LAW DEBATE
1) CHOOSE GROUPS AND TOPIC:
You will be splitting up into groups of 4 or 6 – within your group, you will be responsible for choosing a topic for the
debate from the list provided. Once your group has decided on a topic, you will divide yourself into teams. Each team
will be responsible for putting together one side of the issue to be debated according to the guidelines given – one pair
will argue in support of the topic question and the other will argue against it.
2) DEBATE FORMAT- 3 ON 3
Opening Statements
Yes: 3 Minutes
No: 3 Minutes
_____________________________________
1st Argument
Yes: 5 Minutes
Rebuttal
No: 3 Minutes
1st Argument
No: 5 Minutes
Rebuttal
Yes: 3 Minutes
______________________________________
2nd Argument
No: 5 Minutes
Rebuttal
Yes: 3 Minutes
2nd Argument
Yes: 5 Minutes
Rebuttal
No: 3 Minutes
______________________________________
3rd Argument
No: 5 Minutes
Rebuttal
Yes: 3 Minutes
3rd Argument
Yes: 5 Minutes
Rebuttal
No: 3 Minutes
_______________________________________
Open Debate
10 Minutes
______________________________________
Closing Statements
Yes: 3 Minutes
No: 3 Minutes
Can the assassination of a dictator be justified?
Should youth be treated differently than adults in the justice system?
Should assisted suicide be legalized?
Should we have jury trials in Canada?
Should we legalize the sale of human organs?
Should the legal voting age be changed to 16?
Should prostitution be legalized?
Should the death penalty be reinstated in Canada?
Should violent sport acts face criminal responsibility, or just house rules?
Should the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport be legalized?
Is sport really good for us?
Do schools have the right to search students’ lockers?
Should children be given sex education in schools, or should this be the responsibility of the
parents?
Should the state fund schools run by particular faiths?
Should schools require their students to wear a school uniform?
Should Physical Education in schools be compulsory?
Should parents be held morally and legally responsible for the actions/needs of their children?
Should young people be subjected to curfews as a way to reduce crime?
Should doctors be allowed to prescribe contraception for girls under the age of 16?
Is physical force a justifiable method of punishing children?
Should governments negotiate with terrorists?
Can terrorism ever be justified?
Should negative advertising in political campaigns be banned?
Should governments censor material on the internet?
Should ‘factory farming’ be banned?
Is it morally acceptable to experiment on non-human animals to develop products and medicines
that benefit human beings?
Should we be trying to prevent species becoming extinct? If so, why?
Should the international ban on the hunting of whales be lifted?
Should we ban the keeping of animals in zoos?
Should acts of hate be criminalized?
What acts should be considered hate crimes?
Is it correct for university authorities to ban hate speech?
Should schools be allowed to teach creationism alongside evolution as part of their science
curriculum?
Should examinations be replaced with other forms of assessment?
Should school students face mandatory drug-tests?
Should sex offenders be named?
Debate Rubric
Level 4
(8-10 Marks)
Knowledge/
Understanding
Thinking/ Inquiry
Communication
Application
-shows a high to very
high degree of
understanding of
ideas/concepts/
themes/information
Level 3
(7 Marks)
Level 2
(6 Marks)
-shows a consider- able
degree of understanding
of ideas/concepts/
themes/information
-shows a moderate
degree of understanding
of ideas/concepts/
themes/information
-shows an insufficient
degree of understanding
of ideas/concepts/
themes/information
-uses critical/creative
thinking skills to plan a
panel discussion
collaboratively
with a high to very high
degree of effectiveness
-uses critical/creative
thinking skills to plan a
panel discussion
collaboratively
with a high degree of
effectiveness
-uses critical/creative
thinking skills to plan a
panel discussion
collaboratively with
moderate effectiveness
-uses critical/creative
thinking skills to plan a
panel discussion
collaboratively
with insufficient
effectiveness
-uses critical listening
skills (e.g., identifying
main ideas and
significant supporting
details; note making;
assessing validity of
arguments and
conclusions; making
inferences; evaluating
implicit and explicit
ideas; detecting
assumptions, omissions,
biases) with a high
degree of effectiveness
-applies oral
communication skills
(e.g., correct grammar
and sentence structure;
rhetorical devices; voice
projection; gestures;
body language; timing)
with a high to very high
degree of effectiveness
-uses critical listening
skills (e.g., identifying
main ideas and
significant supporting
details; note making;
assessing validity of
arguments and
conclusions; making
inferences; evaluating
implicit and explicit
ideas; detecting
assumptions, omissions,
biases) with
effectiveness
-applies oral
communication skills
(e.g., correct grammar
and sentence structure;
rhetorical devices; voice
projection; gestures;
body language; timing)
with a sound degree of
effectiveness
-uses academic
theoretical language
with a high to very high
degree of effectiveness
- organizes researched
ideas and information
coherently with a high
to very high degree of
effectiveness
-uses academic
theoretical language
with a sound degree of
effectiveness
- organizes researched
ideas and information
coherently with
considerable
effectiveness
Comments:
Final Mark:
/40
-uses critical listening
skills (e.g., identifying
main ideas and
significant supporting
details; note making;
assessing validity of
arguments and
conclusions; making
inferences; evaluating
implicit and explicit
ideas; detecting
assumptions, omissions,
biases with a moderate
degree of effectiveness
-applies oral
communication skills
(e.g., correct grammar
and sentence structure;
rhetorical devices; voice
projection; gestures;
body language; timing)
with a moderate degree
of effectiveness
-uses academic
theoretical language
with a moderate degree
of effectiveness
- organizes researched
ideas and information
coherently with
moderate effectiveness
Level 1
(1-5 Marks)
-uses critical listening
skills (e.g., identifying
main ideas and
significant supporting
details; note making;
assessing validity of
arguments and
conclusions; making
inferences; evaluating
implicit and explicit
ideas; detecting
assumptions, omissions,
biases with little or no
effectiveness
-uses little application of
oral communication
skills (e.g., correct
grammar and sentence
structure; rhetorical
devices; voice
projection; gestures;
body language; timing)
-does not use academic
theoretical language
- organizes researched
ideas and information
coherently with
insufficient effectiveness