BAAP
BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
BAUDL ACTIVITIES:
ACTIVITY PLANS
Setup, Team-Building, & Review ................................................................................................................................ 2
Speaking & Reading .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Building Arguments ..................................................................................................................................................... 5
Personal Experience & Narrative................................................................................................................................. 7
Refutation & Clash ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
Cross-Examination..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Flowing & Note-Taking ............................................................................................................................................. 12
Using Evidence .......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Strategy & How-to-Win ............................................................................................................................................. 17
Research ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Full Debates ............................................................................................................................................................... 20
Argument Types (JV/Var): Disadvantages, Kritiks, etc. ........................................................................................... 22
BAAP
BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
Setup, Team-Building, & Review
Jar O’Resolutions **
15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Discuss with the class what makes a resolution good for debate: it has to be highinterest, not obvious, and generative. Come up with 2 good resolutions and 2 bad
resolutions as a group.
 Index cards
2. Give every debater 5 index cards, and announce that they have 2 minutes to write as
many good resolutions as they can.
Hot tips:
3. Have the debaters pair up and help each other choose a top 2 resolutions (every
debater should have 2).
4. If desired, have debaters share their resolutions. At the end of the activity, place their
index cards into an ongoing Jar O’Resolutions – this can be the source of many debates
to come!
 Repeat this activity on a regular
basis to keep a fresh batch of
debater-generated resolutions
ready for any activity.
 Can be modified to include a
competition for the best
resolution.
Don’t Answer
5-10 min
Steps:
Hot tips:
1. Have the debaters stand up in a circle. Announce that the winners of the game will be
the last ones standing when time is called.
 This is a warmup whose
purpose is to help debaters
rapidly generate questions and
get the blood pumping.
2. The first Questioner asks a question to the person on their left.
3. Instead of answering the question, that person turns to the left and asks the next
debater a different question. Debaters are “out” if they A) Don’t give eye contact to
their Questioner, B) Don’t ask a well-formed question (“Whaaat??” does not count),
or C) Slip up and answer the question instead of asking their own.
4. End after a set amount of time or after about half of the group has been eliminated –
the activity stays fun as long as most of the group is still in the circle.
 Keep this game fast-paced, and
call time after 10 minutes at
absolute most.
 With more advanced groups,
you can raise the difficulty by
adding a theme for the
questions.
Tongue Twisters
5-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. See the list of Tongue Twisters included in the Supplements & Handouts – this can be a
great start, but it gets particularly interesting when you slip in some challenging words
and phrases from the evidence. Great as a warmup ritual, something fun to get
debaters’ minds cranking.
 List of tongue twisters
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BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
Who or What am I?
5-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Have the squad stand in a circle. As you explain the activity, have a debater leader walk
around and stick an index card face-up to each person’s back. Make sure there are a
few extra cards for debaters who finish early.
 Index cards with terms or
people listed on them
2. Each debater circulates and ask questions of the other debaters until they figure out
who they are. Once they figure out, have them tape their card to the board – give the
first few debaters to finish a bonus round with a new index card.
3. Using the terms taped to the board, hold a quick review of terms or people that might
still need clarification.
 Roll of masking tape
Hot tips:
 During the activity, walk
around to make sure everyone
follows the rules and that no
group is stuck.
Speaking & Reading
Power Words **
10-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Distribute a piece of text (evidence works well) to debaters. Focus their attention on
one sentence, and talk together about what words they would emphasize in order to
make the sentence the most dramatic and effective possible. Make it fun by
emphasizing exactly the wrong words (e.g., “a” or “the”) and asking why the sentence
sounds wrong.
 Speeches or pieces of evidence
(enough for every debater)
2. Give debaters 2 minutes to read their evidence silently, circling important words and
phrases to emphasize when reading the evidence aloud.
 This activity is crucial for
novices – easy to do, and helps
bring enjoyment to text – and
is a great way to introduce a
new piece of evidence.
3. Each debater reads the evidence aloud to their partner or the team as a whole,
punching the power words they chose and reading with great expression and passion.
Give feedback and encouragement, and make sure they are loud and bold!
4. Optional: Have debaters compare their power words in pairs (each pair gets the same
text) and have them trade off sentences as they read their speech aloud.
