12.22 - Debates

At the beginning of class today, we reviewed rubrics for the debates and the debate position papers.
We then established the debate order and who would debate what.

We were able to have two debates today and will have the other three debates on the Monday that we get back from break. We will re-establish the debate order on Monday and have another coin flip to determine who will argue which side. Each person should be prepared to argue either side.

Handouts:

Debate Rubric

Debate Position Paper Rubric

Planning Your Debate: Position Paper Outline
Debate Note Sheet

Homework:

Both position papers (for and against) on your debate topic should be handed in. If those are not completed, they should be completed over break for homework (see post on 12.17 and rubrics above for more information on paper writing).

If your group did not debate today, be prepared to debate on the Monday when we get back.

You should be ready to debate either side of your topic. Use the "Planning Your Debate" sheet to plan your debate.

Complete your debate outlines and position papers for your debate topic.

12.19 - Outlining and Writing Your Second Argument

The focus of today's class was on planning and then beginning to write an argument in favor of or against their topic and organizing the research notecards people have created.

To help in this process, I introduced everyone to an outline that works through the process of creating a thesis statement, topic sentences/claims, and organizing evidence within those points.

Everyone then had the rest of the period to work on this outline. I went around to check in with people individually and answer questions.

The order in which tasks should be completed are as follows:

1 - 6 research sources (for, against, and/or objective on the debate topic)
2 - 20 notecards of important information from the sources (summary, paraphrase, and/or quotation)
3 - Create a powerful thesis
4 - Create three or more powerful topic sentences/claims for your position paper
5 - Organize evidence within each claim
6 - Identify rhetorical devices and appeals that can be used in your discussion
7 - Use your outline to begin writing your position paper (800 words)

Today, everyone should be completing steps 3-5 and moving into steps 6-7 for the second side of their debate topic.

At the end of class, I handed out a note sheet for people to fill out this weekend. This note sheet translates points from the position paper into talking points for the debate. People should plan more than enough material to fill the 1 and 2 minute time allotments.

For the debate note sheet, it may be helpful to have the formal debate topic wording which are as follows:

Did the grand jury make the correct decision in the Ferguson (Darren Wilson) case?

Should abortion be legal?

Should capital punishment be legal?

Should the assault weapons ban be reinstituted?

Should the minimum wage be increased?

Handouts:
Planning Your Debate: Position Paper Outline
Debate Note Sheet

Homework:

Complete the debate note sheet in preparation for our debates on Monday.

Complete your debate outlines and position papers for your debate topic.

12.18 - Second Argument

The focus of today's class was on planning and then beginning to write an argument in favor of or against their topic and organizing the research notecards people have created.

To help in this process, I introduced everyone to an outline that works through the process of creating a thesis statement, topic sentences/claims, and organizing evidence within those points.

Everyone then had the rest of the period to work on this outline. I went around to check in with people individually and answer questions.

The order in which tasks should be completed are as follows:

1 - 6 research sources (for, against, and/or objective on the debate topic)
2 - 20 notecards of important information from the sources (summary, paraphrase, and/or quotation)
3 - Create a powerful thesis
4 - Create three or more powerful topic sentences/claims for your position paper
5 - Organize evidence within each claim
6 - Identify rhetorical devices and appeals that can be used in your discussion
7 - Use your outline to begin writing your position paper (800 words)

Today, everyone should be working on steps 3-5 for the second side of their debate topic.

Handouts:

Planning Your Debate: Position Paper Outline

Homework:

Continue working on your outline. We will have time in class tomorrow to work on outlines and paper writing.

12.17 - Position Paper Writing

The focus of today's class was on planning and then beginning to write an argument in favor of or against their topic and organizing the research notecards people have created.

To help in this process, I introduced everyone to an outline that works through the process of creating a thesis statement, topic sentences/claims, and organizing evidence within those points.

Everyone then had the rest of the period to work on this outline. I went around to check in with people individually and answer questions.

The order in which tasks should be completed are as follows:

1 - 6 research sources (for, against, and/or objective on the debate topic)
2 - 20 notecards of important information from the sources (summary, paraphrase, and/or quotation)
3 - Create a powerful thesis
4 - Create three or more powerful topic sentences/claims for your position paper
5 - Organize evidence within each claim
6 - Identify rhetorical devices and appeals that can be used in your discussion
7 - Use your outline to begin writing your position paper (800 words)

Today, everyone should be at or moving into step 7.

