. Look for these qualities in a good speaking voice:

• Vocal Expression
• Quality - mellow, clear, stable, steady, rich and full, instead of thin, harsh, nasal and shaky.
• Force - volume and intensity. Force of the voice should vary according to what you are saying to avoid monotony, but should be pleasant to listen to and loud enough to be heard.
• Pitch - position on the scale at which you speak. Different words will have higher or lower inflections than others, such as the rising of pitch at the end of a question. Normal speaking pitch should be at a moderate level.
• Rate - speed at which you speak. Rate will change with the effect you want to give. By slowing down, you can think ahead and give the audience a chance to absorb what you are saying. Pauses can be used effectively. But don’t let them appear to be memory problems.
• Enthusiasm - this is the magic ingredient. Enthusiasm is what convinces your audience to see your point of view, to agree with the material you are presenting. Enthusiasm helps build audience acceptance and creates a feeling of enjoyment and togetherness between the listener and the speaker. Remember, enthusiasm is contagious. Once you have it, it is not difficult to infect the audience with it.
• Enunciation and Articulation
• Pronounce all words so that the audience hears them. Try not to let endings such as “-ing” drop off words.
• Look up words if you are not sure of their correct pronunciation.
• Most of us have a tendency to slur words together, but over-precision is undesirable, too. It will sound “mech.can-i-cal.”
• A pleasing voice comes from a relaxed condition. By breathing deeply and evenly, you should be able to overcome a little of your nervousness. Short sentences will help put the pauses where they belong in relation to breathing.

All of these qualities contribute to the outcome of your speech. You have probably heard it one time or another, “It’s not what you said, but how you said it.” This shows that the way we speak has much to do with what our audience actually hears.

What to Do with Your Hands Body action is any physical movement by the speaker. It can relate your thoughts and feelings to the audience almost as effectively as words, so it is very important to understand this type of communication. How you feel always communicates itself to the audience through body language.

Any body movement, except moving from one spot to another, is considered a gesture. To convey your ideas to the audience, you will need to use your whole body. Use facial expressions and direct eye contact with your audience. Smile, frown, etc., just as you would in normal conversation.

Hands often speak louder than words. Here’s a trick to help you prepare how to use your hands during your speech. Stand in front of a full-length mirror with a large book in each hand.

Then, talk. At times, you’ll raise one hand or the other in a gesture, even though the books are heavy. Those are the real gestures. Save them. Eliminate all others. You’ll also discover that the books will tell you exactly how your hands should be positioned—bent slightly at the biggest knuckle—comfortably close to your body, not moving except when there’s an important point to be made.

Most gestures are variations and combinations of different movements. There are four basic hand positions used to express several meanings:

• Index finger: This gesture is suggestive or descriptive, and is used to point out an object or an idea. For example, “You are the problem and solution.”
• Palms up: This can show that you are in favor of something or to compare two things, but never for emphasis alone. For example, “on the one hand . . . while on the other hand. . .”
• Palms down: This is the opposite of palms up. It shows disapproval and is made rapidly. “I want nothing to do with it!” can be emphasized by crossing the hands and arms in a downward sweep.
• Fist: A very emphatic gesture such as this is used to show an important feeling of the speaker such as “We must fight this problem.” Beginners may need to make a conscious effort to include gestures because they feel inhibited or shy, but put a purpose behind them. You should feel that a gesture is necessary to express your idea. Work toward a natural look as you make gestures and movements to emphasize points.

Control Your Nerves Stage fright or nervousness before you speak to a group of people is natural. Understanding how and why it happens will help you overcome stage fright and change your nervousness to work to your advantage.

When faced with making a speech, it is only natural to be apprehensive or fearful because you care what the audience thinks of you. Stage fright is a physical and mental fear that causes your heart to quicken because you are breathing faster. As your heart speeds up, your blood pressure rises and adrenaline is released into the blood stream. This increases the supply of nervous energy. Muscles in your body tend to contract, causing the feeling of “butterflies” in your stomach.