5. Optional: At the end, have debaters read their texts as fast as possible (spreading)
while keeping emphasis on the Power Words.
Hot tips:
 Works wonderfully as a preactivity for Act the Part or any
other activity involving
powerful speech.
Act the Part **
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Solicit the names of powerful speakers from history, people who could give a speech
that no one could ignore (Obama, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Jordan, Jesse Jackson, MLK,
Kennedy, Malcolm X, founding fathers, etc.) – you can even include pop stars – and list
 Seven Guideposts to Powerful
Speech handout
 Speeches or pieces of evidence
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BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
them on the board. \
(enough for every debater)
2. Discuss what it is that makes their voices so powerful (use the Seven Guideposts to
Powerful Speech handout if desired).
3. Distribute a speech or a piece of evidence (may want to pick a dramatic piece or this
one) or have debaters choose their own. Have one of the debaters demonstrate a
performance as another speaker – or demonstrate yourself!
4. Tell the debaters that they will have to take on the style of one such character and give
a speech in that style reading from one of the cards. Give them a few minutes to
choose the character and prepare their speech.
5. Give each debater a chance to deliver their speech. Solicit from the rest of the team
suggestions of ways to make the speech even more effective, and have them guess
which character was used.
Hot tips:
 This activity is crucial for
novices – easy to do, and helps
bring enjoyment to text – and
is a great way to introduce a
new piece of evidence.
 Act the Part works wonderfully
as a follow-up to Power
Words.
Speed Drills **
5-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. First and foremost, get debaters pumped and ready to read at their loudest. Write
down on the board the variants (see below) that they will go through in today’s
practice – start and end with straight reading (the “sprint”) and choose 2-4 variants to
mix up the action in between.
 Speeches or pieces of evidence
(enough for every debater)
2. Make sure that every debater has a piece of evidence – this can be a great way to
introduce new cards and arguments. Let them know that they will have 1 minute to
read as loud and fast as they possibly can for the opening sprint.
 Timer
 Boundless enthusiasm
Hot tips:
3. With great drama, set them to reading (“3,2,1,GOOO!”) and circulate around the
room encouraging them to read louder and faster. When they are done, have them
mark where they stopped.
 Great as an opening ritual for
team practices – totally
different than any other
classroom experience.
4. Run them through the variants you have chosen, making sure to keep enthusiasm high.
Draft leaders as needed to help you encourage debaters during the activity.
 Works best with groups of 6
or more.
5. Finish with one final “sprint”, challenging them to beat the mark they made on the
paper at the end of their first sprint (if desired, give a few seconds extra time in the
final round to make sure they can beat the mark).
 Get debaters to do this at
home – it’s fun!
6. Ask folks to raise a hand if they went farther than their first mark – most of them will –
and note that they will get better with practice at home.
A few possible variants:

Read with a pen horizontally between the lips.

Read backwards, from the right-hand side of the last sentence until the left hand
side of the first sentence, word by word.

Read with the syllable “ah” (or a sound of your choice!) between each word.

Read while punching the ending of every word. You can’t attend would become
“you-uh can-tah atten-dah.”
 Speed reading is not what
debate is all about, but it helps
– and most importantly, seeing
reading as a game helps change
debater relationships to text.
 Make sure to give individual
encouragement to any weak
readers, and remind them that
with everyone reading aloud,
this is a safe space for them to
try their hardest without
judgment.
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BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
Speeches: The Quickening
30-40 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Give each debater a prompt outlining an argument that they have to answer (could be
one argument for the full group). The most complicated version uses a full sample flow
as prompt, but it could be as simple as a single argument (like “government spending
will cause a recession”).
 Prompt (potentially a sample
flow)
2. Divide the class into pairs. Give debaters 1-5 minutes to outline responses (depending
on length – as much as a full rebuttal speech) to the argument.
Hot tips:
3. Have one member of each pair give their answer to the prompt in 3 minutes (or a time
you think is reasonable for a full response). Allow 30 seconds for comments from their
partner, then switch and let the other member of each pair go, again allowing 30
seconds for comments.
4. Repeat, this time giving only 2 minutes to get out all the points from each speech. Then
repeat with only 1 minute to get out each speech. If you’re feeling saucy, boil it down
again to 30 seconds.
