Write the Roman numerals I., II., III., IV. and V. to represent the five different sections of the speech. Leave three to four blank lines between each Roman numeral.
Label the outline sections next to the Roman numerals with headings such as "Introduction," "Main Idea 1," "Main Idea 2," "Main Idea 3" and "Conclusion." Substitute the general "Main Idea" labeling to provide specific guidance on how to break up the topic, if necessary. For instance, if a child is writing a speech on an animal, you might write "Physical Characteristics," "Hunting Prey" and "Habitat."
Add a suggested time limit in parentheses for each section next to the heading. Introductions and conclusions might require 30 seconds each while the main ideas consist of 1 minute each.
Indent and label the blank lines under the headings with the first letters of the alphabet (A., B., C.) to represent where kids can write details regarding subtopics.
Label each letter under the introduction heading to assist kids in organizing their information. For example:
I. Introduction ( 30 seconds)
A. Greet Audience/Introduce Yourself
B. Explain Speech Topic
C. Summarize Three Main Ideas
Add specific subtopics next to letters under the main idea headings to further assist kids, as in:
II. Main Idea 1- Physical Characteristics (1 minute)
A. Size
B. Color
C. Physical Adaptations
III. Main Idea 2- Hunting Prey (1 minute)
A. Type of Prey
B. Hunting Behavior
C. Food Chain
IV. Main Idea 3 - Habitat (1 minute)
A. Where in World
B. Climate
C. Environment
Label the letters under the conclusion heading to describe how to end the speech. For instance:
V. Conclusion (30 seconds)
A. Restate Three Main Ideas
B. Summarize Three Main Ideas
C. Catchy Comment About Topic