Prepare a speech about a school or education-related issue for an audience of
students. Then adapt your speech to an audience of parents and educators by
writing it out word for word in formal language. Your speech must take a clear stand
on the issue and provide evidence to support your opinion.

You can assume that the first audience, made up of students, generally supports
your opinion or is neutral on the subject. Your job is to get this audience interested in
the topic and sympathetic to your perspective. Your second audience, which is made
up of parents and teachers, probably opposes your opinion. You must try to
persuade these listeners to change their minds.

Your assignment should include the following elements:

• A claim about a school- or education-related issue, such as prayer in school
standardized testing, or school uniforms

• Supporting evidence from at least three sources that you find through research

• An outline that presents your claim and evidence in a way that you can easily
follow when giving your speech

• A more formal, written-out version of the speech for the audience of teachers and
parents