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Archdiocese of San Antonio Department of Catholic Schools 2718 West Woodlawn Avenue San Antonio, TX 78228 (210) 734-1958 Fax (210) 734-9112 contest manual Catholic Arts & Academic Competition DRAFT
Transcript
Page 1: DRAFT - Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio · Students participating in testing categories must wear school uniform. Students in speech/performance categories including Impromptu

Archdiocese of San Antonio Department of Catholic Schools 2718 West Woodlawn Avenue San Antonio, TX 78228

(210) 734-1958 Fax (210) 734-9112

contest manual Catholic Arts & Academic Competition

DRAFT

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CONTENTS

CONTEST INFORMATION........................................................................................3

CONTEST ATTIRE......................................................................................................3

SCHEDULE....................................................................................................................3

ENTRY LIMITS............................................................................................................4

ART MEMORY.............................................................................................................4

BIBLE STORYTELLING.............................................................................................4

BIBLICAL HEROES AND SAINTS............................................................................6

IMPROMPTU SPEAKING...........................................................................................6

KNOWING MY FAITH.................................................................................................7

ON-SITE DRAWING.....................................................................................................8

ORIGINAL ORATORY................................................................................................8

WITNESS TO THE WORD..........................................................................................9

RESOURCES.................................................................................................................10

APPENDIX.....................................................................................................................11

With God all things are possible. ~Matthew 19:26~

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My Catholic Faith Contest is designed to provide students the opportunity to continue their personal faith journey through

continual reading and understanding of Catholic and Biblical texts. The categories in this contest will enable students to grow their

relationship with God and his Church as they prepare themselves with the knowledge necessary to meet performance assessment

requirements.

CONTEST ATTIRE

Students participating in testing categories must wear school uniform. Students in speech/performance categories including

Impromptu Speaking, Original Oratory, Bible Storytelling, and Witness to the Word must wear “Sunday Best” for grades 1 st – 4th,

and “Business Professional” for grades 5th – 12th. “Sunday Best” for BOYS is dress trousers, collared button down shirt, shoes,

optional tie. “Sunday Best” for GIRLS is appropriate and modestly fitting dress, knee length or longer skirts, or slacks with shoes.

“Business Professional” includes suits, ties, dresses, skirts.

Attire: Testing Categories - School Uniform

Speech Categories - “Sunday Best” grades 1st – 4th “Business Professional” grades 5th – 12th

JUDGES

Each school is REQUIRED to recruit and submit 1 volunteer name for every 6 students you enroll. These volunteers must

be available to proctor a test or judge a performance category. Additional volunteers will be needed to grade the testing categories.

CAAC Campus Coordinators may be included in the volunteer list for judging. Students will be assigned to a contest section for

prelims. Judges will also be pre-assigned. A copy of the contest sections will be emailed to the CCC a few days prior to the

contest.

SCHEDULE

CATEGORY TIME 1/2 3/4 5/6 7/8 9/10 11/12

WITNESS TO THE WORD-Prelims 8:30-10:00 X X

ON-SITE DRAWING 9:00-10:00 X X

BIBLE STORYTELLING - Prelims 10:00-11:30 X X

ART MEMORY (test) 10:30-11:30 X X X X

KNOWING MY FAITH (test) 11:30-12:30

X X X

IMPROMPTU - Prelims 11:30-1:00 X X

WITNESS TO THE WORD-FINALS 11:30-1:00 X X

BIBLE STORYTELLING - FINALS 1:00-2:30 X X

CATHOLIC HEROES (test) 1:00-2:00

X X

ORIGINAL ORATORY-Prelims 1:00-2:30 X

IMPROMPTU - FINALS 2:30-4:00 X X

ORIGINAL ORATORY-FINALS 2:30-4:00 X

Awards will conclude the contest after final round.

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ENTRY LIMITS

GRADES: 1/2 3/4 5/6 7/8 9/10 11/12

Art Memory (test) 3 3 3 3

Bible Storytelling 3 3

Catholic Heroes (test) 3 3

Impromptu 3 3

Know My Faith (test) 3 3 3

On-Site Drawing 3 3

Original Oratory 3

Witness to the Word 3 3 Elementary and High School may enter up to three (3) students per category/grade division, plus one (1) substitute. Only students

submitted as a “substitute” in the category may compete in lieu of registered student. Students may compete outside their grade

level as long as it is greater than their current grade, not below. (Example: 5th grade student may compete at the 7th-8th grade level

but NOT in a 4th grade level category.)

