This week, we’re learning how to speak so people listen. Not to win arguments, not to be louder than others — but to explain ideas clearly and confidently. Public speaking is a skill. Nobody is born good at it. It’s something you build.
“When have you seen someone speak and really hold attention?”
“What made them interesting?”
Learning Goals
Understand why public speaking matters
Learn basic delivery skills
Practice speaking without fear
Teaching Script: "Public speaking isn’t about being loud or dramatic—it’s about helping people understand what you think and why it matters."
Core Lessons
1. What Makes a Good Speaker - Strong speakers do four things well. Not perfectly — just well.
Eye contact - Looking at people, not at the floor.
Voice (volume, pace, pauses) - Speaking clearly, not rushing.
Body language - Standing like you believe what you’re saying.
Clear structure - Beginning, middle, end.
“Which one do you think is hardest?”
“Which one do you already do well?”
🎤 30-Second Introductions: You’ll each give a 30-second introduction. This is practice, not a performance.
“Tell us your name, favorite book/movie, and one opinion you have.”
After each:
“One thing you did well was…”
“One thing to try next time is…”
2. Types of Speeches
Informative
Persuasive
Entertaining
Argumentative (debate)
3. Fear & Confidence
Teach the concept of speaker nerves = energy, not fear.
Feeling nervous doesn’t mean you’re bad at speaking. It means your brain knows something important is happening. Our goal this week isn’t no nerves. It’s speaking anyway.
Activities
🎭 Emotion Read: Read the same sentence in different emotions (angry, excited, bored).
🪞 Mirror Practice: Practice posture and gestures.
Reflection: What's one strength you already have going for you? What's one goal you have for this week?
Resources
Kid-friendly article
Video: “Public Speaking Tips for Kids” – TED-Ed Youth
🗓️ TUESDAY — Public Forum Debate (Case Building Day)
Debate is not yelling. Debate is organized disagreement. Today, you will argue a position you may or may not agree with — and that’s a skill.
Resolution
Resolved:The United States should accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
That means: Should the U.S. officially join the International Criminal Court?
Teaching Script: “A debate resolution is a yes-or-no question. One side must prove why it should happen. The other proves why it should not.”
To do this, each side must prove:
What they believe
Why it matters
Why its better than the other side
🧱 Debate Basics (Kid-Friendly Breakdown)
Affirmative (yes): “We should do this because it solves problems.”
Negative (no): “We should not do this because it causes harm or doesn’t work.”
"Why isn't just having an opinion enough?"
Step 1: Learn the Topic (Together)
Explain in simple terms:
What is the ICC?
What is the Rome Statute?
Why hasn’t the U.S. joined?
Watch / Read Together
Video (short & clear): ICC explained for students
Article
Student-friendly overview
Step 2: Coin Flip & Team Assignment
Flip coin for Affirmative / Negative
Assign:
Speaker 1
Speaker 2
Step 3: Case Writing (Scaffolded)
Case Template (Use for BOTH sides)
Every argument has three parts.
1. Introduction
Restate the resolution
Clearly say your position
2. Argument 1
Claim - what you're saying
Evidence (quote/fact) - proves it's true
Impact (why it matters, why anyone should care)
3. Argument 2
Claim
Evidence (quote/fact)
Impact (why it matters)
4. Conclusion
Why your side is better overall
Prep Time Rule:⏱️ Each team gets 3 total minutes of prep time during the debate.
Model an example.
“What does this prove?”
“Why does that matter?”
“Can you say this more clearly?”
🗓️ WEDNESDAY — Public Forum Debate Day
Today is about thinking on your feet, staying calm, and being respectful. You are not attacking people. You are challenging ideas.
Morning: Finish Writing
Polish cases
Practice timing
Review crossfire questions
⏱️ Each team gets 3 total minutes of prep time during the debate.
Teaching Script for Crossfire: Crossfire isn’t arguing. It’s asking smart questions that expose weak points. They should do one of three things: clarify, expose a weakness, force a choice.
“Where is your evidence for that?”
“Does that apply in all cases, or just some?”
“Which matters more: safety or independence?”