 Timer
 This is an activity that debaters
can and should do on their
own at home. Thousands of
debaters around the world
have fun with this one!
 As an extension for
homework, give out a prompt
(like a Disadvantage shell or an
outline of a speech) and
challenge the debaters to come
back with full answers that take
only 1 minute total.
Building Arguments
Reasons **
5-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Choose a controversial statement linked to the lesson of the day.
 Timer
2. Using a Timer for drama (1 minute starting NOW!), have each debater write down as
many reasons for the statement as they can inside of one minute .
 Aff/Neg columns on the board
3. Have debaters shout out their reasons, and write each good one on the board – don’t
be too picky, but help them build the skill of thinking up good reasons.
Hot tips:
4. Switch to the negative side – against the resolution – and repeat.
5. Start a discussion: which side was easier to write for? Which side looks stronger? How
can you tell?
6. Use the reasons on the board as a springboard for other activities.
 Timing can be stretched to two
minutes, and might want to
circulate around the first time
this is done
 Can be modified to include
finding warrants or evidence
for each reason.
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BAAP
BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
Four Corners **
10-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Label each corner of the room with a sign: “Strongly Agree,” “Agree,” “Disagree,” and
“Strongly Disagree.”
 Timer
2. Presents a claim (a controversial statement). Each debater moves to the corner with
the sign that best represents her views on the statement.
3. If you want, give each group time to talk and select their strongest warrants. Then call
on a debater to share.
4. Invite debaters to change positions if a speaker convinces them to do so.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 as desired (suggested order: agree, disagree, strongly agree, strongly
disagree).
6. If basic argumentation is the goal, each debater might be required to say “My claim is...”
and “My warrant for this claim is...” When arguing about a specific case, every debater
might need to cite one piece of evidence from the core files, and in such cases they
might need several minutes to find that evidence before moving to their corners.
 Signs for each corner of the
room
 List of controversial claims (fun
or from evidence
Hot tips:
 Variant: Argument
Barometer. Call out a
statement and have debaters
arrange themselves on a line
from Strongly Disagree to
Strongly Agree.
I Couldn’t Disagree With You More!
10-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Start the game by making a statement, this statement can be ridiculous or fantastical
(“the Sorting Hat should make all college admissions decisions”) or go against common
sense (“water should be replaced by soda”). The statement can also be entirely rational
(“the sky is blue”) because it forces the debater to argue against sanity.
 Timer
2. The debater to your right must stand up, and loudly proclaim “I Couldn’t Disagree With
You More!” This declaration is followed with a one-minute speech arguing against the
claim you just made. Use the timer to keep a lid on rambling and add drama.
3. After the debater has done the speech, the debater must then think of a statement to
then give to the debater to their right (alternatively, have a Jar O’Resolutions handy).
The game continues till all debaters have given a silly speech.
 Imagination and enthusiasm
Hot tips:
 This game great for giving
debaters a chance to generate
arguments against their beliefs
in a safe funny environment.
 Push varsity debaters to
incorporate evidence and
impacts into their speeches.
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BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
Which Warrant Is Best?
25-35 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Gather debaters into groups of 2-3, and have one in each group label themselves as A,
B, and C. Write a claim and three warrants on the board. For instance, if the claim is
“We should have school uniforms”, the warrants could be: A) school uniforms prevent
clothing-based bullying; B) school uniforms save families money; and C) school
uniforms build a sense of school community.
 Claim and 3 Warrants
2. Set a timer for 2 minutes of “prep time” to ensure that every debater has time to
prepare a specified number of reasons in support of their position.
Hot tips:
3. Set a timer for 1 minute. Ask all of the first speakers to rise and remind them to
number their reasons during their 1-minute speech – make sure that their partners are
flowing.
4. Set a timer for 1 minute. Ask all of the Second Speakers to rise and remind them to
number their 2 reasons during their 1 minute speech.
5. If there are 3 or more positions then continue with the same procedure as in 4 and 5
as many times as necessary.
 Timer
 Flow sheets (will only need first
3 columns)
 Variant: Instead of claims, use
evidence, short paragraphs that
each support a given claim.
 As debaters become more
advanced, the claims and
warrants can become
increasingly specific.
6. Ask the debaters to decide based on the speech which warrant is the strongest. Have a
discussion as a group and make a collective decision!
