Louisiana 4-H is aneducational programof the LSU AgCenter

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You can givea method

demonstration

You can givea method

demonstration

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Learn by Doing – A Guide to Demonstrations Amethoddemonstrationshowssomeonehowtodosome-thing.Whenyougiveamethoddemonstration,youshowsomeonehowtodosomethingandexplaintheprocessstepbystep.Thisisdifferentfromanillustratedtalk,thepurposeofwhichisonlytogiveinformation.Inamethoddemonstration,youwanttoteachyouraudi-enceamethodandinspirethemtouseit.

Learningtogiveamethoddemonstrationwillhelpyougainself-confidence.Youwill:

feelmoreateaseinfrontofagrouplearntogatherinformationaboutasubjectorganizeyourideasthinkaboutmainpointsofasubjectpresentinformationinalogicalorderbothvisuallyandverballylearntoexpressyourselfmoreeasily,clearlyandconvincinglyexperiencethejoyofsharingwhatyou’velearnedactuallyhelpotherpeoplelearntakepartingroupactivitieswhenyouare1�orolder,youcanwinfantastictrips

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Choosing a topic

First,thinkaboutyourinterestsandyouraudience.Askyour-self:

Whatinterestsme?Myaudience?Whatwillmyaudiencefinduseful?WhatdoIalreadyknow?WhatwouldIliketolearnmoreabout?WhatdoIbelievein?WhatdoIdowell?Whatchallengesme?

Getapaperandpencilandwritedownyourideas.Youcangetideasfrom:

projectsyouhavedonetours,sciencefairs,schoolprojectsthingsgoingoninyourneighborhoodLSUAgCenterbookletsbooks,magazines,TVtalkingwith4-Hagentsandotheradults(farmers,storeown-ers,librarians,doctors,nurses,dentists,teachers,firefighters,postalworkers,lawenforcementofficers,etc.).

Whenchoosingyouridea,askyourself:Istheideaunusual?Isitsimple?Isitlimitedtooneidea,notmore?Doesitappealtoyouraudience?

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Onceyou’vedecidedonyourtopic,it’stimetoplanthedem-onstration.Planningindetail-onpaper-isthemostimportantthingyoucandotomakeyourpresentationafineone.Thinkabout–andwritedown:

informationyou’llusestepsyou’llshow–inwhatorderwhatyou’llsayalongwitheachstepsuppliesandequipmenthowyou’llusethematerialsvisualaidsyou’llneed

Youyourselfareprobablythemostimportantvisualaid.Visualaidscanhelpyoumakeapointandaddinteresttoyourtalk.Somevisualaidsyoucanuse:

Realobjects.Theseobjectsusuallyteachthebest.Flipcharts.Thesecanbestapledattop,allowingchartstobeturnedoverasneeded.Posters.Keepthemsimple,neatandeasytosee.Theycanbeheldonaneaselormadetostandonatable.PowerPointorothercomputer-basedvisualaids.

Nowyou’rereadytoplanyourdemonstration.Thebestwaytodothisistomakeanoutline.Anoutlinewillhelpyoukeepyourthoughtsinorder,listsuppliesyou’llneedandlistwhatyou’llsayanddo. Ademonstrationhasthreemainparts:theintroduction,whichgetstheaudience’sattention;theprocedure,whenyou’llshowandtellhow;andthesummary,whenyou’llrestatethekeypoints.Youroutlineshouldhavethesamethreeparts–theintroduction,theprocedureandthesummary.

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My OutlineWhatI’llsay,WhatI’lldo,WhatI’llneedIntroduction,Procedure,Summary

Introduction Greetyouraudience.Introduceyourself.Tellwhyyouchoseyourtopic,whyyouthinkyourtopicisimportantandwhyyourtopicispractical.Agoodintroductionshouldbeoriginalandbrief.Ifyouuseyourownwords,youwillholdtheattentionofyouraudience. Youcangettheattentionofyouraudiencebyusing:

apersonalincidentalivelyposterariddleasongortapeaquestion

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adramaticorshockingstatementagesture,poemorskitacompletedproduct

Now,whatabouttheprocedure,thesecondpartofthedem-onstration?Theprocedureisthe“showandtell”partofthedemon-stration.You’llhavetodecidewhatyou’llsayandwhatyou’lldowhileusingyourvisualaidsandmaterials.

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Procedure - What will you do? Say? Need?

Haveyoudiscussedthemainpoints?Haveyoucheckedtoseethatallinformationhelpstomakethemainpointsclear?Haveyouexplainedeachstep?Areyouusingyourownwords?Doyouuseprecisewordsthatbringvividpicturestomind?Ordoyouuseimprecisewordssuchas“things,”“stuff.”