ART MEMORY

The purpose of this category is to recognize that beauty in the world comes from beyond it. Students will study art pieces

through a lense of truth and goodness, as an objective quality – the thing that directs us to God, through which an artist can

“bear witness to the Light.”

The Art Memory Contest consists of two parts:

PART 1: Contestants in grades 3 and 4 learn about the artist and the art work through their study of the Art Smart Bulletin.

Contestants take a 30-item multiple choice and true/false test over Art Elements and Art History information found in the bulletin

about each painting. Contestants will have 15 minutes. *Upon availability, scantron sheets may be used as answer sheets.

PART 2: Contestants learn to recognize the artist and title of 40 pieces of art through the study of the current year’s Art Smart

Bulletin. Selections from the National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.) and from several Texas art museums are among those

included in the Bulletin. Color pictures of the art works provide additional study for the contest. Part 2 of the contest will consist of

recognizing and writing the last name of the artist and the title of the artwork of 15 of the 40 paintings. Contestants will have

approximately 10 minutes to complete Part 2.

SCORING PART 1: Award 5 points for each correct answer. No points are deducted for incorrect answers. Erasures and markouts

are permitted. An erased correct answer that can still be seen shall be counted correct. Points are not awarded, however, for a marked-

out answer that would have been correct had it not been marked out.

SCORING PART 2: Award 5 points for every complete and correct answer: (1) 5 points for artist’s last name; (2) 5 points for

name of the major artwork. All words, spellings, letter formation, capitalization, and punctuation MUST be correct for the student

to receive the full 5-point credit. If the contestant’s test answer is correct, but contains errors in spelling, letter formation,

capitalization, punctuation, and/or the words “a” “an” OR “the” are missing, the contestant shall be awarded 3 points. If other words

are missing or out of order in the title, no points can be given for the answer. No points will be deducted for missed, skipped or

unanswered items. The ONLY official source for artists’ names and titles of artworks shall be the “Official List” found in the Art

Smart Bulletin for the current year.

*CAAC will use the “Art Smart Bulletin” used by PSIA and UIL. www.elizajan.com Should there be a supplement of 5-10 additional paintings for High School taken from artists on the list?

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INTRODUCTION • 0:30 – 1:00 The student, in his/her own words, discusses the literature. Must be memorized and include the title and author. EXPOSITION & INCITING INCIDENT • 1:00 – 2:30 Engages the audience in character, setting, and theme. Sends the conflict into motion. RISING ACTION & CLIMAX • 2:30 – 4:15 Complicates the conflict. Creates emotional peak of the performance. FALLING ACTION & RESOLUTION • 4:15 – 5:00 Resolves the conflict. Concludes the story.

BIBLE STORYTELLING

In this category, students will select and prepare a re-telling of a story from the Bible using creative expression. The performance

may be dramatic or humorous. For practice, teachers can use stories from children's books of literary merit. Students must say

an introduction that includes their name, title of story, and author or section of the bible the story is found. No costumes, props

or chairs are allowed. Minimum of (2) minutes - five (5) minutes maximum time.

2016-2017 THEME: “Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.” -Romans 12:21 Men and women who did the right thing

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION: Students select a published story that conforms to the year’s theme and perform the story for no

more than five (5) minutes. Students select a story that would be appropriate for young children and tell the story as if presenting

to that audience. Manuscripts are not permitted.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR SELECTIONS: Students in Bible Storytelling select material based on biblical characters, biblical

events or modern characters who embody and live out gospel values. Children’s books are commonly chosen as material. Students

can also look for collections of stories on various themes. Considerations for an appropriate piece include the student’s personality,

physical and vocal performance range, and school standards.

BASIC UNDERSTANDINGS: Storytelling consists of sharing a story with an audience, performed as if the audience were a

group of young children. Students may use a full range of movement to express themselves.