Handouts:

Planning Your Debate: Position Paper Outline

Homework:

Continue working on your outline. We will have time in class tomorrow to work on outlines, but people should be starting to write their papers for homework tomorrow night, so plan accordingly.

12.16 - Outlines and Writing

At the beginning of class today, I returned assignments that were submitted last week and handed out grade report sheets. I then reviewed general class performance on assignments that were being handed back for the first time.

The focus of today's class was on planning and then beginning to write an argument in favor of or against their topic and organizing the research notecards people have created.

To help in this process, I introduced everyone to an outline that works through the process of creating a thesis statement, topic sentences/claims, and organizing evidence within those points.

Everyone then had the rest of the period to work on this outline. I went around to check in with people individually and answer questions.

The order in which tasks should be completed are as follows:

1 - 6 research sources (for, against, and/or objective on the debate topic)
2 - 20 notecards of important information from the sources (summary, paraphrase, and/or quotation)
3 - Create a powerful thesis
4 - Create three or more powerful topic sentences/claims for your position paper
5 - Organize evidence within each claim
6 - Identify rhetorical devices and appeals that can be used in your discussion
7 - Use your outline to begin writing your position paper (800 words)

Today, everyone should be around steps 5-6 and moving towards step 7.

Handouts:

Planning Your Debate: Position Paper Outline

Homework:

Continue working on your outline. We will have time in class tomorrow to work on outlines, but people should be starting to write their papers for homework tomorrow night, so plan accordingly.

12.15 - Position Paper Outlines

The focus of today's class was on planning an argument in favor of or against (people can choose whichever position to start with) their topic and organizing the research notecards people have created. To help in this process, I introduced everyone to an outline that works through the process of creating a thesis statement, topic sentences/claims, and organizing evidence within those points.

Everyone then had the rest of the period to work on this outline. I went around to check in with people individually and answer questions.

The order in which tasks should be completed are as follows:

1 - 6 research sources (for, against, and/or objective on the debate topic)
2 - 20 notecards of important information from the sources (summary, paraphrase, and/or quotation)
3 - Create a powerful thesis
4 - Create three or more powerful topic sentences/claims for your position paper
5 - Organize evidence within each claim
6 - Identify rhetorical devices and appeals that can be used in your discussion
7 - Use your outline to begin writing your position paper

Today, everyone should be around steps 4 - 6.

Handouts:

Planning Your Debate: Position Paper Outline

Homework:

Continue working on your outline. We will have time in class tomorrow to work on outlines, but people should be starting to write their papers for homework tomorrow night, so plan accordingly.

12.12 - Thesis Statements and Claims

Today, we worked on developing thesis statements and claims for one side of the debate topics people had selected. This work also lead us into identifying what role appeals and rhetorical devices can play in this side of the debate.

People generated thesis statements on their debate topic relative to the side of the debate they chose to start with. Having completed this, they brainstormed ways to use appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) and rhetorical devices (syllogism, anaphora, allusion, enthymeme, etc.). While people were working on this, I checked in on the power of their thesis.

The class then moved into two groups and shared out the ways they planned to use appeals and rhetorical devices with their group. Group members were then able to offer critique and additional suggestions.

Following this, people began creating topic statements using a similar process to the thesis statement creation.

Handouts:

Planning your Debate
(thesis, claims, appeals, rhetorical devices)

Homework:

Finish writing powerful claims to support your thesis statement.

If you do not yet have 20 notecards on your debate topic, continue to work with your research sources until you do.

12.11 - Research and Notecards

I was not in class today as I was at Bates attending a writing conference with students. In class, there was a substitute and students were working on creating notecards of information to use in their debate (and finding sources if they did not yet have 6 sources or needed more sources).

The goal is for everyone to have at least 6 sources (for, against, or objective facts) and 20 notecards (summary, paraphrase, and/or quotation) ready for class on Friday. People had the rest of the period to work. I met individually with people to discuss their progress and answer questions.