Personal Experience & Narrative
Sob Story
25-35 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. As a group, come up with a social problem. It could be relevant to the case, relevant to
a particular card of evidence, or just a social problem you are thinking about.
 None
2. Brainstorm with the debaters what categories and kinds of people would be affected by
this problem, and write them on the board.
Hot tips:
3. Still with the group, choose a particular category of person and think through how the
problem could impact their life. Come up with a story for this person together, and
talk about how this story could be used to drive home a point in a debate round.
4. Give guidelines for how to make a story that is both poignant and appropriate.
5. Have each debater (or debaters in pairs) come up with a story for a person in a
different category than the one discussed as a group.
6. Select debaters to share their sob stories – or, with larger classes, have them share in
small groups and nominate the best stories to share with the full group.
 Note that some stories can be
disturbing or even
inappropriate. Step 4 is thus
crucial – as is a general
sensitivity to debaters’ feelings.
 As an optional but important
extension, have debaters write
the sob stories (in outline
form) into their evidence to
use in debate rounds!
7. Connect this to a discussion of impact evaluation – imagine that the opposing team has
an impact of nuclear war, claiming millions of lives. How can our stories stack up?
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BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
Tap-ins
10-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Put the main claims of a case or a D/A on the board (or on a projector).
 List of claims from a case or a
negative Off-case position
2. Pick one or two to do as a group; for these, brainstorm with the class what the main
idea of each is, and then think up some everyday examples that tap-in to them.
3. Have the debaters tap-in to every main point of the case (this might be the start of
some rudimentary blocks) – you can do this together as a full group or divide up the
points among groups of debaters.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 as desired.
5. Talk about how to use common-sense examples – especially in rebuttals – to give a
strategic advantage as the judge evaluates the round.
Hot tips:
 The emphasis should be on
finding personal experiences
that they or the judge can use
to make immediate, visceral
sense of the idea. They can
start their statement with “This
is like when…”
Refutation & Clash
Soouul Chaain Refutation
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Set up two equal lines parallel to one another with a channel in the middle, Soul Train
style. One line is negative, one line is affirmative.
 Jar O’Resolutions
2. Pick a high-interest resolution from the jar o' resolutions you have had debaters
generate (see the Jar O’Resolutions activity). Read it aloud.
 Timer
3. Two debaters face off. Each side gets 30 seconds to defend their position. Affirmative
speaker must present at least one claim and one warrant. Negative speaker must use 4
point refutation to respond to the affirmative.
Hot tips:
4. At the end of each faceoff, blast some music (70s funk style) and have the debaters do
a soul train strut to the end of the line. When debaters go to the end of the line, they
switch sides.
5. Repeat according to time desired!
 Music player
 If desired, give debaters a
chance to pick their resolution
at the start of the activity to
give them more time to prep.
 Use a Timer to increase
excitement – timing is
everything! – and make sure
that debaters don’t stall.
Chain Lightning Debates **
5-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Gather debaters into a circle, sitting or standing.
 Jar O’Resolutions
2. Pick a high-interest resolution from the jar o' resolutions (see the Jar O’Resolutions
 Timer
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BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
activity), read it aloud, and discuss if necessary. Have one debater start with a reason
for the resolution.
3. Have each debater (with a short time window – 15 seconds works) add on to the
statement before them with another statement that starts with either “and” or “but”
(leave out four-step refutation for this activity).
4. See how many links in the chain the group can build while still making sense. Try to
break the record with the next resolution.
Hot tips:
 For fun, have the debaters pass
around a ball as they speak.
 Another modification is to limit
statements to starting with
only “and” – or only “but”!
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 to time desired!
Team Line-by-line
The Line-by-line is one of the most important strategies in debate, ensuring that every
argument gets answered. This is a way to involve the whole team in mastering this crucial
skill.
Steps:
1. Start with a sample negative speech – either a written-out flow (if you want to be nice)
or read and flowed by the group (and on the board by a relatively experienced debater.
Take a second to introduce it before reading it aloud.
2. Give debaters a few minutes to write answers to every argument in the sample speech.
3. Each debater will get 15 seconds to speak their answer to an argument in a rapid-fire
chain. Going in a circle – or if you want to keep them on their toes, choosing debaters
randomly – roll down the list of arguments. Flow their arguments as they give them.