🧠 Debate Flow
Constructive – Team A (4 min)
Constructive – Team B (4 min)
Crossfire (3 min)
Rebuttals (4 min each)
Crossfire (3 min)
Summaries (3 min each)
Grand Crossfire (3 min)
Final Focus (2 min each)
📌 Judge Tip for You:
Judge on:
Clarity
Use of evidence
Organization
Persuasiveness
Respectful questioning
Strong final focus
After Dinner: Debate Night
Optional: invite family as audience
Applause after every speech
Post-Debate Reflection
Ask:
“What argument mattered most?”
“What question changed the debate?”
“What would you improve next time?”
🗓️ THURSDAY — Individual Speech Events
Teaching Script: “Debate is teamwork. Individual events are about your voice. Today, you choose how you want to communicate.”
Focus: Establish foundational context for the rest of the week with deeper thinking.
“What do you already know about Japan?”
“What comes to mind when you think of Japanese culture?”
1. Discover Japan: Geography & Culture Basics
Japan has four main islands — Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. The land is mostly mountains, which means towns are often built near the coast. Japan sits on several tectonic plates, which means earthquakes and tsunamis are part of life. Because Japan was once very isolated from other countries, a lot of traditions developed in unique ways.
“How might living on islands change a culture?”
“Why do you think Japan became technologically advanced but still very traditional?”
Map labeling — major islands, Tokyo, Kyoto, Mt. Fuji.
2. Symbols of Japan
Certain symbols in Japan appear everywhere — cherry blossoms, cranes, turtles, mountains. But they aren’t just pretty pictures. They all have deep meanings.Cherry blossoms bloom beautifully but only for a short time. This represents the idea of mono no aware — the beauty of temporary things. Cranes represent peace and long life.Sea turtles are symbols of protection and wisdom.
Japanese uses three writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Hiragana is the soft, flowing script used for native Japanese words. One of Japan’s most famous written art forms is the haiku — a short poem that captures a moment in nature using just a few syllables. It forces the writer to slow down and notice small details.
“What moment in nature have you noticed recently?”
“Why do short poems sometimes feel stronger than long ones?”
Simple greetings (konnichiwa, arigato, ohayo); why do Japanese use three writing systems?
Write a Haiku or Tanka Poem; maybe themed to an environmental issue like tsunamis, cherry blossoms disappearing, pollution; illustrate with cherry blossom painting or crane drawing
Japanese Rock Garden (Zen Tray) - A Zen garden uses rocks and sand to create patterns that help clear the mind. The designs represent ripples, waves, or mountains. “What pattern makes you feel calm?”
Monkey Onsen Watercolor Salt Art - In Japan, snow monkeys warm themselves in natural hot springs called onsens. The steam, the snow, and the calm atmosphere create a beautiful contrast. “What colors would you use to show warmth in a cold scene?”
6. Japan & Nature STEM
Japan is located where tectonic plates meet. When the seafloor shifts suddenly, it pushes a massive wave of water toward the shore — a tsunami. Your goal is to build a structure that can stand against wave forces. Engineers in Japan do this all the time.
Japan’s two main belief systems are Buddhism and Shinto. Buddhism teaches compassion and the pursuit of peace within yourself. Shinto is centered on nature and the idea that everything — trees, rivers, mountains — has a spirit called kami. These two beliefs blend together, shaping Japanese traditions and values.
Japan’s history stretches back thousands of years. Each era brought new ideas — farming, poetry, warriors, castles, and beautiful art. We’re going to create a timeline to see how Japan changed over time.
Jomon → Yayoi → Heian → Edo periods
Rise of samurai class - “Why do you think warriors emerged as powerful leaders in Japan?”
Feudal Japan explained
3. Samurai, Ninjas, Sumo, and Martial Arts
Samurai were not just warriors — they followed a code called bushido, emphasizing honor, loyalty, and discipline. Ninjas were spies trained in stealth, disguise, and intelligence gathering — not the magical figures movies show. Sumo wrestlers follow ancient rituals that honor Shinto traditions.
