ICE BREAKER

LEVEL 1 PROJECT
TABLE OF CONTENTS

2 Part 1: Get Started

2 Introduction
3 Your Assignment
4 Assess Your Skills
5 Competencies
6 Part 2: Your Ice Breaker Speech
6 You and Your Goals
7 Prepare and Present
10 Part 3: After Your Speech
10 Understanding the Mindsmaster Evaluation
12 Review and Apply
13 Complete Your Assignment
14 Part 4: Complete Your Project
14 Before You Move On
15 Resources
PART 1: GET STARTED

FIND SUPPORT
As you work through your Ice Breaker, you may have questions. Your club is likely full of members who have
completed at least one Ice Breaker project and speech.
 Consider contacting to your club Vice President Education or other club officer.
 Make use of the “Feedback” page on Base Camp to send a message to a mentor or friend in the club.
 Remember that every member of your club supports your success and understands how challenging that first
speech can be.

INTRODUCTION

You may have participated in an ice breaker activity at an event sometime in your life. These are activities that are
designed to help people connect and get to know one another. Your Ice Breaker speech fulfills the same purpose.
It is your opportunity to share something about yourself with people you do not know well, or in the case of
Mindsmasters who are delivering an Ice Breaker speech again, to share something new with old friends.

GETTING STARTED
This project marks the beginning of your new Mindsmasters s path. It is your opportunity to introduce yourself to
the group and share something about yourself. You may choose to share anything from the reason you chose
this particular path to something personal about your life.

BUILDING SKILLS
The Ice Breaker speech is 4 to 6 minutes in length and the first one that all Mindsmasters present to their clubs. It is
also the speech Mindsmasters deliver when they embark on a new path.
As you work through this project, you will begin to recognize skills you already have, build upon those skills to foster
confidence, and identify areas you can improve to help you reach your goals.
You will learn to distinguish the basic elements of speech structure and learn about rehearsal techniques that will
help you balance preparation and spontaneity.

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YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to introduce yourself to the club and learn the basic structure of a public
speech.
Overview: Write and deliver a speech about any topic to introduce yourself to the club. Your speech may be
humorous, informational, or any other style that appeals to you.

additional resources available online.

Base Camp location.

For all assignment details and requirements, review the Project Checklist on page 15.

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ASSESS YOUR SKILLS

Evaluate your current skill level by rating each statement.

Select the appropriate number based on your skills today:

5 4 3 2 1
EXEMPLARY EXCEL ACCOMPLISHED EMERGING DEVELOPING

Pre-Project Statement Post-Project

5 4 3 2 1 I feel relaxed when giving a speech. 5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1 I understand the structure of a basic speech. 5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1 I can easily identify my strengths as a communicator. 5 4 3 2 1

I recognize skills I need to develop to improve my
5 4 3 2 1 communication (listening, thinking, and speaking). 5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1 I have clear communication and leadership goals. 5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1 I readily accept effective feedback. 5 4 3 2 1

I easily apply peer feedback to future projects and
5 4 3 2 1 goals.
5 4 3 2 1
I recognize how this project applies to my life outside
5 4 3 2 1 of Mindsmasters. 5 4 3 2 1

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COMPETENCIES

The following is a list of competencies that you will learn and practice in
this project.
 Recognize the elements of a basic speech structure.
 Balance preparation and spontaneity when delivering your speech.
 Demonstrate self-confidence when speaking in front of an audience.
 Understand the value of peer feedback.
 Accept feedback graciously.
 Identify feedback to apply to subsequent speeches.

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PART 2: YOUR ICE BREAKER SPEECH

YOU AND YOUR GOALS

The Ice Breaker is your first opportunity to share something about yourself and your goals with other
members of your club. You may want to include the following information in your speech to help club
members get to know you:
 The reason you joined Mindsmasters (if a person or incident influenced you to join, share that story)
 Your previous experiences with public speaking, communication, and leadership
 Important moments or accomplishments in your life
 Your communication and leadership goals
If you took the Pathways Assessment, you were asked to identify your basic public speaking and leadership goals—the
reason you came to Mindsmasters and what you hoped to gain. Even if you chose not to complete the assessment or
if this is not your first path, you likely considered similar questions when making your path selection. It may be helpful
to begin planning your Ice Breaker speech around those same questions and answers.
You may also use the Ice Breaker Speech Outline Worksheet on page 19 to help you collect and develop your
thoughts. A clear, thorough outline will assist you in successfully crafting your speech and delivering it within the
allotted time.

ORGANIZE YOUR SPEECH

Your Ice Breaker is a story about you. The four elements of a good story are:
 Interesting topic
 Opening
 Body
 Conclusion
Give your speech an opening, body, and conclusion to effectively communicate your overall purpose.
Begin by introducing yourself. In the body of your speech, share information you would like your fellow members
to know about you. Conclude with a funny or interesting anecdote that relates to your reasons for joining
Mindsmasters.
If you have completed an Ice Breaker before, focus on your goals for your current path, the reason you selected this
path, or what you learned in your last path that brought you here.