Sofarwe’vecoveredtheintroductionandtheprocedure.Now,whydoweneedthelastpart—thesummary?Ifyouwantthemainpointstostaywiththeaudience,youhavetorestatewhatyouhavetoldthem.Theresearchyoudidonyoursubjectisgoingtopayoffduringthistime.Theaudienceandjudgescanaskquestions.Ifyoudon’tknowtheanswers,admitit.Don’tfakeit.Ifyoucan,telltheques-tionerwheretofindtheanswertohisorherquestion.

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Summary

Showthefinishedproduct,ifthereisone.Highlightthemainpoints.AskforquestionsTworeasonsquestionsareasked:

toclarifyapointtoseehowwellyouknowyoursubjectmatter.

Don’tanswerwithonlya“yes”or“no.”Outofcourtesy,repeatthequestion.Trytoguesswhatquestionswillbeaskedsoyoucanpracticeaheadoftime.Tellwhereyoufoundyourinformation.

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How to...

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Hereisanexampleofanaward-winningdemonstration.Itiscalled“HookedonFishing.”

HOOKED ON FISHINGDEMONSTRATION PROGRAM

INTRODUCTION: Hello,mynameis______________andI’mhookedonfishing.TodayIwilltellyoualittleaboutfishinginLouisiana,showyouhowtotieaknottoholdahookandshowyousomedifferentbaitstouseforfishing.Thatway,youcangethookedonfishing,too.

BODY: InLouisiana,weareblessedwithalargenumberoflakes,ponds,bayous,rivers,creeks,marshes,baysandestuaries.Withallofthesehabitats,wehavemanydifferentfisheriespopulations.Somecommonfreshwaterfisharebass,bream(alsocalledbluegill),catfishandperch(alsocalledsac-a-lait.)Saltwaterfishthatarepopularareredfish,speckledtroutandflounder.Youneedtoknowwhattypeoffishyouwanttocatch,becausethatwilldeterminethesizeofthehook,linestrengthandbaityouwilluse.

TURN POSTER & GET TRAY

Equipmentandsuppliesyouwillneedforfishingare:

Rodandreel(oracanepole)Monofilamentline–6-and1�-poundline;thesenumbersrefertothestrengthoftheline.Thehigherthenumber,thestrongertheline.Hooks-Youcanusea#10,#8,#6or#4.Thesmallerthenumber,thelargerthehook.Livebait-Youcanusecrickets,worms,minnowsorbaitshrimp.

OrArtificialLures-Somepopulartypesarespinners,jigs,spoons,crankbaitsandplasticworms.

TURN POSTER

Probablythemostimportantthingtoknowaboutfishingisthecorrectwaytotietheknottoholdthehookontheline.Astrongknotisneededsothatthehookdoesn’tkeepbreakingoff.Thereareseveraldifferentstrongknots,buttheoneIwillshowyoutodayisthePALOMARKNOT.Fordemonstrationpurposes,Iwillshowyouhowtotietheknotusingalargecottonropeandaneyebolt.

1.Startwithplentyofline.�.Doublethelineandpasstheendthroughthehook’seye.�.Tieanoverhandknot(likeyouweretyingyourshoestrings),but

donotpullittightyet.

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4.Passthehookthroughtheloop.�.Pullthelooseendoflinetotightentheknot.Trimtheoneend.

Leaveatleast1/8inchofyourlineattheknot.

Thisshouldbeastrongenoughknotsothatyourfishdon’tgetaway.

TURN POSTER

Insummary,remember:-Knowwhatfishyouwanttocatch.Thiswilldeterminethehook

size,linestrengthandbaityouwilluse.-Collectyourequipmentandsupplies:rod&reel,monofilament

line,hooksandbait.-Tiestrongknotssothatthe“bigone”doesn’tgetaway.and-Havefunfishing.It’sapopularsporthereinLouisiana.

TURN POSTER

Nowthatyouknowalittlemoreaboutfishing,IhopeyoubecomeHOOKEDONFISHING. Myreferencesformydemonstrationwerethepamphlet“Fish-ingFun”bytheFutureFishermanFoundation,andthe“IdentificationGuidetotheCommonSportFishofLouisiana”and“Let’sGoFishing,”bothwrittenbytheLouisianaDepartmentofWildlifeandFisheries. Ihaveenjoyedpresentingmydemonstrationtoyou.Arethereanyquestions?