RESEARCH: Storytelling research involves going to libraries and bookstores, including Catholic stores, and enjoying their vast

collections of children’s books. Keep in mind that five minutes includes an introduction. Thus, the story must be fully

conveyed in a very limited frame of time. Students should choose stories that are not only fun but have a story with sufficient plot

and character development to keep the audience entertained and engaged. Often one of the most difficult tasks is finding a piece

that fits the theme. Before going to the bookstore or library, take a moment to look for lists of stories online. A simple Google

keyword search will net many results. Students may also want to go to sources such as Amazon that provide recommendations on

related books to get some additional ideas.

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS: Your cutting is the 5 minute portion of the story you are performing. The cutting consists of

your arrangement of the narrative and what aspects of the story you’ve decided to tell. Your cutting may look something like this

(taken from Interpretation of Literature, Bringing Words to Life). *Note that these times are approximations.

“Blocking” is a term used to describe movement in a performance. Sometimes blocking is expressive in nature, symbolizing how

a character is feeling emotionally, while at other times blocking denotes events that are occurring in the imagined space. Keep in

mind that movement should always be motivated by elements in the text or derived from the telling of the story. Blocking for the

sake of blocking is not necessary. Blocking is one type of nonverbal communication, which may also include gestures, facial

expressions, posture, and eye contact. Much of oral interpretation is contained in the nonverbal elements of performance as tone,

setting, mood, and character all can be established through various physical representations.

ORGANIZATION: Students should map out all of the activities of the story. This outline provides a snapshot of what takes place

and allows for easy review when deciding what to cut or keep in the performance. In addition to maintaining any major plot points

in the story, students will want to select the most humorous and most dramatic parts of the storyline to draw in the audience.

Coaches can assist in choosing the most relevant sections of the story and include those in the master manuscript. Read

the script aloud and making notes as you go. As you read aloud, use symbols to indicate shorter pauses “/” or longer pauses “//.”

Consider the emotional qualities behind each line. Consider how the lines affect your verbal and nonverbal communication.

Indicate potential choices for blocking, nonverbal expressions, and audience engagement in the manuscript. Taking notes in the

preparatory stages is very important for any type of performance.Eliminate any excess language that sounds awkward or is

unnecessarily redundant. As a final step, make sure that the introduction successfully represents the manuscript and performance

choices.

PRACTICE: As Storytelling must be memorized, the first step after cutting and analyzing your piece is to memorize it. Here are

some things to keep in mind as you memorize your story.

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The more time you practice memorizing, the better you become. The more cues that you can give your brain to aid memorization

the better. Memorize the story with the intent to perform it. Type up a clean version with only your finalized text and blocking.

Read the lines aloud moving with them as indicated by your cutting. It is helpful to memorize a paragraph at a time, building off of

the paragraph that came before.

Work on analysis of blocking, engagement with the audience, and energy. Consider carefully how students are using their

voice, including pause, pitch, tone, volume, diction, and inflection. Eventually the student will be ready for line-by-line practices.

Line-by-line is characterized by intensive rehearsal on each section of the story, at times on every line, until the best possible

interpretation is achieved at that moment. Make sure the performance is within the time limits.

The student is now ready to do some performances in front of other students, coaches, or even an audience. Feedback is

incredibly important. Take note of all comments, as having a fresh perspective on an interpretation is vitally important. Students

must be willing to take that feedback and make modifications.

PERFORMANCE: It may sound cliché, but confidence is key! Pay attention to other performers. Smile! Be a warm, inviting

audience member. You are only speaking for 5 of those minutes. The remaining minutes are for you to listen, learn, and support

your competitors. Congratulate your competitors on a good performance after the round ends, and make friends during downtime.

Be gracious, and keep criticisms of other performers to yourself, even if someone else tries to start a negative conversation.

CATHOLIC HEROES (FORMERLY: BIBLICAL HEROES AND SAINTS)

In this category, students will complete a multiple choice test on selected heroes from the Bible and Catholic Saints. Students

will have thirty (30) minutes to complete thirty (30) multiple choice questions. Upon availability, scantron sheets may be used as

answer sheets.

In order to prepare students for the “CATHOLIC HEROES” test, refer to the 2016-2017 Saints Study List which contains a listing

of 50 Saints compiled by www.Catholic.org.