Useful Resources:

NoodleTools

LHS Research Guides on Using NoodleTools

YouTube walkthrough on Bibliographic Citations with NoodleTools

Homework:

Continue finding resources (6 or more) for your formal debate topic and creating notecards (20 or more).

Revisions:

Due Friday, 12/12
Why Should Someone Read Your Poem (POL Prompt) (see class site post on 11/21)
Unpacking Your Poem (see class site post on 11/07)

12.10 - Research and Notecards

At the beginning of class today, everyone handed in their analysis of President Obama's argument in "The Decree" segment on The Colbert Report that we watched yesterday in class. Those people that did not yet have the assignment complete, filled out a "not prepared for class" slip and then had time to complete the assignment.

Following this, everyone had the period to work on their debate research. The goal is for everyone to have at least 6 sources (for, against, or objective facts) and 20 notecards (summary, paraphrase, and/or quotation) ready for class on Friday. People had the rest of the period to work. I met individually with people to discuss their progress and answer questions.

Useful Resources:

NoodleTools

LHS Research Guides on Using NoodleTools

YouTube walkthrough on Bibliographic Citations with NoodleTools

Homework:

Continue finding resources (6 or more) for your formal debate topic and creating notecards (20 or more).

Revisions:

Why Should Someone Read Your Poem (POL Prompt) (see class site post on 11/21)
Unpacking Your Poem (see class site post on 11/07)

12.09 - Topic Statement Analysis: The Decree

In today's class, we were looking at how appeals and rhetorical devices are used in an argument. For our model argument, we watched President Obama's appearance on The Colbert Report, where President Obama took over Colbert's segment "The Word," renaming it "The Decree" and presented an argument on the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare). Everyone used the topic statement analysis sheet to take notes on and analyze this argument since it follows the structure of a topic statement in a debate. Check out the segment and note sheet below:

The Colbert Report

Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Colbert Report on Facebook

Handouts:

Topic Statement Analysis

Homework:

If you did not do so in class, finish your notes and responses to questions on the topic statement analysis for Obama's presentation of "The Decree" today.

Continue finding resources (6 or more) for your formal debate topic and creating notecards (20 or more).

Useful Resources:

NoodleTools

LHS Research Guides on Using NoodleTools

YouTube walkthrough on Bibliographic Citations with NoodleTools

Revisions:

Why Should Someone Read Your Poem (POL Prompt) (see class site post on 11/21)
Unpacking Your Poem (see class site post on 11/07)

12.08 - Revisions

At the beginning of class today, I handed out grade report sheets while several people helped to return work. Everyone then had the rest of the period to work on revising and completing assignments. I spent time checking in with people individually on their grades and specific assignments.

If people completed their work and caught up on revisions, they had the rest of the period to continue researching and creating notecards for their debate topic. For this everyone should have the following:

6 sources (for, against, and/or neutral with respect to their topic)
20 notecards (may be summary, paraphrase, or quotation)

Useful Resources:

NoodleTools

LHS Research Guides on Using NoodleTools

YouTube walkthrough on Bibliographic Citations with NoodleTools

Homework:

Continue finding resources for your formal debate topic.

Revisions:

Why Should Someone Read Your Poem (POL Prompt) (see class site post on 11/21)
Unpacking Your Poem (see class site post on 11/07)

12.05 - Debate Research

We started today's class by reviewing what summary, paraphrase, and quotation are and what make them effective. Everyone then had 15 minutes to enter an information source related to their debate into their bibliography and to create a three-sentence summary note card.

I then began checking in with people individually on their research process and they had the rest of the period to find and enter six sites into their bibliography and begin working on creating note cards (20 in all) for their debate topic.

Useful Resources:

NoodleTools

LHS Research Guides on Using NoodleTools

YouTube walkthrough on Bibliographic Citations with NoodleTools

Homework:

Continue finding resources for your formal debate topic.

Revisions:

Why Should Someone Read Your Poem (POL Prompt) (see class site post on 11/21)
Unpacking Your Poem (see class site post on 11/07)

12.04 - Debate Debrief and Research

At the beginning of class today, we debriefed the debate we had yesterday by discussing the questions that students answered for homework. The questions we discussed were:

1 - What made an effective argument?
2 - What elements weakened a person's argument?
3 - What did you learn about debate from debating and/or observing?