4. Debrief at the end, and talk about how the answers could be improved given more
time.
10-20 min
Materials:
 Pens and paper
 Timer
 Two columns on board – Neg
and Aff
Hot tips:
 Use the timer to increase
drama; keep the pace as fast as
possible.
 Can incorporate evidence (and
give more time for responses)
if desired
Dr. Mo Answers the Arguments
10-20 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Explain Dr. Mo’s methods – Deny, Reverse, Minimize, Outweigh – to your debaters
and then have the squad answer a sample argument together using each of the four (if
desired, create four groups and set each group on one).
 Pre-prepped Dr. Mo Sheet
with arguments for debaters to
answer
2. Pass out a Dr. Mo sheet with arguments to be answered to each debater, face down.
With great drama, tell them to flip it over and begin answering arguments.
 Timer
3. Repeat as desired. When the debaters are done, roll through each of the sample
prompts and talk through debaters’ responses to each of the arguments.
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BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
Argument Rampage
In the video game Rampage, Godzilla and King Kong tear down the buildings of a helpless
populace; here, the team knocks down arguments posed by a few experienced members.
Steps:
1. Split the squad into groups (or not) as desired. In each group, have a relatively
experienced debater(or 2) advocate for a plan, and give the rest of the squad two
minutes to come up with a “negative block”, where everyone gets roughly 30 seconds
to advance one point (make time limits fun and exciting – use a stopwatch!) and the
goal is to have as little overlap as possible.
2. The challenge for the experienced debater is to write down all arguments and refute
them in a 3-minute 1AR.
3. While the experienced debater is giving their 1AR, make sure that the others are
flowing. Have the experienced debater CX them at the end of the activity to check for
understanding – allow them to help each other
25-35 min
Materials:
 Pens and paper
 Timer
Hot tips:
 Great for mixed-experience
groups
 Variant: Play Devil’s Advocate,
in which a coach takes on a
controversial character (e.g.,
Reginald Higginbotham III, ) and
provokes the squad before
they give their collective
negative block.
Team Refutation Battle
45-60 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Draw a flow chart on the board with 3 columns: a negative attack, an affirmative
answer, and a negative answer. Remind the debaters of the topic at hand, and explain
to the group that clash is one of the most important skills to learn in debate, partly
because it brings out the fun and excitement of debate!
 Paired Affirmative and Negative
evidence cards
2. Mix up the matched pairs of negative cards and their affirmative answer cards (e.g.,
pages from the Novice Pack) and give at least one to each debater. Make sure that
every negative attack has at least one answer!
3. As necessary, brainstorm and/or review the case and relevant arguments with the
debaters. . Ask them to identify if they are holding a Neg or Aff piece of evidence.
4. With great fanfare, have the debaters sort themselves into Affirmative and Negative
teams, reminding them that the Affirmative Team answers Negative Arguments
and the Negative Team answers Affirmative Arguments. Allow them five
minutes to review their evidence and construct a response using Four Step Refutation.
5. Pick a member of the Affirmative Team to be the First Up, reading their negative card
aloud as you flow it on the board. Ask the Negative Team who has a card they think
answers that card; they will be Next Up.
6. Have the First Up perform a Four-Step Refutation against their card: sum up (briefly!)
their refutation on the board in the Aff column.
7. Have the Next Up from the Negative Team read their card – discuss how well it
answers the card read by the First Up, and then let them perform their 4-step
refutation as you flow it on the board.
8. Repeat steps 5-7 until finished.
 Three-column flow on board
 Handout on Four Step
Refutation
Hot tips:
 Have a bank of extra cards
ready to give to experienced
debaters or debaters who
finish early.
 Make room in the flow on the
board for two answers to
every Neg card – one will be
an analytic from the debater
themselves, and one will be
evidence from the matching Aff
card.
 Once you have amassed a good
set of arguments, have the
debaters assess whether Aff or
Neg is winning the debate
based on the flow,
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BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
Cross-Examination
CX Attack **
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. With the whole group, come up with a list of CX questions on a particular issue (later
on, debaters can come up with it themselves) and discuss – or demonstrate – some
strategies for keeping cool / stylishly dodging questions on CX. Use Cross-X Tips
handouts if desired.