Alternating focus: 2016-2017 - Catholic Saints

2017-2018 - People from the Bible

IMPROMPTU

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION: Impromptu is a public speaking event where students have seven total minutes to select a topic,

brainstorm their ideas, outline the speech, and finally, deliver the speech. The speech is given without notes and uses an

introduction, body, and conclusion. The speech can be light-hearted or serious.

PROCESS: In this category, the contestant draws three topics, selects one and prepares a speech within three minutes, then

presents without notes and without props (such as anything held in hand or touched). The contest gives participants experience in

thinking, organizing, formulating clear thoughts, and delivering those thoughts to an audience effectively. The total maximum time

limit for each student is nine (9) minutes. CONSIDERATIONS: Students who do Impromptu take their prompt and organize a speech following a basic structure. Students

consider the use of humor, personal anecdote, historical perspectives, news stories, and logic to help formulate their ideas when

preparing the speech. The speech should be easy to follow with a central thesis and supporting points.

BASIC UNDERSTANDINGS: Impromptu is a public speaking event that tests a student’s ability to analyze a prompt, process

his or her thoughts, organize the points of the speech, and deliver them in a clear, coherent manner. Students’ logic is extremely

important. They must be able to take an abstract idea and put together a speech that has a thesis and supporting information.

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS: Maximum time – 9 minutes 1. Contestant draws three topics from an envelope or other container.

2. Contestant selects one (1) of the three topics within a 60-second period.

3. Contestants place other two (2) topics back in container.

4. Contestant has up to 3 minutes to plan speech either with or without paper.

5. Contestants deliver their speeches without notes or props within a 5-minute period.

When the presentation reaches 4 ½ minutes in length, the “30 seconds left” sign should be help up in order to assist the contestant

in stopping the speech prior to the end of the 5 minute time limit.

ORGANIZATION: An Impromptu speech follows a basic structure where a student presents an introduction, body, and

conclusion.

The introduction is an opportunity for the speaker to grab the audience’s attention. This can be done in a number of

ways, including a startling fact, relevant humor, current event, or a narrative. . After getting the attention of the audience, the

speaker should establish a clear thesis that relates to the Impromptu prompt. Finally, the introduction should provide a preview of

the points that the speaker is going to cover.

The body of the speech includes two to three points that are related to the thesis. The points should be logically

developed with supporting details. The supporting details do not need to be backed up with quotes or evidence, like other events,

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because students do not have access to research. Therefore, a student’s logical reasoning with analytics is sufficient in most cases.

The student should identify a claim and provide a justification for why that’s true before telling us why it matters (an argument!).

The conclusion of the speech provides a wrap up of what the speaker discussed. The conclusion should tie into the

attention grabbing device, re-establish the thesis, and remind the audience of the main points that were addressed.

PRACTICE: There are a number of activities you can do to practice. First, naturally, is to do practice Impromptu rounds. Have a

coach or teammate give you sample prompts and time your prep and speech as if you were in a real round. Make notes of what

went well and what could have been improved upon. Practice a wide range of prompts so that you can be prepared for anything

you might come across in a tournament. If there is an area that you are really comfortable with speaking on, practice that first and

then get into the areas you are less confident.

Do improvisation games. Talk to interpretation students or coaches, or a drama teacher, to get ideas. One popular exercise

is to have someone give you a random character, prop, and situation. For example, a doctor with a can of soup gets a parking

ticket. The goal is to tie all of the elements together to create a story in a short period of time. You can also add a partner to make it

more fun. The more you can prepare for spontaneous exchanges where you are thinking on your feet, the better.

* SEE APPENDIX FOR PRACTICE MATERIAL RESOURCES

KNOWING MY FAITH

Knowing My Faith tests the contestant’s ability to recall or find information quickly in Catholic resource literature, specifically the

Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Compendium. Students will have thirty (30) minute to complete thirty (30) multiple

choice questions. *Upon availability, scantron sheets may be used as answer sheets.