Nervousness before giving a speech is a natural reaction that most people experience, but it does not mean that you will fail. Contrary to popular belief, nervousness is good for you and your speech—that is, up to a certain point. The challenge is to manage the nervousness so it gives you a performance edge. Then your senses will be alert, and you will be able to talk with animation and liveliness.

Try some of these tips:

• Don’t fight nervousness. Accept it as a positive influence.
• Reassure yourself that you are well prepared by having chosen a topic that interests you, and then, be confident that you have done enough research to be knowledgeable on your subject.
• Make sure that you have a clear organizational plan for the flow of your speech.
• Prepare a good introduction that includes material for gaining attention. By breaking the ice with your audience, you will feel more at ease as the speech progresses.
• Practice your speech out loud and in a physical setting that is similar to your speech making situation. As you practice, imagine yourself in the setting. The more you practice your speech, the better you’ll feel about giving it to other people. If you know exactly what you are going to say (know it, don’t memorize it), you won’t need to worry about going blank. Try practicing your speech once a day for two weeks before the contest. It will get tiring after the first week, and then become easier as you work on the gestures. Also practice before a full-length mirror to improve eye contact and poise.
• Take a brisk walk. Walking gets your whole body loosened up and burns off excess nervousness.
• While you’re sitting there waiting to present, let your arms dangle at their side.
• Try deep breathing for two minutes.
• Talk positively to yourself.

Remember, everyone is at least a little nervous in front of others, so don’t give up if you do stumble over words of forget what to say next. As you gain experience, you will gain self-confidence. It will become easier to speak each time because you know that you can handle it.

Use of Notes Using notes is allowed, but not encouraged. If you feel you need notes, try putting just your speech outline on a card. You then can refer to it, but not read off it. Do not gesture with your cards, but don’t try to hide them either. If you forget what you wanted to say next, you can refer to the main points on your outline and easily recover.

Reading from a manuscript is not encouraged. Keep in mind that reference to notes and especially to the manuscript may detract from eye contact, audience interaction, and smoothness of delivery. Notes or manuscripts are, however, allowed. How well notes are used may be a factor in judging.

Also, practice enough so that your speech does not sound memorized.

Using a Microphone When speaking to a very large audience, you may need to use a microphone to reach more people and to speak in a conversational, person-to-person style.

• Before the speech, check the microphone by talking into it to see if the height and volume are correct.
• Speak directly into the “mike” (about four to eight inches away is usually best), but do not lean into or away from it.
• Use a lapel mic if possible. This allows you to move around more than with a stationary microphone, but avoid turning your head away from it.
• Don’t rustle papers. Sounds will be magnified.
• Don’t be afraid of using a microphone. Try to produce a natural sound by listening to your voice to see if the “s, z, sh, and th” sounds are whistling or hissing too much.

Acknowledge Your Sources When using materials written or spoken by someone else, be sure you acknowledge the source. For instance, a poem, quote, or passage from a book can be used as long as you identify who the author was. Using someone else’s exact words under the pretense that they are your own is called plagiarism.

You should also be able to back up what you say. If you want to state that there are 15,000 meadowlarks in Nebraska, you should also tell the source of information. You want to appear as a credible source to your audience, that is, a person to be trusted for accurate and truthful information. One of the most common faults of a speaker is the failure to give credit to sources or to make a statement of fact without proper documentation or evidence of research.

How Did You Do?

After giving a speech, people often do not go any further to become a good public speaker. There is more to it than just the speaking. A good speaker knows the value of their speech. Some speeches can be very good in content, but not be delivered well. Others may not expand enough on their subject. Every speech should be reviewed to determine the strengths of the speech and how it can be improved. Use the scorecard to evaluate your speech to make you a better public speaker.

Through the years, as you gain experience and confidence, you might want to try different speaking techniques, but starting with good basic skills will make you a much better speaker. The old saying of “practice makes perfect” is a good guideline to follow. The more speaking experiences you have the better you will become.

Public speaking benefits are almost too numerous to count, but perhaps the most important one is the confidence that you develop in yourself.

