NAME: ______________________________ PERIOD:_________________
Sentence stems to use during an informal debate:

I agree with her because…

I disagree with her because…
 It seems to me that…

I am most convinced by...
 One question I have is…
 I don’t understand why…
 I don’t understand how…
 You seem to be arguing that…
 What I hear you saying is…
 This example may help…

I think that…

To answer this question, we need to know…
 What you said didn’t make sense to me because…
 I’m not convinced by what you say because…

Let me try to summarize what you have been saying…

In order to make your argument, you are assuming that…

The main is sue seems to be…

The main thing that people seem to disagree about is…
 You don’t seem to be taking into account…
 Something that people haven’t brought up yet is…
When you participate in a debate or even just a classroom discussion, you may not know what to listen for, what to say, or how to get involved. You may think that you’re not interested in the topic, or worry that you can’t follow all the arguments or stand up to a student who’s really articulate and passionate about the topic. Stop worrying! Many students feel the same way. Try asking yourself some of these “active listening” questions to help you build interest and follow along. Then, use one (or more) of the sentence stems at the bottom of the page to help you participate.
Active listening questions: a) What is the topic of this debate? b) What are the different positions one can take on this topic? c) Are there two opposing positions, or are there more possibilities? d) Would a compromise be possible? If so, why do people not seem willing to compromise? If not, then why not? e) Do people take different sides because they disagree about the facts, or because they interpret the same facts differently? f) Do I agree with the argument this person is making? g) Is this person making an argument, or just talking for the sake of talking? h) What are the values that underlie side A’s (or B’s) position? i) In order to agree with side ___, what would I have to believe? j) What is/are the strongest argument(s) being made on each side? k) What is the main point of disagreement? l) Are people supporting their arguments with facts, opinions, or assertions? m) Could this question be answered if we did some research? What would we have to learn? n) Why do people care about this topic? o) Do I care about this issue? Why or why not? p) How does this issue affect my own life, or how might it affect my own life? q) Have I experienced anything personally that relates to this issue? r) If side ___ wins the debate, what could happen as a result? s) Who is the speaker trying to convince? (audience) t) Who has the power to make a difference about this topic? What could they do?
1

NAME: ______________________________ PERIOD:_________________
Sentence stems to use during an informal debate:

I agree with her because…

I disagree with her because…
 It seems to me that…

I am most convinced by...
 One question I have is…
 I don’t understand why…
 I don’t understand how…
 You seem to be arguing that…
 What I hear you saying is…
 This example may help…

I think that…

To answer this question, we need to know…
 What you said didn’t make sense to me because…
 I’m not convinced by what you say because…

Let me try to summarize what you have been saying…

In order to make your argument, you are assuming that…

The main is sue seems to be…

The main thing that people seem to disagree about is…
 You don’t seem to be taking into account…
 Something that people haven’t brought up yet is…
When you participate in a debate or even just a classroom discussion, you may not know what to listen for, what to say, or how to get involved. You may think that you’re not interested in the topic, or worry that you can’t follow all the arguments or stand up to a student who’s really articulate and passionate about the topic. Stop worrying! Many students feel the same way. Try asking yourself some of these “active listening” questions to help you build interest and follow along. Then, use one (or more) of the sentence stems at the bottom of the page to help you participate.
Active listening questions: u) What is the topic of this debate? a) What are the different positions one can take on this topic? b) Are there two opposing positions, or are there more possibilities? c) Would a compromise be possible? If so, why do people not seem willing to compromise? If not, then why not? d) Do people take different sides because they disagree about the facts, or because they interpret the same facts differently? e) Do I agree with the argument this person is making? f) Is this person making an argument, or just talking for the sake of talking? g) What are the values that underlie side A’s (or B’s) position? h) In order to agree with side ___, what would I have to believe? i) What is/are the strongest argument(s) being made on each side? j) What is the main point of disagreement? k) Are people supporting their arguments with facts, opinions, or assertions? l) Could this question be answered if we did some research? What would we have to learn? m) Why do people care about this topic? n) Do I care about this issue? Why or why not? o) How does this issue affect my own life, or how might it affect my own life? p) Have I experienced anything personally that relates to this issue? q) If side ___ wins the debate, what could happen as a result? r) Who is the speaker trying to convince? (audience) s) Who has the power to make a difference about this topic? What could they do? t) Who has the power to make a difference about this topic? What could they do?
2

NAME: ______________________________ PERIOD:_________________
FAST PASS Debate Format
 4 minute Position Presentation - Pro
 4 minute Position Presentation - Con
 5 minute Work Period
 4 minute Rebuttal - Pro
 4 minute Rebuttal – Con
FACT GATHERING:
Fact gathering should support the student’s point of view. Three to five resources are recommended. Students need a structured framework to guide their research. A template for taking notes is shown below.
Opinion: I believe ………
Source #1:
Facts:
Source #2:
Facts:
Source #3:
Facts:

Elect a Team Captain. Decide good opening statement and closing statements.

All team members must participate in the presentation of their point of view. Encourage each team to try to conjecture what the other team's arguments and responses may be, so that team members are as prepared as they can be!

After teams have nominated a Captain and brainstormed research topics, team members should assume responsibility for researching their supporting topics, using all
3

NAME: ______________________________ PERIOD:_________________ available resources.

Once resources have been collected, it is important that each group member have an opportunity to present their research and materials to the group for discussion.