POSTERS1.CoverPoster�.EquipmentandSupplies�.PalomarKnot4.Summary

TRAY-ONLYONEmonofilamentline(6-and8-pound)hooks(#10,#8,#6and#4)bait(spinners,jigs,spoons,crankbaitsandplasticworms)largecottonropelargehookrodandreel

Sometipsonmakingpostersforvisualaids:Writewordsacrossthepage,notupanddown.Keepitbriefandneat.Hereisatablethatwillhelpyoudecideonletteringthatcanbereadfromacertaindistance.(That’sassumingeyesightis�0/�0,lightingisgood,andcolorcontrastoflettersandback-groundisstrong.)

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LegibilityTable:Distance Letter Height Letter Thickness10feet 1/�inch �/��inch�0feet �/4inch 1/8inch�0feet �inches �/16inch100feet �1/�inches 11/16inch

Canyoureadthis?Haveafriendholdupthispagefrom10feetaway.Fromhowmanyfeetawaycanyoureadeachchart?Howdoyouranswerscomparewithdistancesbelow.

TRYTHISFROM10FEETIcanreadthisfrom________feetaway.

FROM�0FEETAWAYIcanreadthisfrom________feetaway.

Icanreadthisfrom________feetaway.

Icanreadthisfrom________feetaway.

Howmanyposterswillyouneedforyourdemonstration?Wesuggestyouuseaposterforyourtitle,apostertobringoutapointintheprocedureandaposterforyoursummary. Whenyoumakeyourposters,choosecolorswithagoodcontrastsowordscanbeseeneasilyfromadistance.Forexample,navy-bluelettersonayellowbackgroundareeasiertoreadthanorangelettersonayellowbackground.Somecolorcombinationsyoucanuseare:

BlackonyelloworwhiteDarkgreenonwhiteBlackonorangeoryellowDarkblueonyelloworwhiteRedonwhiteWhiteonnavyblueorblackOrangeonpurpleWhiteonpurplePurpleonwhiteoryellow

To judge your posters Askyourself:

Isitneeded?Doesithelpexplainapoint?Doesitfocusattention?Isitlargeenoughfortheaudiencetosee?Isitneat?Isiteasytouse?Isitsimple?Isitcolorful?

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AfewtipstorememberwhenusingaprogramlikePowerPoint:APowerPointslideisbasicallyanoutlineofyourdemonstra-tion.Keepitsimple.Donotreaddirectlyfromtheslides.Theslidesshouldjustemphasizethekeyconceptsofyourdemonstration.Followthe�x�Rule.Noslideshouldmorethan�linesdeepand�wordsacross.Useatleast4�pointfontfortitlesand�8pointfontforyourtext.Followthebasiccolorschemeusedformakinganeffectiveposter.Becarefulwhenusinggraphicsandanimation.Toomuchani-mationcanbeadistraction.Besurethegraphicsyouusearerelatedtothecontentofyourpresentation.Andlast,butnotleast,trytheslideshowoutbeforeyoupresentyourinformationtotheaudience.Makesureyoucandemonstrateandchangeslidesatthesametime.Onegreatwaytodothisistoprojecttheslidesonthewallorscreenandwalktothebackoftheroomtomakesureyoucanreadalloftheslides.

TojudgetheslidesofyourPowerPointpresentationAskyourself:

Isitneeded?Doesithelpexplainapoint?Doesitfocusattention?Isitlargeenoughfortheaudiencetosee?Isitneat?Isiteasytouse?Isitsimple?Isitcolorful?Ifyoufollowtheseeasytips,yourPowerPointpresentationshouldbeahit.

TheTitle:Findingatitlecanbeyourlaststep.IfyouconcentrateontheIDEAforthevisualpresentation,andtheDEVELOPMENToftheidea,thetitlewillcomelater.TitlesthatcommunicatebestusuallyareSHORT,DESCRIPTIVEandCREATEPICTURESINTHEMINDSOFTHEAUDIENCE.AtitleshouldHINTatthesubjectwithouttellingthewholestory…muchthewayariddlesparksinterestbecauseitmakesthelistenerthink.

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HowtoorganizedemonstrationequipmentandsuppliesListalltheequipmentandsuppliesneeded.Arrangetheitemsneatlyinorderyouwillusethem.Haveasecondtablebehindyoutokeepequipmentandsup-pliesbeforeneededinthedemonstrationandtosetarticlesoutofwayafteruse.