Activity: Kids design their own kimono pattern sheet (waves, cranes, pine branches, mountains)
5. Art Block
Kumihimo Braiding - This braiding technique was once used to lace samurai armor. Today it’s used for bracelets and cords.
Temari Balls (Simplified) - These thread-wrapped balls started as toys but turned into a respected art form. The patterns represent harmony and patience.
Iriomote Yamaneko Drawing: Draw endangered wildcat using step-by-step video from Lara Saldaña. Shading, texture, realism. This wildcat is endangered and lives only on one small Japanese island. Use shading to bring out its texture.
Cherry Blossom Haiku Woodblock Print - Traditional Japanese printmakers carved wooden blocks to create repeated patterns. Today we’ll use foam to mimic the technique.
Activity:
Make prints on foam blocks
Create a layered design, linework + background
Create the Great Wave, cranes, cherry blossoms, bamboo forest, or Mt. Fuji
3. Shibori Dyeing
Shibori is a centuries-old method of folding and binding fabric before dyeing it. Each fold creates a different pattern — much like batik or tie-dye, but more intentional.
Kodo is the 'Way of Scent.' It’s a practice of slowing down, noticing the smallest details, and using scent to bring calm. Teach scent bowls, incense, and forest bathing. Kids learn sensory ritual, symbolism, and mindfulness.
Washoku is the traditional Japanese way of eating. Meals include five colors, five flavors, and five cooking methods. This creates balance — not just for nutrition, but for beauty.
“Which colors are missing from your usual meals?”
Teach:
Seasonal eating
Balance of color/flavor
Rice importance
Bento culture
Assignment: Make a balanced meal using all five colors.
2. Cooking Lab
When cooking Japanese food, pay attention to texture, color, and presentation. You’re not just cooking — you’re creating an experience.
Bento boxes are like edible art. Every item has a purpose — nutrition, color, shape, meaning.
Kids make simple bento “characters” or shapes. Use all 5 colors.
Color
Nutrition
Aesthetic balance
Japanese Symbolism
4. Textile Tie-In: Shibori on the Silk Road
Short lesson on ancient trade routes and Japanese textiles. Trade routes brought silk, dyes, and new patterns into Japan. Shibori techniques traveled along these routes and evolved into their own unique forms. Silk, sashiko stitching, shibori methods.
FRIDAY — Modern Japan: Anime, Pop Culture, History, Kawaii Design
Focus: Connect ancient roots to modern expression.
1. Anime & Studio Ghibli
Anime isn’t just cartoons — it’s storytelling through emotion, symbolism, and dramatic visuals. Studio Ghibli films blend fantasy with real-life feelings such as fear, courage, loneliness, and hope.
Themes of Studio Ghibli, moral dilemmas, why anime resonates globally
“What makes anime visually different from Western animation?”
“Why do Ghibli stories feel so emotional?”
Activities:
Draw a Ghibli spirit
Create a flying castle blueprint
Anime self-portrait (chibi style)
2. Godzilla & Modern History
Godzilla was created after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He represents destructive power humans create — and fear of repeating the past. This is fiction, but the emotions behind it are real.
Kawaii means ‘cute,’ but it’s more than that. It’s a style, an attitude, and sometimes a way of coping with stress. Kawaii characters are soft, round, gentle — they make the world feel more friendly.
“Why do you think cute characters appeal to all ages?”
Teach origins in:
Shinto (spirits in objects)
Why "cute" became a cultural identity
Harmony, softness, playfulness
Soft rebellion in youth culture
Modern mascots, Hello Kitty, Pokémon
4. Kawaii Craft Station
A mascot character with personality traits
A sticker or logo
Kawaii stickers
Kawaii notebook cover
Mascot creation worksheet
Kawaii self-portrait
Hello Kitty rock painting
Clay "Mochi creature"
Evening Movie:🎬 Spirited Away or Howl’s Moving Castle
SATURDAY — EPCOT FIELD TRIP: Japan Pavilion Day
A seamless extension of the week — everything you did connects here.
