Lauren Nguyen

ID #: 212160
Essential Skills
Evidence Form
StandardListen Actively and Speak Clearly and Coherently
Skills
- Listen actively to understand verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Give and follow spoken instructions to perform a task, ask and answer questions and solve
problems.
- Present or discuss ideas clearly, effectively, and coherently, using both verbal and
nonverbal techniques.
- Use language appropriate to particular audiences and contexts.
Description of Activity/Task/Experience that demonstrates I am at or above standard in the
specific skills for the standard mentioned above:
During both my sophomore and junior years, I was involved in the Intel BeavertonHillsboro Science Fair Expo. With my partner, we did a science fair project in our sophomore
year on the microbial properties of curry leaf and cinnamon oil. This involved researching
beforehand, as well as being under the tutelage of my chemistry teacher when we conducted
our actual experiment. In our junior year we worked on another science fair project, this one
seeking to find if there was a relationship between the number of songwriters of a song, and
whether the song becomes a hit. By doing this project, we were attempting to answer a question
we had posed in the beginning. For both projects we had to assemble tri-fold boards, which
included presenting the question, data, procedures, and analyses. At the science fair, we had to
present our project coherently and verbally in front of judges, as well as other participants. We
also had to listen actively to our audience, in order to understand and communicate well with
them and answer any questions they had with our project. Active listening also had to be used
when walking around and talking to others about their science fair projects in order to
understand both verbal and non-verbal communication. Along with our board and our scientific
journal, we also used non-verbal communication to add to our presentation. From the judges
notes, we were told that we made an excellent team, especially for our strength in
communication with not only each other, but also the audience.
Explanation/Reflection of how the activity/task/experience described above meets or exceeds
the specific skills of the standard mentioned above:
Through doing the two science fair projects, I demonstrated several different ways in
which I exceeded the skills listed above. Active listening had to be used to understand what the
judges and other presenters were saying and being able to effectively understand other projects
through their tri-fold boards and scientific journals. My partner and I also had to pose questions
in the beginning of both of our projects (Do curry leaf and cinnamon oils have any health
properties?, Does number of songwriters affect a songs success?), and work towards
answering them. We had to present and discuss ideas clearly, effectively, and coherently in
order to do well with the judges through both verbal (talking) and non-verbal (tri-fold board,
scientific journal) techniques. Also, we had to make sure we were using correct terminology and
language in regards to who the audience was and what our project was on.