I will type up notes from our discussion and make those available for our next round of practice debates. 

Next, we reviewed how to create bibliographies in NoodleTools and where to find information on webpages and articles to create bibliographies. 

Everyone then had the remaining time in the period to begin researching their formal debate topic. 
For the formal debate topic, everyone should have 6 resources or more from which to gather facts.

Useful Resources:

NoodleTools

LHS Research Guides on Using NoodleTools

YouTube walkthrough on Bibliographic Citations with NoodleTools

Homework:

Continue finding resources for your formal debate topic.

Revisions:

Why Should Someone Read Your Poem (POL Prompt) (see class site post on 11/21)
Unpacking Your Poem (see class site post on 11/07)

Research Resources: Bibliography w/ Noodle Tools

NoodleTools

LHS Research Guides on Using NoodleTools

YouTube walkthrough on Bibliographic Citations with NoodleTools

12.03 - Debate Practice

Today's class was dedicated to exploring the structure of verbal debates. Using the topics established in yesterday's class and the planning that people did for homework, we watched a series of debates and determined winners for each one. Tonight's homework focuses on processing this experience of debating and watching debates. Everyone should respond to the following questions (this can be done on the back of the debate note sheet):

1 - What made an effective argument?
2 - What elements weakened a person's argument?
3 - What did you learn about debate from debating and/or observing?

Handouts:

Mock Debate Notes


Homework:

Respond to the questions above regarding your experiences in today's debates.

Revisions:

Why Should Someone Read Your Poem (POL Prompt) (see class site post on 11/21)
Unpacking Your Poem (see class site post on 11/07)

12.02 - POL Revisions & Debate Format

At the beginning of class, I handed out grade report sheets showing people their grade for progress reports. We then talked about a couple Poetry Out Loud assignments that were past due, but that few people had submitted. These assignments were "Unpacking Your Poem" and "Why Someone Should Read Your Poem"(see handouts below). I then handed out grade report sheets that showed people what their grade would be if they failed to turn these assignments in.

General Debate Structure:

Speaker 1 - Opening Statement
Speaker 2 - Opening Statement

Speaker 1 - Topic Statement (main argument)
Speaker 2 - Topic Statement (main argument)

Speaker 1 - Rebuttal (based on speaker 2's topic statement)
Speaker 2 - Rebuttal (based on speaker 1's topic statement)

Speaker 1 - Closing Statement
Speaker 2 - Closing Statement

Next, we looked at a typical debate structure (see below) and then went right into practicing with this structure. Working with their partner, people picked two opponents in a "Who Would Win?" vs situation (e.g. "Who would win: Batman or Spiderman?" or "Who would win: a bear or a shark?"). Everyone then had 20 minutes to fill out a response sheet following the debate structure (the rebuttal section can be skipped for now as it is filled out during the debate).

Handouts:
Why Should Someone Read Your Poem (POL Prompt)
Unpacking Your Poem
Debate Practice: Who Would Win

Homework:

If you did not do so in class, finish writing down your main argument for "Who Would Win" (we will present these tomorrow in class)

Work on completing or revising the Poetry Out Loud assignments we looked at today in class (see below).

Revisions:

Why Should Someone Read Your Poem (POL Prompt) (see class site post on 11/21)
Unpacking Your Poem (see class site post on 11/07)

12.01 - Debate Topic Selection

We started today's class by beginning to talk about debate. I reviewed the format we will be using with our debates (see below) and then people selected a debate partner and a common topic to debate.

Debate overview:

Each person will debate with a pre-determined partner
Partners will choose a topic to debate
Partners will research their debate topic
Research on the topic will be used to write a position paper in favor of the topic and one against the topic
Using a debate format (more on this later), partners will end up debating either for/or against the topic (everyone must be prepared to debate either side).

I then handed out a debate preparation form which people completed in class.

Then we spent some time, signing people up for NoodleTools and creating a new project (using the MLA and advanced settings). The format for project names was as follows:

Last Name, First Name - Debate on Topic
ex: Collins, Mister - Debate on Banned Books

Handouts:

Debate Preparation


Homework:

Find five facts about your debate topic that will provide you with some key background information.