🎵 Watch Matsuriza Taiko Drummers
A traditional Japanese drumming group performing the ancient art of Taiko drumming. Their powerful, rhythmic performance can be heard across the World Showcase. Performed on the balcony of the main building, near Kabuki Cafe at the pavilion's entrance. Traditional Taiko drumming performances bring energy to the pavilion. Connect back to Monday’s symbols & Tuesday’s ancient music
🍧 Eat a Japanese Snack
Katsura Grill – A quiet spot serving teriyaki, sushi, and udon
Kabuki Cafe – Known for Kakigōri (shaved ice) and Japanese snacks
Choose:
Kakigōri (shaved ice) - Kabuki Cafe
Teriyaki bowl
Udon
Mochi ice cream
Green tea
Violet Sake (grown-ups) - The Garden House
🛍 Mitsukoshi Department Store Scavenger List - The best place in EPCOT for Japanese goods, anime merchandise, and gifts
Kids must find:
Lucky Cats (Maneki-neko) - Symbolizing good fortune and happiness
Anime merchandise
Bento supplies
Chopsticks
A crane
A kimono/yukata
A Godzilla item
Sake set - Beautifully crafted for serving Japanese rice wine
Pick-a-pearl counter
Kawaii section
Maybe pick up a Buddha Board – A unique water-painting experience using a bamboo brush
🎨 Bijutsu-kan Gallery
Compare to Wednesday’s woodblock + Shibori lessons
Explore the replica kawaii Tokyo apartment
🐟 Explore the Koi Pond
Connect to Monday’s nature themes
📸 PhotoPass in the Gardens
🎆 Fireworks from the Balcony
🍱 Optional Table Service
Teppan Edo - A hibachi-style restaurant where chefs cook right at your table
Shiki-Sai - A seasonal sushi and izakaya-style dining experience with stunning views
Takumi-Tei kaiseki - An upscale Kaiseki dining experience with multi-course meals
Yule (Winter Solstice) happens December 21-January 1st each year. It is a winter celebration of the shortest day of the year, and as such, the return of the sun and the beginning of longer days. It is a time of peace, stillness, and healing.
December 20th, Mother's Night (Yule's Eve)
A celebration of the Disir, protective female spirits of fate and fertility; ancestral grandmothers who blessed, protected, and provided prophetic counsel to the clan. This is a night for holding vigil through the dark to honor female ancestors. This is a night to honor the women who came before you. Hearth, linage, warmth, memory, and feminine wisdom.
We honor the women who carried us, fed us, taught us, protected us. Their strength lives here. Their love is remembered.
Activities:
Light white candles in the windows, kitchen, and living room. One fore each maternal figure (living or passed).
Bring evergreens and winter berries inside.
Tell stories or speak aloud names of women who shaped you.
Clean the kitchen together gently → “Prepare the Hearth.”
Food & Drink:
Make family receipes and cookies.
Tea with honey.
December 21st, Winter's Night (the Winter Solstice)
Celebrating the longest night and the return of the sun, heralding the lengthening of days and the promise of spring. Hope, renewal, quiet magic.
The Sun returns. Light rises again. May our home be blessed with warmth, health, and joy.
Activities:
Dim lights all day; light only candles after sunset.
Display the Yule Log (birch, oak, yew) wrapped in rosemary and cinnamon, and burn it. The Yule Log is a Nordic tradition of burning a tree or log in the home for the entire 12 Days of Christmas, allowing the flame of the old year to ignite the new year. The ash from the log was sometimes used for rituals such as blessing crops, protecting against storms, and healing the sick.
Set intentions for the coming light (one per person).
Divination: tarot, runes, or pendulum after the log burns.
Food & Drink
Winter stew or roasted root vegetables.
December 22nd, Father's Night
A night to honor male spirits, the Alfar—male ancestors. Memory, protection, guidance, quiet presence.
You are loved. You are remembered. Guide us softly. Watch over this home.
Activities:
Place your father’s photo near a single candle.
Add something that reminds you of him (object, color, scent).
Share a favorite story about him.
Play one song he loved.
Eat or cook something he enjoyed.
If weather allows → step outside and look at the night sky together.