MIDDLE SCHOOL: Students in grades 7 and 8, will use the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic

Church © 2006, which is a summarized version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Compendium consists

of 598 questions and answers. It is structured in four parts, much like the widely-used Catechism of the Catholic

Church. While the text does contain some direct quotes from the Catechism used in a sidebar fashion, the questions

and answers themselves are original text. In addition to the questions and answers, the Compendium also includes two

appendices. The first is a list of Catholic Prayers including the Our Father and Hail Mary. The second appendix

contains "Formulas of Catholic Doctrine" including the Ten Commandments, Beatitudes, theological and cardinal virtues, and

spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

HIGH SCHOOL: Students in grades 9 through 12 wll use the Catechism of the Catholic Church © 1995, a written

work that contains a summary of all the beliefs of the faith that is used as a teaching tool. The Catechism of the

Catholic Church is arranged in four parts: 1.) The Profession of Faith; 2.) The Celebration of the Christian Mystery;

3.) Life in Christ; and 4.) Christian Prayer

The content of the Catechism is faithful to Apostolic Tradition, Scripture and the Magisterium. It incorporates the

heritage of the Doctors, Fathers, and Saints of the Church and illuminates with the light of faith, contemporary

situations, problems and questions.

*Although any edition may be used in the contest, the 1995 Catechism and 2006 Compendium will be used to verify answers.

Catholic reference book MUST be supplied by the contestant. Books may be tabbed and written in, as desired, but no other

printed material may be used in the contest.

SCORING: Add 5 points for each correct answer. Subtract 2 points for each incorrect answer, or for each answer that was

attempted, marked through or erased, and did not result in a correct answer. No points are added or deducted for skipped or

unanswered test items. Mark-outs are acceptable, as long as a correct answer is written beside the mark-out. If an answer is marked

out and no correct answer is written in the answer space, 2 points deducted. Erasures are permitted. Any erased correct answer that

can still be seen is counted correct. An erased answer that is not correct and does not have a correct answer written over or beside

it constitutes an incorrect answer, whereby 2 points are deducted.

SAMPLE HIGH SCHOOL QUESTIONS: 1. What does the Catechism clearly state about the resurrection? (from Book 2, The Profession of Faith: Chapter 6, The Creeds: Articles of Forgiveness & The Resurrection)

A. This is somewhat difficult to understand. B. This is the simplest of creeds. C. This is the most challenging part of the creeds. D. This is believed by most people.

2. What are the sources and types of law briefly explained? (from Book 3, The Life in Christ: Chapter 2, The Human Community)

A. There is God as the source of eternal law, and as the creator of natural laws and revealed law. B. There is the law of man. C. There is God's law and the law of the land. D. There is God as the source of all laws.

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3. What is required when one prays? (from Book 4, Christian Prayer: Chapter 1, Prayer in General)

A. Quiet. B. Darkness. C. Belief. D. Focus.

4. What sacraments pertain most directly to Jesus, the Church and the worshiper of God? (from Book 3, Celebration of the Christian Mysteries: Chapter 1, Introducing the Liturgy & Sacraments)

A. Anointing the Sick and Penance. B. Marriage and the Holy Orders. C. Baptism and confirmation. D. Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.

5. According to the Catholic Church the reason for what the Jews are doing is what? (from Book 2, The Profession of Faith: Chapter 5, The Creeds Continued, Belief in the Catholic Church)

A. A knowledge Christians do not have. B. A lack of trust in Jesus. C. A lack of knowledge or understanding of Lord Jesus. D. A desire for the return of the Messiah.

ON-SITE DRAWING

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION: Observing a still life religious display consisting of a composition of objects, contestants produce

a rendering on regular drawing paper (standard is 14” x17”) using any drawing media. Contestants have 45 minutes at the contest

site to produce their freehand work of art to be judged by qualified artists/teachers and displayed in an art show during the remainder

of the tournament day. Contestants must bring to contest and use any combination of drawing media, as long as each medium does

not require water, oil, or a paint brush. Watercolor markers are acceptable. Other types of media that are acceptable include pencil,

charcoal, craypas, pastels, and ink pens that do not require a separate bottle of ink. No mechanical drawing media will be allowed

(no rulers, protractors, etc.). The drawing paper is supplied by the contest director. Contestants receive only one piece of paper. A

second sheet may be provided only if the first sheet becomes unusable. The displayed objects may be any combination of shapes

and sizes. The display must be set up by someone other than the art teacher from a contestant’s school, preferably an impartial judge.

