Forensics is a co-curricular activity that involves public speaking and dramatic interpretation of literature. The team consists of people who participate in a variety of competitive experiences including tournaments, festivals, conference competition, and state competitions.

• Student Congress
• Extemporaneous Speaking
• Public Forum
• Original Oratory
• Impromptu Speaking
• Duet acting
• Duo interpretation
• Dramatic interpretation
• Humorous interpretation
• Poetry
• Prose
• Lincoln- Douglas debate

The Eisenhower Speech and Debate Team sends small groups to compete in out-of-town tournaments nearly twice every school year and we compete on the weekly bases every Friday and Saturday .
The Eisenhower Speech and Debate Team is affiliated with the National Forensic League (NFL) .The National Forensics League is the oldest and largest high school speech organization in America. It was founded in 1925 to encourage and motivate high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking, and interpretation.
Links:

National Forensic League

www.nflonline.org

Texas Forensic Association

www.txfa.org

Joy of Tournaments

www.joyoftournaments.com

DEBATE I & II
Mrs. Ford - Robinson
Room 516
COUSE DESCRIPTION:

The purpose of this course is to give the competitive speech student an opportunity to continue to improve his/her communication skills through the process of in-depth study of the many areas of speech communication.
The basic areas of study:
• Extemporaneous Speaking
• Domestic and International
• Interpretation--Humorous, Dramatic Oratorical, Prose/Poetry, Duo Interpretation
• Original Oratory
• Impromptu
• Public Forum Debate; Lincoln/Douglas Debate and Student Congress
This course will consist of some lectures, much discussion, and a great deal of individualized or small group lab work.
Competitive Speech and Debate is designed for the student who is capable of working well on his/her own, while being able to share a great deal with others through the normal class discussions and presentations.
Requirements
No textbook will be issued, but many handouts and numerous single-copy texts will be utilized throughout the year.
• A journal will be used for specific assignments and tournament participation.
• Each student must have an internet Agreement on file and have student ID with them to work on computers in the classroom.
• Each student will keep a daily log of his/her activities performed in class. This log will be written out daily in your journal/log and will be turned in every Friday/Monday.
• Each student will prepare throughout the course a major performance to be performed at tournaments and/or class requirements. All TFA/NFL rules will apply for this event
• Each student will participate in writing and presenting Student Congress legislation as a supplemental event.
• For S/D, each student will be required to attend and compete in at least 15 rounds of competition (5 tournaments) in Individual Events, and/or 20 rounds of competition (5 tournaments) in Debate and/or earn a degree from the NFL. For AS/D, each student will be required to attend and compete in at least 18 rounds of competition (6 tournaments) in Individual Events, and/or 24 rounds of competition (6 tournaments) in Debate and/or earn an advanced degree from the NFL. Each team member MUST attend one of the first two tournaments and also must attend a certain number of tournaments to participate in overnight events. All members are required to compete in the District Tournament.

• Each student will critique other speakers.
• Each student will have the opportunity to write and participate in the annual Rotary 4-Way Speech contest for cash prizes.
• Each student will prepare and present assignments on given days.
• Each student will assist with team fundraising.
Evaluation Procedures Grades will be 90-80-70-60. No tests or quizzes will be given, and all grades will be based on meeting deadlines and performances. Class discussions will add to the grade. Much emphasis will be on the prepared events, logs and journal responses. Additional assignments will be graded as homework
Speech and Debate Tentative Schedule
(Week # Content Covered)

Intro to Course, Team/Intro Speeches

Intro Speeches/Team Guidelines and Rules/Intro to AHS Guidelines and NFL/Set due dates
Introduce Events/Varsity perform former cuttings
Continue event preparations
Event and cutting selected/Calendar
Continue event preparation and memorization
EVENT DUE
Revision of events and performances
Work on events
FIRST TOURNAMENT
Work on events/Rotary Speech Contest prep
Continue event work and competition at tournaments
Work on events
Work on events/Tournament Scheduling
Work on events
Begin practice of Student Congress
Begin preparing for State Tournament Qualifier
Student Congress/Event presentations

Speech and Debate Schedule 2011-2012 September School 16 Alief Elsik 16 Northland Christian 10 DeKaney/Montgomery Swing 24 UIL-Academic Conf. SHSU 30-10/1 Cypress Woods October 21-22 Bellaire 21-22 Kingwood 13-16 TSCA / TFA CONVENTION November 4-5 Klein 10 Veterans Program 11-12 Aldine December 9-10 Alief Taylor 16-17 North Brook January 6-7 Westfield 27-28 Houston Lamar February 3-4 Texas City 18-20** Harvard Debate 10-11 Seven Lakes March 1-3 TFA State *Schedule subject to change due to UIL and other speech events