Warm bath with epsom salt + cedar drops
Gentle stretching, breathwork, or chakra alignment
December 23rd, The Silly Feast (counting the blessings)
Loki's Silly (Seelie) Feast - a party or feast while wearing your animal masks, probably where our NYE masquerades come from. A time for exchanging gifts, turning social rules, and setting up the Yule Tree.
The Yule Tree: A Germanic tradition of decorating trees with greenery and ornaments (wish ornaments - salt dough with your hopes for the coming year, symbols of gratitude and joy). The yule tree signified abundance in the coming year. You decorate the outdoor trees for the animals and the indoor tree for you.
Release mischief, laughter, chaos, and fear.
Allow joy + catharsis before the return to quiet.
Activities
Make a fun feast — messy tacos, finger foods, something unexpected.
Tell stories — funny, ridiculous, mischievous family memories.
Hang bells on the door to ward The Wild Hunt.
Write fears/resentments on paper → burn or shred.
Words
Let chaos move through and out.
Only joy remains.
Upturn the ordinary. Laugh. Release stuck emotions. Allow joy, mischief, and transformation.
Loki isn’t “the villain” here—he’s the Unraveler so new patterns can form.
This night loosens knots, releases stagnant energy, and breaks old emotional contracts.
The Wild Hunt energy rides the winds — we acknowledge it, but do not invite it inside.
This is controlled chaos → release, play, purge, reset.
✨ Decor & Atmosphere
Red + Black + Gold accents
Bells hung on the front door (to guard against the Wild Hunt)
Candles, but one flame kept burning the entire evening
Incense or simmer pot with:
Clove
Orange Peel
Bay Leaf
🦊 Crafts & Hands-On Ritual Play
1. Animal / Trickster Masks
Make or wear masks representing:
Fox
Raven
Deer
Wolf
Hare
Crow
Serpent
Cat
Symbolism:
The mask allows you to step outside of your usual patterns and release stuck identity behaviors.
Prompt to Say While Masking:
“Tonight, let me see through new eyes.
Let what no longer fits fall away.”
Use:
Paper plates + markers/paint
Felt + hot glue
Paper bags (old school theater style)
2. Salt Dough Ornaments
Recipe:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
¾ cup warm water
Shape into:
Feathers
Runes
Spirals
Animal footprints
Trickster symbols (knots, flames, little foxes)
After baking: paint red + gold or natural ochre tones.
Meaning: These are talismans of transformation.
Hang them on the Yule tree, or tie to Yule log remnants later.
Words While Crafting:
“What was bound is loosened.
What is hidden is revealed.
What holds me back is unmade.”
3. “Burn the Old” Ritual Notes
Everyone writes down:
One habit
One fear
One resentment
Fold and burn in a bowl or fire-safe dish.
Say:
“Chaos carries it away.
I am free to choose again.”
🍽 The Feast — Fun, Irreverent, Delicious
This night should feel playful, messy, and not formal.
Examples:
Charcuterie “graze table”
Build-your-own tacos, nachos, sliders, or sushi bowls
Tell funny family stories, even embarrassing ones kindly
Watch a chaotic holiday movie or a mythic themed one
Drum or clap rhythms
Dance like nobody is watching (because tonight — nobody is)
🌬 The Wild Hunt Acknowledgment (Night Walk or Porch Moment)
Step outside briefly.
Ring a bellthree times.
Say:
“We see you.
We honor the storm and the shadow.
But this home is protected.
You may pass.”
Close the door firmly.
✨ The Closing of the Feast
Remove the masks.
Take a slow breath together.
Say:
“What was released will not return.
Only joy and truth remain.”
Blow out candles except one — let that one burn down naturally.
Optional Add-On (powerful)
Save one salt dough ornament made this night.
On New Year’s Eve (Hogmanay), you will break it to seal the release cycle.
December 24th, Protecting the Home from The Wild Hunt - Santa's Night (Christmas Eve)
The Wild Hunt is described as a ghostly parade of spirits riding wildly through the night, marking a time of mystical energy. Nowadays, the Wild Hunt is known as a terrifying ordeal, where fae attack or capture anyone in their path. On the other hand, some believe it is a fae celebration, which can still be pretty scary since they're more rambunctious and violent than those on this side of the veil.
