Westward Expansion Project Reflection

Did you stand up straight but stay relaxed?

I think that I stood up straight in this video. It was hard to tell because of the hood on my jacket, but I know that when I was doing my presentation I made an effort to stand up straight. As for the 'relaxed' part, I felt like I knew what I was doing and took comfort and confidence from that. I think that should count as relaxed.

Did you pause for a moment before you began your speech?

When Mr. Berguist said, "Whenever you're ready," I paused for about five seconds before I began on the actual day of the presentation. This video was cut a little bit after he said that, so it seems like a little bit of a shorter amount of time.

Did you look at your audience?

I looked at the whole class. Occasionally, though, I looked back at my slides because my eyes weren't good enough to see the words on the computer screen from where I was standing.

Did you let your facial expressions naturally reflect what you were saying?

I can't really see my facial expressions in this video. The camera was a little too far away, but I believe I used facial expressions that 'naturally reflected' what I was saying.

Did you use your hands?

I used my hands a lot. I even mimicked the jaws on a foot-hold trap snapping shut....

Did you speak loudly enough so that everyone could hear you?

Judging by the volume that came out on the video, I would think that everyone could here me. The camera was way at the back of the room for my presentation and it picked it up. I also know that I project my voice when I'm doing some kind of presentation.

Did you change your tone to show how you felt (upset, excited) about an idea or to emphasize a point?

Well, at one point when I was talking about the beavers getting trapped, I sounded sad. I also think I sounded... bewildered (not sure if that's the right word) when I was talking about surgeries and amputations without painkillers.

Was your speed of delivery too fast, too slow or just right?

I think that I sounded just right most of the time. However, there were times when I had to say 'um.' I also paused for a little too long in some places, and the silence sounded like I was trying to drag something out of my memory.

Did you practice your speech at home before giving it?

I practiced my speech once at home before giving it. My mom wanted to hear it at about 10:00 PM the night before. She reminded me of some things, like confirming the 'I think's into facts. I also ran everything through my head before class started a couple of times.

What did you notice that you did well in your speech?

I noticed that I used my hands well and that I used them a lot. I thought about how much I'd been using them during the actual presentation, and thought that I might be using them a little too much. In the video, though, the hand motions were pretty precise and well-placed.

Describe one aspect of public speaking you will work to improve?

One aspect of public speaking I would like to improve is the 'um's and pauses. I can't stand it when I can here the gears in my head working in those long moments of silence.

Poetry Slam - April 30

Hey everybody,

There was a poetry slam on April 30. Here's my poem (the words I used are underlined):

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Temporary Beat

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Ever-blooming lilies light up the garden

Where one sister sleeps

Beneath a willow tree,

Whose fronds drift in the lake

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One sister's heart may not beat,

But her enchanted sleep unlocks her mind

Among the flowers,

Unconscious Levana softly speaks.

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Her mind and heart kept at bay,

Silent still she keeps

Her body neither aging nor decaying

As her twin for her weeps

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Once, as the flowers began to fade

Levana's sister came in a dream

To finally wake her from her sleep

And she played her piano again

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Her heart beat once more

Faltering sometimes but hardly slowing

When her fingers hit a sour note, though,

Her heart discovered that it had only a temporary beat.

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This poem is about the pair of twins from Graceful Fall, my novel. Levana is known as the 'silver' or 'moon' twin, while her sister is the 'golden' or 'sun' twin. Levana's heart is weakened in an accident, and the doctors told her that the next time she fell into a coma, she wouldn't wake up. However, Levana and Arella are immortal, so even if Levana's heart stopped beating, her body would never decay.

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That's all for now,

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~Cassie

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P.S.

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The asterisks are because I'm having problems with the paragraph breaks on here.