INSTRUCTOR: ROOM: HOURS: 4, 6, 7 TEXT: COMPETITIVE SPEECH AND DRAMA SYLLABUS SPRING 2014 Mr. Trey Witt Phone- (913) 993-6660 Email- eawitt@smsd.org 413B Mastering Competitive Individual Events by Avery/Webb Mastering Lincoln-Douglas Debate Student Congress MATERIALS: Various materials/handouts -notebook for taking notes -pens for note-taking -tournament dress attire -event specific materials (extemp crates/folders, Prose and Poetry binders) -timing device (optional) GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVES: 1. discuss and apply elements of communication theory 2. collaborate with peers to formulate presentations 3. understand effective performance techniques 4. understand and apply the necessary elements of script preparation 5. apply necessary research skills for original and scripted performances identify different performance areas, rules and evaluative criteria 7. read, listen and/or view appropriate material and critically analyze content 8. develop organization and time-management skills 9. refine composing skills to write effective introductions and conclusions 10. refine delivery techniques, including voice, enunciation and pronunciation, eye contact, expression, body language and gestures 11. expand role-playing skills to include model legislature 12. respect differing view on issues and differing modes of creative expression 13. accept and adapt performance based on written and oral critiques COURSE FEE: As noted in the student planning guide, there is a one-time course fee of $25. This fee covers the cost of entry fees, prose/poetry notebooks, scripts, and other materials. ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING: Assignments will include in class practices, event preparation, performances, tournament participation. SME TOURNAMENT: Students will be required to work at the SME Forensics Tournament on Saturday, March 8th. The tournament is worth 100 points. In order to get full credit, the student must work the entire required time (7:30am 3:30pm on Saturday) and fulfill all tournament responsibilities. Job assignments will be made later this quarter. The tournament East hosts is our equivalent to the spring musical, a choir concert, or the big game. We need each student to fulfill his or her responsibility and simply not being available isn t acceptable. Each novice student will also be required to cover 4 rounds of judging at the East tournament. Each round is worth 25 points each. Each additional round will be worth 10 extra credit points up to 50 points. TOURNAMENT COMPETITION: Each advanced student is also required to compete in 3 tournaments during the course of the forensics season. The season runs from the end of January through the middle of April. Each required tournament is worth 200 points. Each additional tournament will be worth up to 25 extra credit points. (See section on extra credit later in this syllabus for extra credit requirements). Each novice forensicator MUST participate in at least 2 tournaments during 3rd quarter. 3 rd Quarter ends March 15 th. Each novice must complete their 3 rd tournament no later than April 19 th. NOTE: THERE ARE 10 POSSIBLE WEEKENDS OF COMPETITION; 6 DURING 3 RD QUARTER AND 4 DURING 4 TH QUARTER (NOT INCLUDING STATE). Saturday tournaments (individual events and Public Forum Debate) generally run from 7:30am to 4:30 or 5pm and count as 1 tournament for the in class grade. Friday tournaments (Congress and LD, sometimes PFD and IE) count as ½ of a tournament for the in class grade. In order to receive credit for
competing in Congress, students must give at least 3 speeches using all of the speech time. Students must double enter on Saturday (with at least 1 event being a memorized event) in order to get full credit for the tournament. NOTE: It is your responsibility to schedule participation in tournaments in order to receive the number of tournament participation points that are necessary for you to achieve the grade you desire. The number of participants that I am allowed to take to a particular tournament is limited by the school sponsoring the tournament. You must sign up for all of your tournaments by Monday, January 20th. If changes need to happen after this point, you will have to approve them with Mr. Witt. You will sign up for your tournaments via google docs. Before you submit your weekends, you must print the form out and provide student and parent signature. I will entry sheets for each weekend on the cabinets. You must indicate events next to your name by the Friday, one week before. MISSED TOURNAMENTS: If you cancel your entry in a tournament less than 9 days (the Thursday of the week BEFORE the tournament) without finding a replacement, you will receive a zero for the tournament and