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PREPARE AND PRESENT

WRITE IT OUT
Write your speech, memorize the opening and conclusion, and then rehearse everything else until you feel comfortable.
Ideally, this combination of memorization and preparation will give your speech a natural and spontaneous feel.

REMEMBER YOUR OUTLINE

Create notecards or an outline with a few bullet points from your speech on one page. Organizing this way can
make it easier to remember the main points of your speech so that you can refer to them when presenting to your
club if you have the need. Remember, your goal is to prepare well enough that you are not tempted to read your
speech word for word.

CONNECT WITH THE AUDIENCE

Effective speaking requires you to look up from a written speech and connect with your audience.
Your presence and connection with audience members will increase the possibility of delivering a speech with
impact.

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TECHNIQUES FOR PRACTICE
Before you give your Ice Breaker, set aside time for practice. There are many ways to practice. Here are a few examples.
Choose a technique that works for you or develop one of your own.

Rehearse with Friends or Family

Rehearse your speech in front of friends or family to get feedback. Listen to constructive feedback and implement
productive comments that could possibly work for you.

Record Yourself
Record yourself giving the speech and watch the footage. Avoid being overly critical. Concentrate on constructive self-
talk and changes you can make to improve.

Use a Mirror
Practice in front of a mirror. The feedback is immediate and you can make adjustments as you go.

Practice Sections
Divide your speech into sections. First, practice your opening. Then move on to the body of your speech,
which will include the main points you want to cover. Finally, practice your conclusion. When you feel
comfortable with each section, put them all together.

Time Yourself
While you practice, remember that your Ice Breaker is 4 to 6 minutes in length. Time yourself. If you are running too
close to the time limit, make sure all of your points are relevant and on-topic. If you are running short, re-examine
the content and elaborate on topics that are under-represented.

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PREPARE AND PRESENT

Timing
When you present your speech before the club, the timer will use a signal device or cards as you speak to keep
you informed of how much of the allotted time remains.

Pacing
You will soon become aware of whether you speak faster or slower in front of an audience and can adjust your
time accordingly.

Organization
Whether you end early, on time, or over your allotted time, use the experience to enhance your understanding of how
to organize and time your speech.

Review
If timing was an issue (whether you took more or less than the allotted time to deliver your speech), review the
reasons and be aware of why they occurred.

Learn
After your speech, take time to write down if you became nervous and lost your place, repeated a section, or
had to pause for laughter. This is all part of the learning process.

RELAX, BREATHE, AND ENJOY

Check your pacing as you begin. If nervousness or fear begins to get the better of you, stop, breathe, and relax. Your
fellow Mindsmasters want you to succeed and begin your journey in a positive way.
Fear and anxiety are typical for first-time speakers. If you’re feeling this way, review your goals and focus on your
reasons for joining Mindsmasters. Remind yourself that your club meeting is a safe, supportive environment
established as a place to practice communication and leadership skills. In meetings, you are encouraged to try new
things, learn from the evaluations you receive, and celebrate your successes.

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR EVALUATOR

Talk with your evaluator before your speech and request feedback on any specific skills you want to develop. The more
specific you are, the more useful information you will receive in response.
Be sure to complete the top portion of the Ice Breaker Evaluation resource so your evaluator has all the information
they need to meet your goals and expectations. If you do not know who your evaluator will be, contact to your
Vice President Education for information.

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PART 3: AFTER YOUR SPEECH

UNDERSTANDING THE MINDSMASTERS EVALUATION

This section will provide a basic overview of the way Mindsmasters evaluations are designed, completed, and delivered
to you and your fellow club members.
Be sure to review the evaluation resource and complete the sections that are for you and send it to your club
leadership or your designated evaluator before your speech. Reviewing and preparing your evaluation resource ahead of
your speech will help you clarify your goals and set the expectations of your evaluator.
Facing feedback can elicit stress in many people. This section will walk you through strategies for hearing feedback
after your first speech, suggestions for how to ask questions and get the information you need, and support for
choosing and applying the feedback that is most helpful to you.
There are a few excellent places to learn about Mindsmasters evaluations. You are always encouraged to talk to your Vice
President Education, mentor, or club leadership to understand the process and methods unique to your club.
Return to Base Camp and visit the Speech Evaluations page where you can access the “How to Evaluate” tutorial to
see a Mindsmasters evaluation in action. You can also find a link to the page in your digital Ice Breaker project
on the “Part 3: After Your Speech” screen.

