GENERAL INFORMATION

Subject(s)
LanguageArts(English)
TopicorUnitofStudy
Debate,Persuasion
Concept(s)
Essentialquestions:
Howdoesoneargueeffectively?
Howdoesoneacknowledgeandvalidatedifferingopinions/
Whatis"truth"andhowdoesonefindit?
Grade/Level
Grade8
TimeAllotment
1classperiods.1.25Hrs.perclass.
AssessmentofPriorKnowledge
Studentswillapplyknowledgeandstrategiesacquiredthroughouttheentiredebatetotheirfinalclassroom
debate.
InstructionalMaterials
Studentswillneedtheirdebatenotesandawritingutensil.
Resources

Materialsandresources:
Thedeskswillbearrangedsothatsetsofdeskswillfaceoneanothertherestofthedeskswillbe
usedbycrowdmembers.

Summary
Studentswillcombineargumentativeterminologyandstrategieswiththeirresearchinordertopresenta
cohesive,teamargument.Eachblockwillpresenttwoseparatedebatesthatincludestrong,clearopening,
supporting,andclosingstatements.Eachdebatewillrunfortwentynineminutesandwillbefollowedbya
wholeclassdiscussiononeachgroup'sapproachtothedebates.

STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVES

Standards
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MDMarylandContentStandards

Subject:READING/ENGLISHLANGUAGEARTS
Grade:8
ContentStandard:Standard2.0ComprehensionofInformationalText(Informational)
Area:A.ComprehensionofInformationalText
IndicatorStatement:4.Analyzeimportantideasandmessagesininformationaltexts

Objective:b.Analyzetheauthor'sargument,viewpoint,orperspective
AssessmentLimit:Textsorportionsoftextsinwhichtheauthor'sargument,viewpointorperspectiveisevident
ContentStandard:Standard6.0Listening(Listening)
Area:A.Listening
IndicatorStatement:1.Applyanddemonstratelisteningskillsappropriatelyinavarietyofsettingsandforavarietyof
purposes
Objective:a.Respondtoaspeaker'scuesappropriately
ContentStandard:Standard7.0Speaking(Speaking)
Area:A.Speaking
IndicatorStatement:1.Demonstrateappropriateorganizationalstrategiesanddeliverytechniquestoplanforavarietyof
oralpresentationpurposes
Objective:c.Speaktopersuadebyincludingawelldefinedthesis,differentiatingfactfromopinion,andsupportarguments
withdetailedevidence,examples,reasoningandpersuasivelanguage

USANat.CouncilofTeachersofEnglish:StandardsfortheEnglishLanguageArts

Standard4.:Studentsadjusttheiruseofspoken,written,andvisuallanguage(e.g.,conventions,style,vocabulary)to
communicateeffectivelywithavarietyofaudiencesandfordifferentpurposes.
Standard11.:Studentsparticipateasknowledgeable,reflective,creative,andcriticalmembersofavarietyofliteracy
communities.

LessonObjective(s)
Studentswillapplyvariousstrategiesandtechniquestoafinalclassroomdebate.
Studentswillpresentacoherentargumentwithsupportingstatementstoclassmates.
Studentswillcriticallyanalyzeclassmates'argumentsandsupport.
Studentswillrespondtoopposingteamstimelyandrespectfully.
AffectiveObjectives:
Studentswillvalueandrespecttheopinionsandvoicesofclassmates.
Studentswillapplycriticalthinkingstrategiestotheirpersonalandprofessionallives.

PROCEDURES AND MODIFICATIONS

Introduction(Motivation)
Studentswillbegiventenminutestoassembletheirgroupsandcompletelastminuteorganizingbefore
beginningtheclassroomdebates.
Teaching/Activities
1.Studentswillbegiventenminutestodeliberatewiththeirgroupsandtieupanylooseendstotheir
argumentsandsupport.
2.Theinstructorwillsummarizetherundownofthedebate(openingstatementtwominutes;cross
examinationperiodtenminutes;rebuttalperiodtenminutes;closingstatementpreparationthree
minutes;closingstatementtwominutes).*NOTE*thetimeallotmentschangedduetoextenuating
circumstancesSecondBlock'scrossexaminationandrebuttalperiodwerelimitedtoonlyeightminutesa
piece.
3.Thegroupslaunchintotheclassroomdebate;theinstructorwillactasthemoderatorensuringthatonly
thedesignatedspeakersareparticipatingduringtheirallottedperiods.Aportionofthestudents'grades
stemfromtheirindividualandgrouppreparation.Theremainingstudentswillactastheaudience;the
audiencewillnoteremarksthatwillbereviewedanddiscussedfollowingthedebate/

4.Followingthedebate,themoderatorwillasktheparticipantsnottospeakwhiletheaudiencediscusses
andanalyzeeachgroup'sapproachtotheirargumentandsupport.
Closure
Followingthedebates,studentswillcompleteand"windowpane"analysis;thisrequireseachstudentto
divideapieceofpaperintofoursections.Studentswillbreakdowneachteam'sargumentandlistthepros
andconsofeachteam'sperformance.Followingcompletion,theclasswillholisticallydiscussthedebates.
DifferentiatedInstruction
InordertoaccommodateBlockTwo'sIEPs,themoderatormustincludeguideddirectionintothedebates.
Thismayresultinpromptingtheiranswerswithspecificquestionsorguidingthegroupsontrackiflostor
wandering.

ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION
Assessment/Rubrics
Theclassroomdebates,discussion,andreflectionactasthesummativeassessmentfortheentiredebate
unit.Eachstudent'samountofeffortandworkleadinguptothefinaldebatewillbeconsideredduringthe
finalgradingprocesseseachgradedpiecewillbeevaluatedaccordingtotherubric.
Reflections
Iwasgenuinelysurprisedathowwelleachdebateensued;theobligatorynervesexposethemselves
anytimeaneducatorchoosestocompleteaperformancebasedassessmentforaunitethedebateunit
provednodifferent,butthestudentsshotdowneachoftheseworrieswiththeirwonderfulpresentationof
theirarguments.Eachgroupwasthoroughlypreparedtodiscussandpromotetheirargumentsand
anticipatedtheopposinggroup'sargumentandsupport.Itwasinterestingtowitnesshowthestrategies
differedfromeachBlock.BlockOneapproachedthedebateinanextremelylogical,researchedmanner
whileBlockTwodecidedtodemonstratemoreofaneducatedbackandforthapproach,andBlockFour
appealedtothemoreemotionalaspectofeachargument.