 Roles listed on board
2. Divide debaters into groups of 2-3 – three is best. Explain the roles of Answerer
(person being cross-Xed), Lead Questioner, and Backup Questioner. The job of the
two questioners is to tangle up the answerer, and the job of the answerer is to make
themselves look good to the judge. Use the CX Attack Role Sheet in the Supplements
& Handouts if desired.
3. Ask debaters to choose who will be in which roles first (or assign if desired). With
great enthusiasm, start the timer on the first round – between 1-3 minutes depending
on your preference. Circulate and encourage debaters to balance between being
aggressive and polite.
4. Call time on the first round! Pause and open up space to share fun and/or interesting
moments from the first round. Repeat at least twice so that each debater gets to play
each role.
 CX Attack Role Sheet
 Cross-X Tips handouts if
desired
 Timer
Hot tips:
 Cross-X should be fun! Make
sure they keep up the energy
and the pace, and demonstrate
with a lead debater or two if
necessary.
 Also fun are CX skits by lead
debaters showing what not to
do and how it could be done
better.
CX Hot Seat
10-20 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Choose 3 topics on which your debaters should know a lot (as a default, topics as
simple as Your Life, Your School, and The Music You Like will work) and write them
on the board.
 Timer
2. For each one, call up a debater to the “Hot Seat” at the front of the room, and
brainstorm with the class a few questions that apply to it.
Hot tips:
3. Have the class ask questions – and the Hot Seat debater answer them! – as quickly as
possible for exactly 1 minute, and keep a tally of how many questions are answered
well. Repeat until as many debaters as desired have been on the Hot Seat.
 Topics written on the board
 Give prizes if desired, and keep
the pace fast for more fun.
4. The debater that “wins” is the one that answers the most questions during their round.
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BAUDL Awesome Activities Pack
The Inquisitor
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. The goal of this game is to teach debaters to ask precise questions. Select one debater
to serve as The Detainee and a group of debaters to be The Inquisitor.
 List of Truths (see Sample
Truths sheet)
2. Give The Inquisitor(s) 3 minutes to obtain information revealing the details of the
scenario. The Detainee must answer all questions truthfully, but they may use stalling
techniques.
3. When the time period is up, the inquisitor must summarize what they think the truth is
to the class. Then the detainee will read the actual event. Repeat as desired!
Hot tips:
 The questioning part is fun, but
the
For example:
TRUTH: Last evening, the detainee witnessed a shooting. The detainee was leaving the
Olive Garden after dinner when she spied a stray dog in the parking lot. She followed the
dog across the street to an abandoned building to try to feed it leftovers from dinner.
After she finally caught up to and fed the dog, she noticed two men fighting at the entry to
the building. The taller man shot the short, disheveled man. The gunman saw the detainee
and fled. When she approached the victim, he was already dead.
Here are some good questions for this truth:
 Did you commit a crime?
 Did you witness a crime?
 When did this take place?
 Who was involved?
 How did you come to be there?
 Why did you follow the dog?
Flowing & Note-Taking
Musical Flow **
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Gather a few tracks (best if there’s a narrative component or some political content),
some fast and some slow – none so famous that you’d expect debaters to have
memorized the lyrics already.
 Music player
2. Discussion: Why is it important to be able to track what people are saying? How does
flowing help us win debates?
Hot tips:
3. Have each debater get out a flow sheet or a piece of paper. Let debaters know that
they will receive props (or a prize) on the basis of how much of the lyrics they are able
to capture in text.
4. Play the first song (or portion of a song) and make sure each debater is flowing!
5. Have the team piece together the story, making sure every debater contributes.
Replay the song if necessary. Repeat as desired!
 Flowsheets (or pieces of paper)
 Great as a practice starter and
a way to build team unity.
 Even better if debaters bring in
songs meaningful to them.
 For beginning debaters, could
give a handout allowing them
to fill in the blanks of preflowed lyrics.
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Abbreviation Attack **
10-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Write or project a list of terms on the board. Divide the class into teams, and talk
about the importance of having abbreviations for commonly used terms in order to
take notes quickly.
 List of terms to be abbreviated
2. Focus on the first term, and solicit ideas of how to abbreviate it so that it will be easy
to understand and quick to write.
