Debate Lesson and Rubric

Debate Lesson and Rubric

Objective: Students will persuade their classmates to believe their position on a debatable topic.

Lesson:

Day 1 – Periods 1-2 will get into groups of 3. Periods 3-8 will pair up. Each pair/group will choose a topic of interest and side they are wanting to take on the topic. Selection will be based on draft order and students MUST have an opposing team to debate against. Students will have the remaining time in class to make a claim and research specific evidence to support their claim.

Day 2 - Students will complete research. Students must make a claim and have at least 2 pieces of evidence to support. Students should begin preparing how they want to present their arguments and evidence. Students should be ready to defend questions from other side of debate. They should prepare for the counterclaim and rebuttal. Students should use their graphic organizers to help organize their arguments. Each team MUST share their graphic organizer in Google Classroom.

Day 3- Students will finish planning claim, evidence, counterclaim, and rebuttal. They will then practice their debates so they are ready for the big stage…Debate Throw Down!

Days 4, 5, & 6 - Students will throw down! Before any words are said between groups, the audience will be shown the question and they will answer YES or NO on what they believe is to be true. While the poll is going on a coin toss will happen, the winner will decide to begin the debate or not.

Format of Debate Whoever goes first (Group 1) will have up to 1:30 to make their opening statement claim and explain at least 2 supporting reasons (evidence). The other team (Group 2) will then have up to 1:30 to make their claim, explain at least 2 reasons (evidence) and comment on what was said in opponent's opening remarks. Open debate back and forth will then commence for up to 4 additional minutes. During this time audience and/or teachers may ask clarifying questions. At the end of 4 minutes or after both groups are done debating the teacher will call an end to the debate.

Winning the Debate and Extra Credit After hearing all the claims and evidence, the audience will take the poll again and respond to the same question that was asked. A debate point will go to the group that earned the higher percentage of movement. The audience will be worth 1 debate point, and each teacher vote will be 1 debate point. The group that receives the most debate points will earn an additional point to their score.

HOW TO PREPARE CLAIM & EVIDENCE FOR A DEBATE

Each side in a debate is called the “position”

Your first line should state your claim: (Example) “We believe the colonists, have a right to seek our independence from Britain.”

The rest of the statement needs to SUMMARIZE in PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE why your position is the strongest. This is your evidence

You should have at least 2 solid points to make, but you can have more. Avoid too much detail

Use your claim and evidence to tell a convincing story. Consider using QUOTES that you think are emotionally powerful. You MUST appeal to people’s sense of REASON and EMOTION.

Have a rebuttal to what the other side says for their argument

When you present your claim and evidence: speak slowly, clearly, loudly. Do NOT stumble over your words. You should know your argument well enough to feel CONFIDENT and COMFORTABLE

YES / Debate Topics / NO
1. Should the death penalty be allowed in the US?
2. Should the United States allow assisted suicide in all states?
3. Should teenagers be tried differently than their adult counterparts?
4. Should social media sites like Facebook be able to legally access data from your cell phone?
5. Should classroom teachers be armed?
6. Should women have to enter in the draft?
7. Should food stamps exist?
8. Should we keep the same amount of school time but move to 4 school days a week?
9. Should college athlete be paid to play sports?
10. Should summer break be 1 month but have more/longer breaks during school year (no change to total school days)
11. Should schools suspend students who walk out in protest?
12. Should students in school sports have to take gym class?
13. Who had the better basketball career?
Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant
14. Should the 2nd amendment be repealed?
15. Should the NFL pay money to players who suffered head injuries?
16. Should players be able to enter the NBA right out of high school?
17. Better quarterback:
Peyton Manning or Tom Brady?

Names:______

Debate Rubric

Claim - 2(strong)1(weak)0(incomplete)

Evidence #1 - 3(strong)2(solid)1(weak)0(incomplete)

Evidence #2 - 3(strong)2(solid)1(weak)0(incomplete)

Rebuttal -1(solid)0(incomplete)

Presentation - 1(strong)0(incomplete)

BONUS: (Win debate points) +1

Total: _____/10_

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