The drawing should be a composition of all elements in the still life display that are visible to the students from their viewing

points in the room. Composition implies combined elements; however, a larger emphasis in the rendering may be given by the artist

to one or two of those composition elements as artistic preference.

PROCESS: Contestants will be provided a pre-labeled drawing sheet. The still life display will be covered, and contestants will

be seated in such a way that each will have a view of the display. When the contest monitor lifts the cover from the display,

contestants will turn their drawing paper over and begin drawing until 45 minutes have passed. The contest monitor may give a 10-

minute warning before time has expired. When time has expired, contestants will exit the room, leaving their drawings in the same

position and place that they were as they finished their work. Contestants should take all of their drawing supplies with them when

they exit. Contest monitors do not need to be in the contest room during judging, but should return the last 30 minutes to post results

on the contest roster.

Students will NOT be allowed to use electronic devices with or without headphones during the drawing contest. JUDGING: The drawings are judged on the basis of these elements:

a. Creativity/ Originality - What makes this artwork different from others?

b. Workmanship - What degree of quality is found for the type of media and the technique used?

c. Interest - What makes this still life drawing interesting?

d. Other Criteria - What other aspects add to this work’s appeal?

ORIGINAL ORATORY

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION: Students deliver a self-written, six (6) minute speech on one of the five Catholic topics for the

contest year. Limited in their ability to quote words directly, Original Oratory competitors craft an argument using evidence, logic,

and emotional appeals. Speech may be informative or persuasive in nature. The speech is delivered from memory in front of an

audience without notes or props.

BASIC UNDERSTANDINGS: Original Oratory is a speech written by the student with the intent to inform or persuade the

audience on a topic of significance. Oratory gives students the unique opportunity to showcase their voice and passion for their

topic. An Oratory is a well-researched and organized presentation with evidence, logic, emotional appeals, and sometimes humor

to convey a message. Oratory speakers must be articulate, engaging, and smooth with their delivery at both a vocal and physical

level while keeping your audience in mind.

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RESEARCH: Oratory research is as diverse as the topics students select. Oratory research might include newspaper and magazine

articles, academic journals, non-fiction books, interviews, and credible digital content. Depending upon the topic, it might be

possible that a student’s own meaningful experiences may be in the speech.

The key to researching a powerful Oratory is to start with the message the student wants to deliver. Students will look to

more personal and emotional styles to motivate the audience in a values based Oratory.

Source materials need to be incorporated throughout the speech with oral citation. It is important to recognize that

whether the material is quoted directly from the source or paraphrased, sources must be cited. Only 150 directly quoted words

may be used. Choose your quoted text wisely. Once all the research is gathered, the sources should all be compiled into a works

cited page.

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS: Based upon the research and the student’s own thoughts on the topic, the student needs to

craft a thesis statement. The student should outline two to four major arguments to support the thesis. Arguments are made up of

three important components.

First, a student must clearly establish a claim. This is a declarative statement that establishes the point the student sets out

to justify in the speech. Next, the student must clearly establish why the argument is valid.This is known as the warrant for an

argument. This means that Oratory speakers go beyond just asserting their claims to explaining why their claims should be

accepted by the audience. Finally, the student must provide an impact for the argument. Why does the argument matter? Who is

affected by this argument?

Oratory speeches consist of an introduction, body (with 2-4 major points), and a conclusion. Students can group their

research to support each element of the speech.

ORGANIZATION: Students should start with the body of the speech which features the major arguments and ideas. Students

should take their main points with supporting research and decide an order. Major points might inform the audience of an issue,

challenge assumptions the audience may have, compel the audience to make a personal change, or encourage the audience to

visualize what the world might be like.

After the body of the speech has been established, the student can outline an introduction and conclusion. The

introduction should engage the audience, establish the significance of the topic, transition to a thesis statement, and preview the

major points that will be covered in the speech. After the body of the speech there is a conclusion which involves a restatement of

the thesis, a review of the major points, and final thoughts that engage the audience and call them to action.