In The Future

Everyone can benefit from public speaking experience. Your life will be richer if you develop skillful communication with other people. Almost every profession that comes in contact with the public needs people like you with speaking skills. There are unlimited opportunities in fields such as television and radio, teaching, law, medicine, sales, entertainment, public relations, farming, and many, many more.

The 4-H Public Speaking Contest is just the beginning. Take the opportunities that arise to speak at your 4-H club meetings, school groups, organizations, or community clubs. High school speech contests are good experiences because you have the chance to participate in activities such as dramatic interpretation of poetry and prose, extemporaneous speaking, one-act plays, public address, and acting. But don’t stop here. There are many good college speech courses that can open up new doors for you, such as:

• Speech Therapy
• Basic Theory of Acting
• Radio and T.V. broadcasting
• Non-verbal human communication
• Interpretive reading
• Business and professional speaking

4-H Contest Opportunities

Youth enrolled in the Nebraska 4-H Youth Development Program are eligible to participate in the county-based communication contests or the 4-H Prepared Speech or Impromptu Speech Contest at the  State 4-H Premier Communication Event . Contact your  local Nebraska Extension Office  for more information. 

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Nebraska 4-H Communications Resources

• How to Prepare a 4-H Radio Public Service Announcement
• Planning a 4-H Presentation
• Giving a Presentation
• Creating Presentation Visuals
• Creating Digital Presentation Visuals

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Public Speaking 4-H Member Manual

4-H Public Speaking Scorecard

Judging Public Presentations

Washington 4-H Dog Obedience Program Advanced Novice Team Score Sheet

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4-H Public Speaking/Writing Project

Do you love to talk? Do you find yourself with a mind full of creative thoughts? Are you excited at the opportunity to write and share your thoughts with others? If so, the 4-H public speaking and writing project can help you learn to express yourself in a variety of ways, from speeches to written communication on topics that you love and are excited about! Let’s get started!

Ages and Stages of Youth Development

Beginners may consider having fun with this by creating a puppet and delivering a puppet show to Cloverbuds at a local club meeting. Use your love for words to write and draft a story book with pictures to share with children.

Juniors can begin to expand their prepared speech or presentation beyond the local 4-H Club. For example, take the prepared masterpiece and enter it into a county or state fair or a local contest in the community!

In addition to previous suggestions, a senior could film and evaluate oneself as a public speaker. Or, if you have discovered that you might be interested in an education in these areas, visit a college and discuss career options.

4-H Programming Priorities

Give presentations to other 4-H clubs and organizations and use your speaking skills to promote 4-H to community members.

Health & Wellness

Communicate with others and write a public speech showcasing the power of health and wellness.

Conduct a science experiment and project and report the findings to your local 4-H club or another organization.

Agriculture

Agriculture isn’t just the process of sticking seeds into the ground; there are endless topics to speak about. Use your voice to promote agriculture!

Get Involved

Youth Voice

• Public speaking
• Demonstrations/illustrated talks
• Written communication

Community Service

• Read a book to children at a local library
• Give a speech at a nursing home/assisted living center
• Teach a workshop on communication tips

Career Connections

• Journalism and communications
• Education and teaching
• Drama and theatre

Exhibit Ideas

• Public speaking/presentation
• Write a narrative, expository, descriptive, or persuasive paper
• Poetry: collection of three or more short poems or one long poem
• Fiction or non-fiction prose: short story
• National 4-H communications curriculum

Learning Resources

• National 4-H Curriculum
• University of Tennessee, 4-H Youth Development, 4-H Communication/Public Speaking Project

Related Topics

Related content.

4-H Bounty is a monthly club guide that focuses on leadership activities, community service, youth-in-action and specific project areas, as well as prepares youth and their families for county and state events.

South Dakota 4-H Seeks Project Committee Members

October 20, 2021

These committees cover a range in interests, from traditional animal projects and youth-in-action events, to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs.

Projects & Resources

For schools, this page serves as a compendium of evidence-based curricula that our local 4-H professionals can teach or share. This page provides parents and volunteers with project resources and easy-to-digest “hot sheets” for navigating the latest trends/issues affecting youth.

4-H Speech Topics

Kristine tucker.

