Title
Ancient Astronomers
Skill
Making a Strong Argument
EBA Activity
Choosing the Best Warrant Mini Debate: See Page ___
Claim and
Warrants
Claim: Ancient astronomers’ observations of the sky played an
important role in human activities.
Warrants:
 because these observations helped keep track of time.
 because these observations were used to predict seasons.
 because these observations predicted changes in tides.
Procedure
[20 minutes] Mini lesson - Teacher types up, hands out and
reads the following:
“HISTORICAL CONTEXT - Ancient Observations and Claims
about the Natural World.
Through the ages ancient astronomers have used the Sun and
other heavenly objects to record time, predict the seasons and
events such as day and night, tides, and lunar and solar eclipses.
During the day they saw the sun in the sky, and at night they saw
many shiny dots - some small, some bigger – which they called
stars. They also saw the moon and other planets.
The ancients also observed and recorded the repeated patterns of
the movement of the moon, sun, planets and stars. Interestingly,
when we look at the sky at night, our observations are the same
as those that were made hundreds of years ago.”
[5 minutes] Prep - In groups of 3 students review the claim.
Individually students jot notes to support their chosen or
provided warrant.
[10 minutes] Choosing the Best Warrant Mini Debate
[15 minutes] Choosing the Best Warrant Writing Exercise
[10 minutes] Summary Activity
Boston Debate League 2012 ©
Unit 1: Planetary Science
Timing/Pacing



This activity should be the second lesson of the unit
because it connects the first lesson, “what is an
argument?” to “argumentation in Science.”
This activity will take 10 minutes.
This activity will occur in the middle of the lesson. After
this lesson students will learn more about the
composition and creation of stars.
Notes
This activity should be the second lesson of the unit because it
connects the first lesson, “what is an argument?” to
“argumentation in Science.” This activity not only provided
students with the argumentation skills of weighing warrants, it
also connects to the Ancient History knowledge of most middle
school curricula. Students will be able to connect Science to
their understanding of Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece, and
Ancient Egypt.
Follow-Up Activities
To include a writing component, follow up with a Choosing the
Best Warrant Writing Exercise.
Text
Standard Middle School Science and Social Studies Text.
Boston Debate League 2012 ©
Name:____________________________________ Class:______________ Date:______________
Choosing the Best Warrant Mini-Debate
Background Information:
HISTORICAL CONTEXT - Ancient Observations and Claims about the Natural
World.
Through the ages ancient astronomers have used the Sun and other heavenly
objects to record time, predict the seasons and events such as day and night, tides,
and lunar and solar eclipses. During the day they saw the sun in the sky, and at
night they saw many shiny dots - some small, some bigger – which they called
stars. They also saw the moon and other planets.
The ancients also observed and recorded the repeated patterns of the movement of
the moon, sun, planets and stars. Interestingly, when we look at the sky at night,
our observations are the same as those that were made hundreds of years ago.”
Claim: Ancient astronomers’ observations of the sky played an important role
in human activities.
Warrant 1: Because these observations helped keep track of time.
Warrant 2: Because these observations were used to predict seasons.
Warrant 3: Because these observations predicted changes in tides.
Boston Debate League 2012 ©
Choosing the Best Warrant Mini Debates – Which warrant best proves the claim is true?
Before the Mini Debate write the two reasons you believe your warrant best proves the claim is true in the top two boxes in the appropriate
column (i.e. warrant 1 or warrant 2).
Claim 1:
My warrant (Warrant __) best
proves the claim is true
because…
1st Reason
warrant
best proves
the claim is
true.
2nd Reason
warrant
best proves
the claim is
true.
Boston Debate League © 2012
My 1st opponent argues warrant My 2nd opponent argues warrant
___ best proves the claim is true ___ best proves the claim is true
because…
because…