Santa was known as a fae, whose clothes matched the red-capped mushrooms that grow through the winter snow beneath the evergreen trees. Shaman or šamán means "one who knows." Bells call the spirits and fairies (that's why Santa has them on his sleigh). Milk and cookies were offerings left for the fae, for Santa, in exchange for presents.
The Deer Mother takes to the skies, carrying the light of the sun in her antlers, bringing rebirth to the land.
Also, the Yule book flood takes place, where people gift books to each other and read through the night.
Activities:
Lighting candles, decorating with ribbons and garlands, and hanging mistletoe in doorways for protection in the coming year.
Evergreens: Evergreens were revered because they lasted even in the heart of winter. They were hung over doors and windows, as their greenery in a time of bleak cold was believed to ward off negative energies and illness.
Wreaths: The Yule Wreath had dried orange for strength, oak for wisdom, holly for hope, evergreen for rebirth, clove for prosperity, cinnamon for protection, laurel for success, and mistletoe for fertility.
Mistletoe: The druids held nothing more sacred than the mistletoe and the tree that bears it, the oak. They call the mistletoe "uil-ìoc," which means the all-healing. A kiss under the mistletoe represents the promise of love, life, and renewal.
A Christmas Eve care package (with books, pajamas, etc); Secret Santa or White Elephant with books.
December 25th, Christmas Day, letting light and hope in
Exchange gifts intentionally (even if small).
Speak one blessing for each person while they hold their gift.
Offer food to wildlife — apples, carrots, birdseed.
Make pinecone bird feeders for outdoor animals.
Wassail (hot cider with oranges + cloves + cinnamon)
26th, Honor to the Hearth
A day for feasts, particularly lamb stew and leaf bread, as kin gather together to share warmth and nourishment before the winter's grip tightens.
Togetherness, warmth, cooking, rest.
Activities
Deep Clean but Softly: open one window for 5 minutes to release stagnant energy.
Burn juniper, cedar, or rosemary to cleanse the home.
Prepare a simple dinner together.
Family movie night under blankets.
Energy Work
Quick feng shui reset:
Clear the entryway
Sweep toward the door
Add one plant or evergreen bough near the front door for protection
27th, Protecting Outside the Home
Making offerings to wildlife and spirits of the woods, preparing for the coming winter. This day is also marked by the creation of protective wards for the coming winter, ensuring a shield against unseen forces.
28th, Ritual of Completion (close out everything for the year, clear any debts)
It is a time to conclude tasks left undone, a moment of closure and preparation for the impending new cycle. Plum (figgy) pudding is a culinary symbol of completion.
29th, Day of Contemplation (looking into the new year)
Approaching the year’s end, the penultimate day invites a gaze into the future and an appreciation of nature’s wonders. Create open spaces for relaxation, meditate on the year to come, and engage with preferred divination tools, seeking insights for the unfolding future.
Wassailing: The house-visiting wassail is the practice of people going door-to-door, singing, and offering a drink from the wassail bowl in exchange for gifts; this practice still exists, but has largely been displaced by carol singing. The orchard-visiting wassail refers to the ancient custom of visiting orchards in cider-producing regions, reciting incantations, and singing to the trees to scare away evil spirits and promote a good harvest for the coming year.
31st, Hogmanay (spiritually and physically cleansing the house)
Homes are blessed for protection (saining), and the home is cleaned from top to bottom.
Drinking, dancing, and feasting ensue, and a massive torchlit parade occurs. Nowadays, Hogmanay (New Year's) rings in at midnight with fireworks and "Auld Lang Syne." The first person to visit on New Year's is called the "first-footer," and he should be a tall, dark-haired man bringing coal or shortbread.
Activities: decorate your home with candles to bring light into your home, go foraging, decorate with dried fruits and evergreens, bake a spiced yule log cake, have a cup of wassail, put a lantern on your porch or a candle in your front window, hang peanut butter and seed-coated pinecones for the birds, make gingerbread