Hot tips:
3. Give a set amount of time (2-3 minutes) for each debater to write possible
abbreviations for as many terms as possible. Have every team decide on their favorite
abbreviation for each term, and have them write it on the board next to the term.
4. Vote as a full group on the best abbreviation for every term, giving props to the team
that came up with it.
5. Launch into another activity involving flowing, and make sure that debaters are using
the new symbols in the flow. Keep a running list of abbreviations for your
team.
 Timer
 Great as a warmup for another
activity involving flowing
 Remember, abbreviations can
be picture symbols, numerical
symbols, or characters.
Symbols from math and physics
are used [↑ (increase), ↓
(decrease), and ∆ (change)].
A few classic terms: United States, Federal Government, Congress, Economy,
Inherency, Topicality, Harms, Solvency, Disadvantage, Not or Negative (not the team),
Plan, Observation, Contention, Internal Link , Increase/Decrease, Solve
Flow Chain
8-15 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Choose an argument or resolution, and set up the argument by listing a few reasons
for affirmative and negative on the board. Tell the debaters that they will have 30
seconds to give a quick speech.
 Board and markers
2. Choose the first debater, and time them as they give a quick speech for the Affirmative.
Then quickly – speed is of the essence in making this fun! – move to the next debater
and give them 30 seconds to respond.
Hot tips:
3. Continuing in this way, have debaters perform a single argument all the way across the
eight speeches of a policy debate round, putting the flow language into their own
words.
4. Together with the full squad, think through which side won that specific argument, and
how they could use that specific win to argue for the judge’s ballot (i.e., what are the
impacts of this argument).
 Timer
 Can be easily led by
experienced or advanced
debaters.
 Add a little spice – and keep
debaters on their toes – by
choosing the next speaker
randomly each time.
5. Repeat as desired!
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Flow Bingo
10-25 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Decide on a debate topic (e.g., a controversial statement, or an advantage/
disadvantage) before practice, and fill a bingo sheet (attached) with key words and
concepts that you are fairly sure will come up in debate on the topic
 Filled bingo sheets
2. Give out the bingo sheet to all debaters, and then select a group of experienced
debaters to argue the topic. Make it clear to the advanced debaters that it is their job
to incorporate the concepts from all boxes into their debate.
Hot tips:
3. Audience members cross off boxes on the bingo sheet when they hear the words and
concepts in each box; in order to win, they have to be able to describe the context
(who said it, how it fit into their argument).
 Best in a mixed-experience
group, but can be a hit no
matter the composition of the
group.
4. Repeat as desired! For an added challenge, fill a bingo sheet with only first letters, so
that debaters cross off boxes when they hear what they think are key concepts that
start with those letters
Pair Flow Olympics
30-45 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. First have them generate reasons for an easy proposition together as a full group - for
instance, why boys are better than girls (or vice versa; this one is often most exciting
when split by gender!).
 Starter topics for the Pair Flow
Olympics (e..g., Jar
O’Resolutions)
2. Split into pairs (experienced debaters can be either judges or partners, but shouldn't
partner with each other) and have them each write as many reasons for a given topic
as possible in 1 minute - make this a race!
 Candy or rewards (optional)
3. The Olympics. For each round, there is a Speaker and a Flow. The Speaker reads
their list as fast as possible (give them 30 seconds tops), The Flow writes down as
much as they can get.
 Finals: One of the experienced
debaters gives a speech at a
fairly rapid pace. Props (and/or
candy) to the person who can
make the best flow.
4. Have the teams tally their results. Teams get points for the total number of arguments
tracked – this provides an incentive for speeding up, but also for taking careful notes!
5. Repeat for at least 2 topics, and up to 5.
Hot tips:
 At the end of the activity,
together about how and why
flowing will help win debate
rounds.
Pyramid Flow **
45 min
Steps:
Materials:
THE PREP
 Music player
1.
 Flowsheets (or pieces of paper)
Have the team choose a resolution for debate – fun topics are often good.
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2.
Brainstorm arguments for and against the resolution (see Reasons activity).
3.
Point out that one of the key strategies in debate is answering arguments, but that this is
not enough. We also need to add our own creative arguments to keep opponents on
their toes. (If you need, remind them how to answer an argument.) In the pyramid flow,
we will build a pyramid of arguments over time.
BUILDING THE PYRAMID
4.