Public speaking is one of the competitions 4-H offers, and an engaging topic will get you off to a good start. Because you have limited time to present your material, focus on a topic that's simple and straightforward, so you don't have to waste time giving lengthy, complicated explanations. Select a topic that you're already familiar with, so you don't have to spend huge amounts of time doing research and can focus on your writing strengths and presentation style. Consult your state's 4-H public speaking handbook to ensure you meet all the speech competition requirements.

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1 Skillls You Developed in 4-H

Choose a topic related to something you learned how to do or mastered during your experiences with 4-H. For example, you might discuss how you learned to feed, raise and care for sheep, cows or pigs. Or, you might prepare a speech on tips you learned for growing pumpkins, using needlepoint or creating charcoal drawings. Focus on ways your topic helped you become more aware of animal needs or agriculture, or how your topic helped you express your feelings through artistic expression.

2 Personal Hobbies

Craft your speech around a favorite hobby or pastime. For example, you might discuss how you learned to scuba dive and what you gained from your diving experiences. Or, you might talk about your ability to craft beaded jewelry and how you use those skills to make bracelets for school fundraisers or birthday gifts. Stress how your interest in that hobby has changed or improved your life. Ask yourself, "In what ways does this hobby help meet the needs of those around me?" or "How does this hobby make me more environmentally aware?"

3 Life Experiences

Orchestrate your speech around a life event that you think others might like to know about. For example, you might discuss how you lost your dog and went about finding him by posting ads, contacting animal shelters and conducting neighborhood searches. You might talk about ways you survived a camping trip after the wind blew your tent away, or how you adjusted to having a new baby sister in the house. Focus on a single life event or theme, so your speech fits within the required time frame yet provides enough details so listeners get the full story.

4 Local Current Events

Select a current event for your 4-H speech. Make sure the topic is timely and relevant, so listeners relate to your interest and concerns regarding the subject. Read your local newspaper, watch the news or research the topic online to better understand why the event deserves attention and further analysis. Choose a current event that affects you or others in your community, such as how closing down a local production plant will affect your economy or how constructing a highway will help or hurt local business.

• 1 University of Florida: Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences: Speech Topic Ideas
• 2 University of Wisconsin Extension: Part 1 -- Choosing Your Speech Topic

About the Author

As curriculum developer and educator, Kristine Tucker has enjoyed the plethora of English assignments she's read (and graded!) over the years. Her experiences as vice-president of an energy consulting firm have given her the opportunity to explore business writing and HR. Tucker has a BA and holds Ohio teaching credentials.

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How to write a good speech in 7 steps

By:  Susan Dugdale  

- an easily followed format for writing a great speech

Did you know writing a speech doesn't have be an anxious, nail biting experience?

Unsure? Don't be.

You may have lived with the idea you were never good with words for a long time. Or perhaps giving speeches at school brought you out in cold sweats.

However learning how to write a speech is relatively straight forward when you learn to write out loud.

And that's the journey I am offering to take you on: step by step.

To learn quickly, go slow

Take all the time you need. This speech format has 7 steps, each building on the next.

Walk, rather than run, your way through all of them. Don't be tempted to rush. Familiarize yourself with the ideas. Try them out.

I know there are well-advertised short cuts and promises of 'write a speech in 5 minutes'. However in reality they only truly work for somebody who already has the basic foundations of speech writing in place.

The foundation of good speech writing 

These steps are the backbone of sound speech preparation. Learn and follow them well at the outset and yes, given more experience and practice you could probably flick something together quickly. Like any skill, the more it's used, the easier it gets.

In the meantime...

Step 1: Begin with a speech overview or outline

Are you in a hurry? Without time to read a whole page? Grab ... The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist And come back to get the details later.