At that point, the group will need to decide if and how that information should be used, and assist members in supporting their arguments. (Would the information contribute to the defense of the argument?)
FAST PASS Debate Format
 4 minute Position Presentation - Pro
 4 minute Position Presentation - Con
 5 minute Work Period
 4 minute Rebuttal - Pro
 4 minute Rebuttal – Con
FACT GATHERING:
Fact gathering should support the student’s point of view. Three to five resources are recommended. Students need a structured framework to guide their research. A template for taking notes is shown below.
Opinion: I believe ………
Source #1:
Facts:
Source #2:
Facts:
Source #3:
Facts:
4

NAME: ______________________________ PERIOD:_________________

Elect a Team Captain. Decide good opening statement and closing statements.

All team members must participate in the presentation of their point of view. Encourage each team to try to conjecture what the other team's arguments and responses may be, so that team members are as prepared as they can be!

After teams have nominated a Captain and brainstormed research topics, team members should assume responsibility for researching their supporting topics, using all available resources.

Once resources have been collected, it is important that each group member have an opportunity to present their research and materials to the group for discussion.

At that point, the group will need to decide if and how that information should be used, and assist members in supporting their arguments. (Would the information contribute to the defense of the argument?)
“Summi ng-up” questions: a) Which side do you agree with, all things considered? b) How have your views about this issue changed as a result of participating in this debate? c) What did you learn from this debate? d) What did you do well in this debate? e) What do you want to improve for the next time you participate in a debate like this? f) What action should you (or we as a class) take as a result of this debate? g) What did you learn about yourself or your beliefs from this debate? h) What did you learn about other people or their beliefs from this debate? i) How would you summarize this debate if you were telling a friend or family member about it? j) What went well in this debate? k) What do we need to change or improve as a class for the next debate?
“Summi ng-up” questions: a) Which side do you agree with, all things considered? b) How have your views about this issue changed as a result of participating in this debate? c) What did you learn from this debate? d) What did you do well in this debate? e) What do you want to improve for the next time you participate in a debate like this? f) What action should you (or we as a class) take as a result of this debate? g) What did you learn about yourself or your beliefs from this debate? h) What did you learn about other people or their beliefs from this debate? i) How would you summarize this debate if you were telling a friend or family member about it? j) What went well in this debate? k) What do we need to change or improve as a class for the next debate?
“Summi ng-up” questions: a) Which side do you agree with, all things considered?
5

NAME: ______________________________ PERIOD:_________________ b) How have your views about this issue changed as a result of participating in this debate? c) What did you learn from this debate? d) What did you do well in this debate? e) What do you want to improve for the next time you participate in a debate like this? f) What action should you (or we as a class) take as a result of this debate? g) What did you learn about yourself or your beliefs from this debate? h) What did you learn about other people or their beliefs from this debate? i) How would you summarize this debate if you were telling a friend or family member about it? j) What went well in this debate? k) What do we need to change or improve as a class for the next debate?
“Summi ng-up” questions: a) Which side do you agree with, all things considered? b) How have your views about this issue changed as a result of participating in this debate? c) What did you learn from this debate? d) What did you do well in this debate? e) What do you want to improve for the next time you participate in a debate like this? f) What action should you (or we as a class) take as a result of this debate? g) What did you learn about yourself or your beliefs from this debate? h) What did you learn about other people or their beliefs from this debate? i) How would you summarize this debate if you were telling a friend or family member about it? j) What went well in this debate? k) What do we need to change or improve as a class for the next debate?
“Summi ng-up” questions: l) Which side do you agree with, all things considered? m) How have your views about this issue changed as a result of participating in this debate? n) What did you learn from this debate? o) What did you do well in this debate? p) What do you want to improve for the next time you participate in a debate like this? q) What action should you (or we as a class) take as a result of this debate? r) What did you learn about yourself or your beliefs from this debate? s) What did you learn about other people or their beliefs from this debate? t) How would you summarize this debate if you were telling a friend or family member about it? u) What went well in this debate? v) What do we need to change or improve as a class for the next debate?
“Summi ng-up” questions: l) Which side do you agree with, all things considered? m) How have your views about this issue changed as a result of participating in this debate? n) What did you learn from this debate? o) What did you do well in this debate? p) What do you want to improve for the next time you participate in a debate like this? q) What action should you (or we as a class) take as a result of this debate? r) What did you learn about yourself or your beliefs from this debate? s) What did you learn about other people or their beliefs from this debate? t) How would you summarize this debate if you were telling a friend or family member about it? u) What went well in this debate? v) What do we need to change or improve as a class for the next debate?
6

NAME: ______________________________ PERIOD:_________________
“Summi ng-up” questions: l) Which side do you agree with, all things considered? m) How have your views about this issue changed as a result of participating in this debate? n) What did you learn from this debate? o) What did you do well in this debate? p) What do you want to improve for the next time you participate in a debate like this? q) What action should you (or we as a class) take as a result of this debate? r) What did you learn about yourself or your beliefs from this debate? s) What did you learn about other people or their beliefs from this debate? t) How would you summarize this debate if you were telling a friend or family member about it? u) What went well in this debate? v) What do we need to change or improve as a class for the next debate?
“Summi ng-up” questions: l) Which side do you agree with, all things considered? m) How have your views about this issue changed as a result of participating in this debate? n) What did you learn from this debate? o) What did you do well in this debate? p) What do you want to improve for the next time you participate in a debate like this? q) What action should you (or we as a class) take as a result of this debate? r) What did you learn about yourself or your beliefs from this debate? s) What did you learn about other people or their beliefs from this debate? t) How would you summarize this debate if you were telling a friend or family member about it? u) What went well in this debate? v) What do we need to change or improve as a class for the next debate?
7

NAME: ______________________________ PERIOD:_________________
8