With a complete outline now developed, the student can write the speech section by section. It is important for the coach

to review each part of the speech for consistency of style and approach. Although the speech needs to be conversational, some

students will feature more formal language choices, or incorporate some type of humor throughout the speech, or take a more

personal or narrative approach. There is no “right” or “wrong” voice but it needs to match the student’s thoughts, ideas, and

engagement with the audience.

PRACTICE: Once the speech is written, many students struggle with memorization. One effective practice technique is breaking

the speech up by section or paragraph, such as their introduction, and practicing that section until it is solidly memorized. Once

that section is memorized, they can move on to the next section and so on. Students can print out the speech in large type, tape it

down a hallway, and read their speech aloud, complete with gestures, to reinforce memorization.Since the audience is such a vital

component of Oratory, it is important to perform in front of real and varied groups.

PERFORMANCE: Students need to recognize that they spend only a small percentage of their time speaking and most of the

tournament listening to others. Oratory students need to make sure that they are excellent audience members. That means students

are engaged in the round, thinking about the arguments and analysis of others’ speeches, and being responsive to the speakers.

Students need to keep all of their comments about performances to themselves until after the tournament is complete as it is

disrespectful to make comments with other students present, in particular critical comments about specific student performances.

2016-2017 ORIGINAL ORATORY TOPICS BASED ON CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

Care for God’s Creation: Are humans good stewards of the earth?

Life & Dignity of the Human Person: Is it morally acceptable to speed up the dying process of a

terminally ill person?

Human Rights & Responsibilities: Does the US have the resonisiblity to provide assistance to

someone who has entered the country illegally?

Solidarity: Is the public school system hostile to Christianity?

NEED A 5TH OPTION

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WITNESS TO THE WORD

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION: In this category, students will memorize a monologue/literary selection and perform with

expression. The performance may be dramatic or humorous and may be based on a person from the Bible or contemporary

characters/individuals whose story/account adheres to theme. Three (3) minutes minimum and eight (8) minutes maximum time.

2016-2017 THEME: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” -Matthew 5:44 Men and women who faced injustices

BASIC UNDERSTANDINGS: Material chosen for use in this category shall meet the following restrictions: (A) Selections may

be published, printed material, online material or transcribed material from movies or documentaries; (B) Selections from plays,

screenplays, movies and documentaries may be used in this category; (C) Speeches may be used in this category; and (D)

Selections shall be read in the English translation; however, incidental use of foreign language words and phrases in any selection

may be used as in the original.

COMPONENTS: The art of interpretation is to be regarded as recreating the characters in the story presented and making them

seem living and real to the audience. Presentation shall be from memory and without the use of physical objects or costume. A

selection for interpretation must be a cutting from a single literary work: one novel, or one short story, or one play, or poem.

Monologues are acceptable. During the presentation, contestants must name the author and the book or magazine from which the

cutting was made. Adaptation may be done for the purpose of transition. *The selection should be judged for its appropriateness

as contest material and its suitability to the particular contestant using it.

Students must say an introduction that includes title of story and author. No costumes, props or chairs are allowed.

JUDGING: This is a contest in interpretation. The contestants should be evaluated on poise, quality and use of voice, inflections,

emphasis, pronunciation, enunciation, physical expression, and especially the ability to interpret characters consistently.

Narrative, if included, should be vivid and animated so as to be an interesting and integral part of the story rather than just "filler"

between portions of dialogue. The final test of good interpretation is the ability to use all these factors so successfully and

unobtrusively that the hearer forgets that this is a contest and in a created atmosphere is carried away to the time and place of the

story being unfolded.

RESOURCES

ONLINE

http://www.writing.com/main/portfolio/item_id/1064232-Bible-Monologues

http://www.dave-marsh.com/all.htm

http://hc.dlampel.com/easter_monologues

http://www.dramatix.org.nz/scripts/bible-stories

http://www.dramatix.org.nz/archive/Linkpages/Bible.html

https://skitguys.com/scripts

http://www.dramaministry.com/store/download-products/monologue-57

http://www.mssscrafts.com/drama_music/barabbas.htm

BOOKS ($)

http://www.95church.com/playdetails.asp?PID=1174

http://www.christianbook.com/wives-monologues-from-unheard-women-bible/abby-guinness/9781850788720/pd/788720

http://www.familychristian.com/52-bible-characters-dramatized-easy-to-use-monologues-for-all-occasions.html

http://www.deepershopping.com/item/martha-bolton/sermon-on-the-stage-more-sketches-and-monologues/133456.html

http://www.bluemoonplays.com/Monologue_Men_from_the_Bible.html

http://www.amazon.com/Seeing-Ourselves-Biblical-Women-Jesus/dp/0819218901/ref=pd_cp_b_0

VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE

7 year old Story telling Competition 2013: https://youtu.be/UdbSJapND20

4th Grade Bristlecone Storytelling Competition: https://youtu.be/RS67y2TLvVw

National Storytelling Championship: https://youtu.be/zoRnWmBKnIs

Woman at the Well Skit: https://youtu.be/FAyDuODUMHg

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CATHOLIC HEROES – 2016-2017 SAINT LIST

Students will need to know what Saints are patrons of, geographical location of saint, and their significance to the Catholic faith. *Each name is linked to saint’s biography. This can be accessed by clicking on electronic version of manual. For biography information, visit: https://www.catholic.org/saints/popular.php?year=2015&page=1

1. St. Patrick 2. St. Michael the Archangel 3. St. Francis of Assisi 4. St. Valentine 5. St. Christopher 6. St. Joseph 7. St. Anthony of Padua 8. St. Sebastian 9. St. Teresa of Avila 10. St. Therese of Lisieux 11. St. Cecilia 12. St. Maria Goretti 13. St. Jude Thaddaeus 14. St. Peter 15. St. Augustine of Hippo 16. St. Maria Goretti 17. St. Clare 18. St. Bernadette 19. Mary the Blessed Virgin 20. St. Agnes 21. St. Catherine of Siena 22. St. Rose of Lima 23. St. Joan of Arc 24. St. Paul 25. St. Kateri Tekakwitha

26. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton 27. St. Thomas Aquinas 28. St. Elizabeth 29. St. Raphael 30. St. Gerard Majella 31. St. Ignatius of Loyola 32. St. Blaise 33. St. Luke 34. St. Maximilian Kolbe 35. St. John the Baptist 36. St. Nicholas 37. St. Benedict 38. St. Rita 39. St. George 40. St. Mary Magdalene 41. St. Matthew 42. St. John the Apostle 43. St. Martin de Porres 44. St. Thomas 45. St. Philomena 46. St. James the Greater 47. St. Andrew 48. Our Lady of Guadalupe 49. St. Brigid of Ireland 50. St. Monica

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IMPROMPTU PRACTICE TOPICS

My three favorite animals. What you would find in my closet.

What you'd find under my bed. The best letter of the alphabet.

Why your mom/dad is special. A day that stands out.

The best surprise ever. How we can be like Jesus.

I lost it! If I had a million dollars to give away.

If cats/dogs ruled the world. A trip to remember.

My favorite day of the year. If I could only eat three foods forever.

If I could design a school. Why books are important.

Handling anger in a positive way. Three surprising facts about me.

How to impress your parents. How to plan a party.

A job I'd love to have. A day in my life.

If I could have dinner with anyone. If I could travel through time.

My favorite book. An important lesson I've learned.

Your favorite saint. Why we pray the rosary.

What I've learned from cartoons. The smartest cartoon character.

Three things I'd change if I ruled the world. Why sports are important.

The worst chores at home. Why I deserve an allowance.

If I were in charge of school lunches. The best theme park rides.

My gift from God. Whom do you admire most?

What is your favorite animal? How to achieve your dreams.

Why you need a baby brother. How to annoy an older sister.

How to save money. Loving our neighbors.

Three things that scare me. How to spend a rainy day.

How to walk a dog. How to be a good steward.

The importance of prayer. Great things about my town.

Things I'll never eat. The best parts of a parade.

Today’s miracles. Interesting things you see in the sky.

Things to remember when you're camping. An experience with a bully.

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Lord, my God, Increase my eagerness to do Your Will and help me to know the saving power of Your love. My heart desires Your love and my mind searches for light of Your Divine Word. Give me strength to

grow in my love for Christ, my Savior, that I may welcome the light of His truth. Give me

the grace to do good that I may reach the Kingdom of Heaven.

Amen.


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