• WHO you are writing your speech for (your target audience)
• WHY you are preparing this speech. What's the main purpose of your speech? Is it to inform or tell your audience about something? To teach them a new skill or demonstrate something? To persuade or to entertain? (See 4 types of speeches: informative, demonstrative, persuasive and special occasion or entertaining for more.) What do you want them to think, feel or do as a result of listening the speech?
• WHAT your speech is going to be about (its topic) - You'll want to have thought through your main points and have ranked them in order of importance. And have sorted the supporting research you need to make those points effectively.
• HOW much time you have for your speech eg. 3 minutes, 5 minutes... The amount of time you've been allocated dictates how much content you need. If you're unsure check this page: how many words per minute in a speech: a quick reference guide . You'll find estimates of the number of words required for 1 - 10 minute speeches by slow, medium and fast talkers.

Use an outline

The best way to make sure you deliver a perfect speech is to start by carefully completing a speech outline covering the essentials: WHO, WHY, WHAT and HOW.

Beginning to write without thinking your speech through is a bit like heading off on a journey not knowing why you're traveling or where you're going to end up. You can find yourself lost in a deep, dark, murky muddle of ideas very quickly!

Pulling together a speech overview or outline is a much safer option. It's the map you'll follow to get where you want to go.

Get a blank speech outline template to complete

Click the link to find out a whole lot more about preparing a speech outline . ☺ You'll also find a free printable blank speech outline template.  I recommend using it!

Understanding speech construction

Before you begin to write, using your completed outline as a guide, let's briefly look at what you're aiming to prepare.

• an opening or introduction
• the body where the bulk of the information is given
• and an ending (or summary).

Imagine your speech as a sandwich

If you think of a speech as a sandwich you'll get the idea.

The opening and ending are the slices of bread holding the filling (the major points or the body of your speech) together.

You can build yourself a simple sandwich with one filling (one big idea) or you could go gourmet and add up to three or, even five. The choice is yours.

But whatever you choose to serve, as a good cook, you need to consider who is going to eat it! And that's your audience.

So let's find out who they are before we do anything else. 

Step 2: Know who you are talking to

Understanding your audience.

Did you know a  good speech is never written from the speaker's point of view?  ( If you need to know more about why check out this page on  building rapport .)

Begin with the most important idea/point on your outline.

Consider HOW you can explain (show, tell) that to your audience in the most effective way for them to easily understand it.   

Writing from the audience's point of view

To help you write from an audience point of view, it's a good idea to identify either a real person or the type of person who is most likely to be listening to you.

Make sure you select someone who represents the "majority" of the people who will be in your audience. That is they are neither struggling to comprehend you at the bottom of your scale or light-years ahead at the top.

Now imagine they are sitting next to you eagerly waiting to hear what you're going to say. Give them a name, for example, Joe, to help make them real.

Ask yourself

• How do I need to tailor my information to meet Joe's needs? For example, do you tell personal stories to illustrate your main points? Absolutely! Yes. This is a very powerful technique. (Click storytelling in speeches to find out more.)
• What type or level of language is right for Joe as well as my topic? For example if I use jargon (activity, industry or profession specific vocabulary) will it be understood?

Step 3: Writing as you speak

Writing oral language.

Write down what you want to say about your first main point as if you were talking directly to Joe.

If it helps, say it all out loud before you write it down and/or record it.

Use the information below as a guide

(Click to download The Characteristics of Spoken Language  as a pdf.) 

You do not have to write absolutely everything you're going to say down * but you do need to write down, or outline, the sequence of ideas to ensure they are logical and easily followed.

Remember too, to explain or illustrate your point with examples from your research. 

( * Tip: If this is your first speech the safety net of having everything written down could be just what you need. It's easier to recover from a patch of jitters when you have a word by word manuscript than if you have either none, or a bare outline. Your call!)

Step 4: Checking tone and language

The focus of this step is re-working what you've done in Step 2 and 3.

You identified who you were talking to (Step 2) and in Step 3, wrote up your first main point.  Is it right? Have you made yourself clear?  Check it.

How well you complete this step depends on how well you understand the needs of the people who are going to listen to your speech.

Please do not assume because you know what you're talking about the person (Joe) you've chosen to represent your audience will too. Joe is not a mind-reader!

How to check what you've prepared

• Check the "tone" of your language . Is it right for the occasion, subject matter and your audience?
• Check the length of your sentences. You need short sentences. If they're too long or complicated you risk losing your listeners.