must compete in 2 additional tournaments to make up for the missed tournament. If you cancel after the close date, but do find a replacement, you still will not receive credit for the tournament, but you do not have to go to 2 make up tournaments. You sign up for the weekends you want to compete. If we are going to multiple tournaments, I may assign you to one tournament, but I do NOT assign you to specific weekends (other than the East Tournament), therefore, check your calendar and commitments carefully BEFORE signing up to compete. Your last minute cancellation not only impacts your grade, but has the potential to impact another student s ability to compete. For example, your partner will not be able to compete if you are competing in a partner event. Also, your entry could prevent another student from being able to compete because I m limited in the number of entries per tournament. TOURNAMENT DRESS AND CONDUCT: Tournaments are essentially a completion assignment. This is the largest component of students grades because of the time they give up on weekends competing. While grades are not determined by competitive success at tournaments, there are certain expectations of all SME forensicators, mainly in terms of etiquette and behavior. You do not automatically receive credit for the tournament grade simply by signing up and showing up. When at competition, all forensicators are part of a squad and are representing the SME Forensics program. It is important that students make an honest effort when competing, demonstrate appropriate and respectful behavior, and interact courteously with coaches, judges, squad-mates, and competitors from other schools. At the risk of stating the obvious, any of the following instances will result in a 0 for the tournament grade as well as a parent conference and office referral if necessary: disrespect to coaches, competitors, judges, or host school inappropriate behavior or inappropriate attire (dress will be discussed in class) missing rounds, not competing in both events entered, or not competing in the events you were signed up for showing up late leaving before finals or leaving before checking out with the sponsor leaving for lunch or elsewhere without permission lack of effort or forfeiture of rounds not cleaning up after yourself (in the commons or squad sitting place). poor sportsmanship LETTERING: In order to earn a novice letter in forensics, students must compete in 4 tournaments, work the SME tournament, fulfill all judging requirements for the East tournament, and earn an A or B for the semester. AFTER SCHOOL PRACTICES: Novices must come in for at least one out of class practice, during seminar or after school each quarter. This will be worth 50 points each quarter. Novices will also be required to attend the SMSD Forensics Clinic on Weds, Jan. 22 nd from 3pm- 8pm. This will be at SMNW or SMW. LATE WORK: With the exception of missed assignments due to excused absenses and extenuating circumstances, assignments will not be accepted late. This class is structured as an independent study which means it is up to you to manage your time wisely to make sure you get your assignments turned in on time. You are given roughly 2 weeks to complete most assignments so if you budget your time wisely and avoid waiting until the last minute, you should be able to complete all assignments on time and achieve the grade you desire.
MAKE-UP WORK AFTER AN ABSENCE: Excused Absence: You are personally responsible for each class assignment. According to Board policy, if you are absent, a missed assignment will be due on the day you return to class if the assignment was made prior to the absence. You are allowed 2 CALENDAR DAYS (not SCHOOL) days to make up work for each excused absence. So if you are absent on Monday, you must come check with me on Tuesday about assignments that you may have missed (regardless of whether or not you have me in class on Tuesday). Your assignments will be then due on Thursday. If you are absent for three or more consecutive days, you should make arrangements with the teacher ON THE DAY YOU RETURN TO SCHOOL if you believe you need an extension of the due date on a long-term assignment. Extending the due date on long-term assignments will be made in extreme cases only. You must see the instructor BEFORE OR AFTER school on the day you return to get your make up work. Unexcused Absence: According to Board policy, you may NOT make up any assignments that were missed. EXTRA CREDIT: Extra credit is defined as credit that a student may receive for work that goes beyond the course requirements. Extra credit options include competing in additional competitions, recruiting extra rounds of judging, and donating an item to hospitality. Extra