HINTS:Haveaneat,well-lighteddemonstrationtableorworksurfaceofproperheight.Arrangeequipmentandsuppliesneatlyintheorderyouwillusethem.Testandhaveequipmentingoodworkingcondition.(Oops!Whatifthebulbburnsout?)Developskillinusingyourequipment.Startwithacleantableandkeepaudienceguessingwhatcomesnext.Endwithacleantableandhaveonlythefinishedproductbe-foreaudienceforthesummary.

Especiallyforfoodsprojects:Placepadorfoldedtowelunderbowlswhenstirringorbeatingtopreventupsetandnoise.Havealitterbagonworksideoftable.Havedampclothhandyincaseofspilling.Useamirrortoshowthefinishedproductifpossible.Keepsuppliescoveredorinbackgroundwhennotinuse.Coverbrandnames.Loosencapsandtopsbeforebeginning.

Practice!

Askyourself:AmIdoingthingsinalogicalorder?AmIrememberingkeypointsandworkingtofindthebestwaytogetthemacross?AmIusingvisualaidswithskill,suchasusingmyhandclosesttothechartwhenpointingsothatmyarmdoesnotcrossinfrontofmybody?AmImatchingmyactionswithmywordstoavoidlong,unnatu-ralpauses?AmIstayingwithinthetimelimit?HaveIpracticedbeforeanyoneandeveryonewhowilllistentogivemepoiseandconfidence?HaveIaskedsomeoneforsuggestionstomakemypresenta-tionbetter?

What shall I wear? Whynotwearaconservativecostume?Acostumecanaddinterestandbeanimportantvisualaidrelatedtoyoursubject.Awell-groomedlookisalwaysattractive.

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Followtheseappearanceguidelines:Avoidwearingheavyjewelryorclothingthatdrawsattentiontoyouinsteadofthesubjectofyourtalk.Haveeyecontactwiththeaudience.Standtallandstraightonbothfeet.Avoidleaningontable,pushingbackhair,rockingbackandforth,shiftingagainandagainfromonefoottotheother,twist-ingonefootbehindtheother,etc.Thesearedistracting.Avoidputtinghandsinpockets.Letthemhangrelaxedandnaturalunlessyouaremakinganappropriategesture.Avoidreadingfromnotesbecauseyouwilllosecontactwiththeaudience.Avoidtalkingwhenyourbackistotheaudiencebecauseyouprobablywillnotbeheard.

Tosumitallup:Getanidea.Researchtheideaandstudy.Focusonafewbasicthoughtstoteachtheidea.Leaveoutallunnecessaryinformation.Writeanoutline.Selectvisualaids.Practice.

What do the judges like?Theylikeyouto:

Benaturalandatease.Smilenowandthen.Showenthusiasm.(It’scatching.Ifyouenjoywhatyouaredoing,theaudiencewill,too.)Useyourownwords.Organizeyourequipmentandsupplies.Showskillinusingvisualaids.Lookatvariouspeopleinaudienceduringtalk.Speaksothepersoninlastrowcanhearyou.Keepthepitchofyourvoicelow.Speakslowlyandclearly.Lookattheaudienceasmuchaspossible,notdownattableoratcharts.Useaccuratemeasurements.Besureyourfactsareuptodateandaccurate.Startandfinishwithacleanworktable.Becarefulnottowastesupplies.Knowyourtalkwellenough,butnothaveitmemorized.Useprecise,accuratewords.Keepchartstoaminimum.Showonlythechartyouaretalkingabout.

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Staycalmifyouhaveanaccident.Explainwhathappened,ifnecessary,andgorightonwithyourtalk.

Especiallyforteams:Callyourteammatebynameratherthan“mypartner”or“myteammate.”Neverturnyourbacktotheaudiencewhileyouarethedem-onstrator.Yourteammatebringsallthethingsneeded,watchesproductcookingandhelpswhenneeded.Askyourteammatepolitelyforwhatyouneed.Donotwhispertoteammateifheorshefailstoremember.Talkdirectlytotheaudience,nottothetableoryourteam-mate.

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How to...

Visit our Web site: www.lsuagcenter.com

Louisiana State University Agricultural CenterWilliamB.Richardson,Chancellor

Louisiana Agricultural Experiment StationDavidJ.Boethel,ViceChancellorandDirectorLouisiana Cooperative Extension Service

PaulD.Coreil,ViceChancellorandDirector

Pub. 2149 (300) 06/07 Rep.

IssuedinfurtheranceofCooperativeExtensionwork,ActsofCongressofMay8andJune�0,1�14,incooperationwiththeUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculture.TheLouisiana

CooperativeExtensionServiceprovidesequalopportunitiesinprogramsandemployment.