Watch a cooking show on the Food Network—like Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals or Sunny Anderson's Cooking for Real (you can find episodes at www.foodnetwork.com, or use any how-to show you like). In a brief paper, identify specific strategies the host uses to explain the process of preparing a meal. Also, make note of how the guidelines for informative speaking are evident in the program.

Identify a small object that has personal meaning for you (a photograph, a tattoo, a piece of jewelry, a family heirloom). Prepare a two- to three-minute narrative presentation that tells the story of the item's significance. Rehearse your presentation with a classmate, and get feedback to help you revise it. Then deliver the revised speech to your class, or video-record it for the course Web site.