The Cheetah (Fast)
Use for action! "I grabbed the controller, I hit the button, the screen flashed, and BOOM!" Fast speech makes the audience's heart beat faster.
Your voice and body are your most powerful instruments. Today you learn to use them like a pro!
Loosen the instrument — your body and voice!
Stretch. Breathe. Make some noise.Reach your arms high above your head, then hang low and touch your toes. Loosen the instrument — your body!
Put your hands on your ribs. Breathe in deeply and feel your ribs expand outward like an accordion. This deep rib-expansion breath powers your voice!
Slide your voice from your lowest note alllll the way to your highest, like a fire truck siren. Wheeee-ooooo! This stretches your vocal range.
Brrrrrrr! Blow raspberries to loosen up your lips and get the vibrations going. Then try humming while you do it.
Everyone say "WOOOOO!" together — start at Level 1 and crank it all the way up to Level 5!
Athletes stretch before a game. Singers warm up before a concert. Your voice and body are your instruments — treat them that way!
Each speaker gets 1 minute and 30 seconds. Use your hook, your structure, and now — your voice!
Timer will beep at 15 seconds, 10 seconds, and 5 seconds remaining. An alarm sounds when time is up!
Change volume, pace, and character to make the audience feel the story.
Don't just tell it — perform it!When do you whisper? Secrets, scary moments, surprises.
Whispering actually makes the audience lean in closer to listen. It pulls them into your world.
When do you yell? Excitement, anger, cheering!
Use this when you reach the "Boss Battle" or the climax of your story. It wakes the audience up!
Use for action! "I grabbed the controller, I hit the button, the screen flashed, and BOOM!" Fast speech makes the audience's heart beat faster.
Use for serious moments, or right before a big reveal. "I opened the door... and there it was." Pausing and speaking slowly builds suspense.
You are the narrator of your speech. But sometimes, other characters talk! Change your posture and voice to play a different character for just one sentence.
"A great speaker doesn't just tell you the story. They make you FEEL it — through volume, speed, and character!"
"I can't believe you did that."
Give a student a Secret Tone Card (or whisper the emotion to them). They say the sentence using that emotion, and the group has to guess what it is!
The same words can mean completely different things depending on HOW you say them. That's the power of vocal variety!
When you aren't doing anything in a game, your character stands in their "idle animation." Your idle animation is Base Camp.
Your hands are tools to help the audience see the words!
If you say "I have three reasons," you must hold up 3 fingers!
If something is tiny, pinch your fingers. If it is massive, stretch your arms as wide as they go!
If you are talking about yourself, your feelings, or your opinion, bring one hand to your chest.
The Mistake: "The Tiger in the Cage" — pacing back and forth nervously without stopping.
The Fix: "Walk on a period." Stand in the center for your first point. When you transition to your next point, take three steps to the left, plant your feet like tree roots, and stay there.
"Your hands and face speak just as loudly as your voice. Make every movement intentional!"
Act out a scenario for 30 seconds without making a single sound.
The group guesses what you're doing!"Your favorite sports team just won the championship and you're celebrating!"
"You're opening a birthday present and it's exactly what you wanted!"
"There's a spider on your shoulder and you just noticed it."
"You're eating ice cream and it falls off the cone onto the ground."
"You're shooting the game-winning basketball shot in slow motion."
"You're trying to give a cat a bath and it does NOT want one."
"You just bit into the spiciest food you've ever tasted."
"Your alarm goes off for school and you really don't want to get up."
"You're playing a video game and you just beat the final boss."
"You look out the window and it just started snowing — no school today!"
Pick the right framework for the right question!
OREO, Time Traveler, or Sandwich
Then speak with confidence!TTop Bun - Introduce the topic
MMeat - 2-3 details or reasons
BBottom Bun - Wrap it up
OREO: "What is the best holiday and why?"
OREO: "Should kids have homework on weekends?"
Time Traveler: "How has the way we play games changed over time?"
Time Traveler: "How has the way we communicate changed?"
Sandwich: "Tell us about your favorite place to visit."
Sandwich: "Tell us about a skill you're proud of."
Pair up! One person makes a facial expression or gesture — Confident, Thinking, or Nervous — and the other must mirror it perfectly.
Your face and hands "speak" just as loudly as your voice. Make every movement count!