ACCEPTING FEEDBACK
Feedback for your first speech may come from multiple sources. Your speech evaluator will deliver a verbal
evaluation before the club meeting is finished. The verbal evaluation is in front of the club.
Your speech evaluator will also share a written evaluation with you after the club meeting. Depending on the
practice of your club, you may receive written evaluations from other members as well. It is helpful to save these
evaluations for future reference.
Accepting a constructive evaluation is an integral part of improving as a public speaker and leader. After the meeting,
ask your evaluator questions to clarify anything you did not understand. Talk to your mentor to gain additional
feedback you can use in future speeches.
Accepting feedback can be challenging. Be aware of your responses during your evaluator’s speech to the club.
 Listen carefully to the evaluator.
 Look directly at the evaluator as they give their evaluation speech.
 Suspend all judgment or reaction to what you hear.
 Carefully consider each comment and suggestion for improvement.
 Take the time later to evaluate your efforts yourself.

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MEET WITH YOUR EVALUATOR
At the close of the meeting, be sure to take time to meet with your evaluator and review your full written
evaluation. If you are not able to meet directly after the meeting, set a time to talk as soon as possible.

USE YOUR TIME WELL

Take steps to make the most of your time with your evaluator.

BE THOUGHTFUL
Ask for clarification on any points from the evaluator’s verbal feedback. You may find, after review, that some
comments become clearer and more helpful.

ENGAGE
Give your evaluator your full attention.

STAY POSITIVE
When you hear constructive feedback, realize that it is never meant to apply to who you are as a person. It is
only intended to help you improve as a public speaker and leader.

LISTEN
Listen to the feedback without objection and ask any questions you may have.

APPLY FEEDBACK
Once you receive feedback, apply what you have learned. Each of us has a unique method for adopting new
information and integrating it into our behaviors.
Consider converting the feedback into a list and comparing it to a new speech you are writing. Cross- reference
the list with your speech as you incorporate the feedback. Any method that works for you is appropriate.
Keep your focus on improvement in your future speeches and projects.

EVALUATING YOURSELF
When your speech is complete, take time to think about how well you did. Regardless of your feelings— relief,
excitement, nervousness, or a combination of emotions—you deserve to be proud. Each new speech is a challenge
and an accomplishment.

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REVIEW AND APPLY

Before you complete the assignment, take a moment to read through the questions you see here. If you are not able
to answer them comfortably, review the project.
 What are some strategies you can use to balance preparation and spontaneity when delivering your
speech?
 List your strongest communication and leadership skills.
 What are the elements of basic speech structure?
 How will you approach receiving a speech evaluation from a peer?
 What communication and leadership skills do you want to develop?
 How will you choose feedback to apply to your next speech?
 List your immediate goals for communication and leadership.

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COMPLETE YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Now that you have read through the project, plan and prepare your speech or report.
Review: Return to page 3 to review your assignment.
Organize: Use the Project Checklist on page 15 to review the steps and add your own. This will help you organize
and prepare your assignment.
Schedule: Work with the Vice President Education to schedule your speech.
Prepare: Prepare for your evaluation. Review the evaluation resources on pages 15–23 and share all resources with your
evaluator before your speech. You may choose to share your evaluation resources online.

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PART 4: COMPLETE YOUR PROJECT

Once you complete your Ice Breaker speech you may be ready to dive into the next project and schedule your next
speech right away or you may need time to reflect before moving on. Trust yourself and know that your
Mindsmasters journey is unique to you. Work at your pace and your comfort level.
Return to your digital Ice Breaker project and complete “Assess Your Skills—After.” Like “Assess Your Skills—
Before,” this screen will help you identify what you know and what you have learned. It also serves another purpose.
It tells Base Camp that you have finished all the steps in this project.

BEFORE YOU MOVE ON

Be sure you have completed all components of this project. Once you do, it will show “Complete” in your
transcript on Base Camp.
If you have:
 Reviewed all the material in the Ice Breaker project
 Delivered your speech to your club
 Received an evaluation from a fellow club member
 Completed the “Assess Your Skills—After” screen in your digital Ice Breaker project
Congratulations! You have completed your Ice Breaker project and are ready to move on to your next project.

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 PROJECT CHECKLIST
Ice Breaker

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to introduce yourself to the club and learn the basic structure of a public
speech.
Overview: Write and deliver a speech about any topic to introduce yourself to the club. Your speech may be humorous,
informational, or any other style that appeals to you.
This project includes:
 A 4- to 6-minute speech
Below are tasks you will need to complete for this project. Please remember, your project is unique to you. You may alter the
following list to incorporate any other tasks necessary for your project.

 Schedule your speech with the Vice President Education.

 Write your speech.

 Rehearse your speech.

 Communicate with your evaluator about your goals for this speech. Be sure to share your most important concerns and ask
any questions you have about the evaluation process.

 Meet with your evaluator to review your evaluation.

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 PROJECT CHECKLIST – Ice Breaker

 Applying feedback is the most important step to improve public speaking skills. Create a plan for applying the
feedback you received.