Check for jargon too. These are industry, activity or group exclusive words.

For instance take the phrase: authentic learning . This comes from teaching and refers to connecting lessons to the daily life of students. Authentic learning is learning that is relevant and meaningful for students. If you're not a teacher you may not understand the phrase.

The use of any vocabulary requiring insider knowledge needs to be thought through from the audience perspective. Jargon can close people out.

• Read what you've written out loud. If it flows naturally, in a logical manner, continue the process with your next main idea. If it doesn't, rework.

We use whole sentences and part ones, and we mix them up with asides or appeals e.g. "Did you get that? Of course you did. Right...Let's move it along. I was saying ..."

Click for more about the differences between spoken and written language .

And now repeat the process

Repeat this process for the remainder of your main ideas.

Because you've done the first one carefully, the rest should follow fairly easily.

Step 5: Use transitions

Providing links or transitions between main ideas.

Between each of your main ideas you need to provide a bridge or pathway for your audience. The clearer the pathway or bridge, the easier it is for them to make the transition from one idea to the next.

If your speech contains more than three main ideas and each is building on the last, then consider using a "catch-up" or summary as part of your transitions.

Is your speech being evaluated? Find out exactly what aspects you're being assessed on using this standard speech evaluation form

Link/transition examples

A link can be as simple as:

"We've explored one scenario for the ending of Block Buster 111, but let's consider another. This time..."

What follows this transition is the introduction of Main Idea Two.

Here's a summarizing link/transition example:

"We've ended Blockbuster 111 four ways so far. In the first, everybody died. In the second, everybody died BUT their ghosts remained to haunt the area. In the third, one villain died. His partner reformed and after a fight-out with the hero, they both strode off into the sunset, friends forever. In the fourth, the hero dies in a major battle but is reborn sometime in the future.

And now what about one more? What if nobody died? The fifth possibility..."

Go back through your main ideas checking the links. Remember Joe as you go. Try each transition or link out loud and really listen to yourself. Is it obvious? Easily followed?

Keep them if they are clear and concise.

For more about transitions (with examples) see Andrew Dlugan's excellent article, Speech Transitions: Magical words and Phrases .

Step 6: The end of your speech

The ideal ending is highly memorable . You want it to live on in the minds of your listeners long after your speech is finished. Often it combines a call to action with a summary of major points.

Example speech endings

Example 1: The desired outcome of a speech persuading people to vote for you in an upcoming election is that they get out there on voting day and do so. You can help that outcome along by calling them to register their support by signing a prepared pledge statement as they leave.

"We're agreed we want change. You can help us give it to you by signing this pledge statement as you leave. Be part of the change you want to see!

Example 2: The desired outcome is increased sales figures. The call to action is made urgent with the introduction of time specific incentives.

"You have three weeks from the time you leave this hall to make that dream family holiday in New Zealand yours. Can you do it? Will you do it? The kids will love it. Your wife will love it. Do it now!"

How to figure out the right call to action

A clue for working out what the most appropriate call to action might be, is to go back to your original purpose for giving the speech.

• Was it to motivate or inspire?
• Was it to persuade to a particular point of view?
• Was it to share specialist information?
• Was it to celebrate a person, a place, time or event?

Ask yourself what you want people to do as a result of having listened to your speech.

For more about ending speeches

Visit this page for more about how to end a speech effectively . You'll find two additional types of speech endings with examples.

Write and test

Write your ending and test it out loud. Try it out on a friend, or two. Is it good? Does it work?

Step 7: The introduction

Once you've got the filling (main ideas) the linking and the ending in place, it's time to focus on the introduction.

The introduction comes last as it's the most important part of your speech. This is the bit that either has people sitting up alert or slumped and waiting for you to end. It's the tone setter!

What makes a great speech opening?

Ideally you want an opening that makes listening to you the only thing the 'Joes' in the audience want to do.

You want them to forget they're hungry or that their chair is hard or that their bills need paying.

The way to do that is to capture their interest straight away. You do this with a "hook".

Hooks to catch your audience's attention

Hooks come in as many forms as there are speeches and audiences. Your task is work out what specific hook is needed to catch your audience.

