Social

Studies

Lesson Plan 3

What: Students will learn about debate skills and how to formulate arguments with
the research materials they have brought to class.

How: Students will practice and asses each others debate skills through peer
reviews, and receive scaffolded instruction on how to form arguments related to
their roles, and critique arguments. Students will then participate in a mock debate
in which I will help facilitate.

Why: These skills will help show students how to form a well structure a good
argument and how to use certain information to defend their position. Students will
also get a chance to practice using their argument in a formal debate in preparation
for the actual simulation.

Goal/Objective: Students will learn how to formulate arguments with the
information that they brought to class for the sides of their arguments. Students will
learn how to present theses arguments in a debate as well as refute other
arguments. Students will witness and participate in a formal debate.

Materials: Two Spaces: One for the debate and one where the judges can go and
consult the results of the trial

During:

Students will have time to prepare and practice for the debate before they perform,
individually or in pairs. During this time Judges will be reviewing their obligations
as judges and how they should look at the trial once it is over. (15 minutes)

Orchestrated Trial (30 minutes) Page 59

First proposition constructive (5 minutes)
First opposition constructive (5 minutes)
Second proposition constructive (5 minutes)
Second opposition constructive (5 minutes)
Opposition rebuttal (3 minutes)
Proposition rebuttal (3 minutes)

Refelction: Students will have time to fill out a reflection sheet on the trial while the
judges are deciding the verdict. The judges will also have to collectively fill out a
debrief sheet that describes why they arrived at their verdict and what each team
did well. They will also be required to give comments on what was persuading and
why and what could have been improved on. (10-15 minutes)

Debrief: Judges and students will share comments on their reflection comments and
engage in discussion over how the trial went.