credit will be offered to boost grades for students who have met the minimum requirements of the course but have not achieved the grade they desire. Extra credit will NOT be offered as compensation for failing or not completing key requirements of the course (tournaments and in class performances). CLASSROOM PROCEDURES AND RULES: Rule #1: You must treat each of your teammates and guests in our room with the same level of respect with which you expect to be treated. Rule #2: You may do only those things that do not interfere with your learning or the learning of anyone else. Tardies: I expect everyone to be here on time, both because I am responsible for you and because you miss announcements and valuable class time when you are late. I DO take daily attendance and will mark you tardy if you are not here when the bell rings. If I start to notice that you are becoming chronically late (three times or more), we will have a conference and then disciplinary actions will follow (parent phone call, detention, office referral). ROOM MAINTENANCE: While having a strong squad atmosphere is important, it is important to remember that you can feel at home here without treating this room as your home. If you are caught not taking care of materials or cleaning up after yourself, this will result in a loss of material use, privileges, and detention. The laptops are for forensics work only. We are very fortunate to have a full time laptop cart as a squad resource. Please be appreciative of this and respectful by using the laptops only for forensics, logging off when you are finished, and plugging the laptops into the correct spot. The forensics room is our home away from home. We all want an orderly and clean working environment. Therefore, at the end of each class period, each student is responsible for making sure you have cleaned up your space, thrown away any trash, and returned any supplies or materials to the correct cabinet. Have a fun and fulfilling semester! Mr. Witt
Important Dates and Contact Info CONTACT INFO: Trey Witt, Head Coach eawitt@smsd.org www4.smsd.org/treywitt School- 993-6660 Cell-913-526-7316 Assistant Coaches: Jennifer Hunter Amy Camp Kelly Sabates Chris Carey eawitt@smsd.org babccamp@gmail.com kmsabates@gmail.com chriscarey188@gmail.com School- 913-993-6765 Cell- 913-424-4931 Cell- 913-687-6663 Cell- 913-832-5469 Cell-913-424-4587 The first website (4.smsd ) is a direct link to our web backpack site. You can also get to this website from the SME homepage. DATES TO REMEMBER January 22: SMSD Forensics Clinic 3pm at SMW or SMNW March 7-8: SME Invitational Forensics Tournament. The judges clinic will be Thurs, March 6th at 7pm in the Little Theatre. All East forensics students are required to work the East tournament recruit judges. April 24-25: SME Forensics Showcase in Little Theatre. Thursday night at 7pm and Friday at 3pm. Friday, May 9 th : SME Debate and Forensics Banquet 6pm in the SME Cafeteria
Competitive Speech and Drama Acknowledgement of Co-Curricular Activity Requirements and Classroom Expectations STUDENT NAME: Competitive Speech and Drama is classified as a co-curricular activity meaning that there are required components outside of class that impact a student s grade. These requirements have specific due dates and times and cannot be made up. Grading is based upon participation and completion of these assignments. The requirements outside of class are as follows: 1. Students need to compete in 3 tournaments, with at least two during 3rd quarter. Tournaments are on Saturdays at local high schools from 7:30am to 5pm. Friday tournaments (1/2 credit) are from 3:00pm-8:00pm at local high schools. 3rd quarter ends March 15th. All 3 tournaments are due by April 19th. (200 pts per tournament) 2. Students need to work the SME Invitational Tournament on Saturday, March 8th (100 points). Times on Saturday are from 7:30am 5pm. (100 points total) 3. Students need to recruit 4 rounds of judging for the East Tournament on March 7 th and 8th. A schedule of round times will be sent out later this quarter. (Each round is worth 25pts for a total of 100pts) 4. Students will be required to come in for one out of class practice each quarter, either during seminar or after school and must attend the SMSD Forensics Clinic on Wednesday, January 22 nd. (50 points each for a total of 150 points). I am aware of the co-curricular requirements listed above and understand my commitment to these assignments. I am aware of the assignments for this class and corresponding due dates as seen in the attached assignment sheet/packet. I am also aware of the rules, procedures, and practices associated with SME Forensics as outlined in the attached syllabus. Student s Signature Date Parent s Signature Date