Go back to the purpose. Why are you giving this speech?

Once you have your answer, consider your call to action. What do you want the audience to do, and, or take away, as a result of listening to you?

Next think about the imaginary or real person you wrote for when you were focusing on your main ideas.

Choosing the best hook

• Is it humor?
• Would shock tactics work?
• Is it a rhetorical question?
• Is it formality or informality?
• Is it an outline or overview of what you're going to cover, including the call to action?
• Or is it a mix of all these elements?

A hook example

Here's an example from a fictional political speech. The speaker is lobbying for votes. His audience are predominately workers whose future's are not secure.

"How's your imagination this morning? Good? (Pause for response from audience) Great, I'm glad. Because we're going to put it to work starting right now.

I want you to see your future. What does it look like? Are you happy? Is everything as you want it to be? No? Let's change that. We could do it. And we could do it today.

At the end of this speech you're going to be given the opportunity to change your world, for a better one ...

No, I'm not a magician. Or a simpleton with big ideas and precious little commonsense. I'm an ordinary man, just like you. And I have a plan to share!"

And then our speaker is off into his main points supported by examples. The end, which he has already foreshadowed in his opening, is the call to vote for him.

Prepare several hooks

Experiment with several openings until you've found the one that serves your audience, your subject matter and your purpose best.

For many more examples of speech openings go to: how to write a speech introduction . You'll find 12 of the very best ways to start a speech.

That completes the initial seven steps towards writing your speech. If you've followed them all the way through, congratulations, you now have the text of your speech!

Although you might have the words, you're still a couple of steps away from being ready to deliver them. Both of them are essential if you want the very best outcome possible. They are below. Please take them.

Step 8: Checking content and timing

This step pulls everything together.

Check once, check twice, check three times & then once more!

Go through your speech really carefully.

On the first read through check you've got your main points in their correct order with supporting material, plus an effective introduction and ending.

On the second read through check the linking passages or transitions making sure they are clear and easily followed.

On the third reading check your sentence structure, language use and tone.

Double, triple check the timing

Now go though once more.

This time read it aloud slowly and time yourself.

If it's too long for the time allowance you've been given make the necessary cuts.

Start by looking at your examples rather than the main ideas themselves. If you've used several examples to illustrate one principal idea, cut the least important out.

Also look to see if you've repeated yourself unnecessarily or, gone off track. If it's not relevant, cut it.

Repeat the process, condensing until your speech fits the required length, preferably coming in just under your time limit.

You can also find out how approximately long it will take you to say the words you have by using this very handy words to minutes converter . It's an excellent tool, one I frequently use. While it can't give you a precise time, it does provide a reasonable estimate.

Step 9: Rehearsing your speech

And NOW you are finished with writing the speech, and are ready for REHEARSAL .

Please don't be tempted to skip this step. It is not an extra thrown in for good measure. It's essential.

The "not-so-secret" secret of successful speeches combines good writing with practice, practice and then, practicing some more.

Go to how to practice public speaking and you'll find rehearsal techniques and suggestions to boost your speech delivery from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist

Before you begin writing you need:.

• Your speech OUTLINE with your main ideas ranked in the order you're going to present them. (If you haven't done one complete this 4 step sample speech outline . It will make the writing process much easier.)
• Your RESEARCH
• You also need to know WHO you're speaking to, the PURPOSE of the speech and HOW long you're speaking for

The basic format

• the body where you present your main ideas

Split your time allowance so that you spend approximately 70% on the body and 15% each on the introduction and ending.

How to write the speech

• Write your main ideas out incorporating your examples and research
• Link them together making sure each flows in a smooth, logical progression
• Write your ending, summarizing your main ideas briefly and end with a call for action
• Write your introduction considering the 'hook' you're going to use to get your audience listening
• An often quoted saying to explain the process is: Tell them what you're going to tell them (Introduction) Tell them (Body of your speech - the main ideas plus examples) Tell them what you told them (The ending)

TEST before presenting. Read aloud several times to check the flow of material, the suitability of language and the timing.

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