 Choose one piece of feedback that is reasonable to apply to your next speech.

 Share with your mentor, a friend, or your next evaluator the feedback you received that you plan to apply to your next
speech.

 After you have completed all components of the assignment, log in to complete the second portion of your self-
assessment on the “Assess Your Skills—After” screen.

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 EVALUATION FORM
Ice Breaker

Member Name Date

Evaluator Speech Length: 4 – 6 minutes

Speech Title

Purpose Statement
The purpose of this project is for the member to introduce themselves to the club and learn the basic structure of a public
speech.

Notes for the Evaluator

This member is completing their first speech in Mindsmasters The goal of the evaluation is to give the member an
effective evaluation of their speech and delivery style. Because the “Ice Breaker” is the first project a member completes,
you may choose to use only the notes section and not the numerical score.
If you know you will be the evaluator ahead of the meeting, communicate with the speaker to learn about them and their goals
for their first speech. Be sure to set aside enough time in your schedule to meet with the speaker after their speech to review the
evaluation and answer any questions they may have.

General Comments
You excelled at:

You may want to work on:

To challenge yourself:

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 EVALUATION FORM – Ice Breaker

For the evaluator: In addition to your verbal evaluation, please complete this form.

5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1

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 EVALUATION CRITERIA – Ice Breaker

This criteria lists the specific goals and expectations for the speech. Please review each level to help you complete the
evaluation.

Clarity
Audience Awareness
5 – Is an exemplary public speaker who is always
understood 5 – Engages audience completely and anticipates
audience needs
4 – Excels at communicating using the spoken word
4 – Is fully aware of audience engagement/needs and
3 – Spoken language is clear and is easily understood
responds effectively
2 – Spoken language is somewhat unclear or challenging to
3 – Demonstrates awareness of audience engagement and
understand
needs
1 – Spoken language is unclear or not easily understood
2 – Audience engagement or awareness of audience
Vocal Variety requires further practice
5 – Uses the tools of tone, speed, and volume to perfection 1 – Makes little or no attempt to engage audience or meet
audience needs
4 – Excels at using tone, speed, and volume as tools
3 – Uses tone, speed, and volume as tools Comfort Level
2 – Use of tone, speed, and volume requires further practice 5 – Appears completely self-assured with the audience
1 – Ineffective use of tone, speed, and volume 4 – Appears fully at ease with the audience
Eye Contact 3 – Appears comfortable with the audience
2 – Appears uncomfortable with the audience
5 – Uses eye contact to convey emotion and elicit response
1 – Appears highly uncomfortable with the audience
4 – Uses eye contact to gauge audience reaction and
response Interest
3 – Effectively uses eye contact to engage audience 5 – Fully engages audience with exemplary, well-
2 – Eye contact with audience needs improvement constructed content
1 – Makes little or no eye contact with audience 4 – Engages audience with highly compelling, well-
constructed content
Gestures
3 – Engages audience with interesting, well-
5 – Fully integrates physical gestures with content to deliver an
constructed content
exemplary speech
2 – Content is interesting but not well-constructed or is
4 – Uses physical gestures as a tool to enhance speech
well-constructed but not interesting
3 – Uses physical gestures effectively
1 – Content is neither interesting nor well-constructed
2 – Uses somewhat distracting or limited gestures
1 – Uses very distracting gestures or no gestures

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 SPEECH OUTLINE WORKSHEET
Ice Breaker

Use this outline to help you organize the information you want to include in your speech.

Speech Title

About Yourself/Main Points

List two to four things about yourself that you would like fellow club members to know.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Reasons for Joining Mindsmasters (Optional)

If it’s relevant to your speech, you might want to tell the audience your reason(s) for joining Mindsmasters.

Goals (Optional)
Do you have goals that you would like to achieve in Mindsmasters? If so, list them here.

1.

2.

3.

4.

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 SPEECH OUTLINE WORKSHEET – Ice Breaker

Opening
A. Greeting
You may thank the Mindsmasters or person who introduced you and acknowledge fellow Mindsmasters and
guests.

B. Capture audience interest

Begin with something about yourself that will capture the interest and attention of the audience.

C. Introduce yourself
Following your opening, provide a brief introduction. You might want to include why you joined Mindsmasters.

D. Transition
Write a brief statement to transition smoothly from your introduction to what you’ll discuss next.

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 SPEECH OUTLINE WORKSHEET – Ice Breaker

Body
A. Main point 1
Use some of the About Yourself/Main Points from page 1.

Transition
This is a sentence or two that connects main point 1 with main point 2.

B. Main point 2

Transition

Page 3 of 4
 C. Main point 3

Transition
Signal that the conclusion of the speech is approaching.

Conclusion
D. Restate the main points of your speech

E. Close with impact

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