Write “1AC” at the top left corner of the board, and make a column for the 1AC. Ask
for one affirmative argument. Write it on the board, and make sure they are flowing
along with you.
5.
Write “1NC” and make a new column just to the right of the 1AC. Ask debaters, All
right, what are we supposed to do with that argument in the 1NC? Answer it – but that’s not
enough. We have to add a creative new argument to keep them on their toes! Good!
6.
Repeat up to 6 times, adding a new argument with each new speech and making sure
that each argument from the previous speech has an answer in the next speech.
Hot tips:
 At the end of the activity,
speak together about how and
why flowing will help win
tournaments. Discuss the flow
as an artifact – a record of all
that has gone on in a debate
round. Why would it be
important to save a flow? Ask
what can we learn from each
others’ flows; create a system
to keep and share flows on
your team.
STRATEGIC VISIONS
7.
Now that you have a pyramid of arguments on the board, tell them to forget their team
membership: they are now the judge.
8.
Ask them to look at their flows and consider which team is winning each argument.
Give them 3 minutes to consider, and note that each person has to vote for aff & neg at
least once.
9.
Go through the arguments one by one – no discussion yet – and have them raise their
hand if they voted for aff or neg. Keep tallies on the board.
10. Note which arguments are being won by the aff and the neg. If there’s extra time, feel
welcome to open up a discussion, but hit the main point hard: no matter whether you
are winning or losing, there are some arguments on which you will be stronger than
others, and those are the ones you want to emphasize – to tell the judge why they are
the most important arguments of all – as you head into the rebuttal speeches.
11. Ask them to imagine that they are about to give the next rebuttal for aff or neg. Which
arguments would they emphasize, and which would they play down?
Using Evidence
Evidence Racer **
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Make sure that each team has a chance to organize their evidence before you begin.
 List of scenarios that your
debaters would encounter in a
debate
2. Call out (or have a debater call out – loud and enthusiastic!) a scenario that debaters
would encounter in a debate, along with a point value for that scenario. Teams race to
physically gather the evidence relevant to the scenario; the first few to show that
evidence to you get points.
 Each team needs access to an
expando or tub full of evidence
(ideally their own)
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3. Repeat as desired until a winner is declared! Teams with the most points get props or
prizes at the end, and have the responsibility of helping other teams learn to organize
evidence quickly.
4. Reflect with the team about why it is so important to keep evidence organized even in
the heat of tournament competition, and make sure they know to reorganize at the
end of every round.
Hot tips:
 This one can get competitive,
and sometimes teams will begin
to dominate. Be ready to
enforce handicaps (e.g., the
leading team has to start 15
seconds later)
5. Alternatively, give a Scenario Sheet to each team and have them race to the end of
the list, gathering evidence they would use in each scenario; discuss answers at the end,
and give props or prizes to those who gave great effort or performed well.
Beat the Clock
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Gather the squad into pairs, and make sure that each debater has a full copy of their
own evidence. Have each pair switch evidence (debater A now has debater B’s
evidence).
 Evidence (ideally each debater
has their own – you can decide
whether to limit the ev)
2. Debater A grabs a random piece of evidence from their folder (the card has to be
more than 4 lines long) and starts reading it out loud. Debater B gains a point if they
can speak an approximate tag for the evidence before their partner finishes reading it.
3. Have the debaters switch, so that Debater B is now reading Debater A’s evidence.
Repeat as desired, and tally points at the end.
Hot tips:
 Great for mixed-experience
groups
 Can run this as a tournament if
desired, switching partners
with an elimination bracket.
Evidence Match
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. A day or more before, cut up pages of debate evidence to prepare a package of
one or more Cards separated from their Tags – lead debaters can help with this.
The package can be the same for each debater or vary by experience (i.e., varsity
debaters get a lotta cards).
 Evidence pages with Tags separated
from Cards
2. Split the group into pairs. Hand out a package of Tags & Cards to each pair. Give
them 2 minutes to work together to match as many Tags to Cards as possible.
Hot tips:
3. Make groups of four from the pairs. Give the first pair 2 minutes to explain their
matches to the other pair, and give the second pair 1 minute to respond, critique,
and ask questions. Repeat, this time with the second pair in the lead.
4. Discuss as a full group some of the most interesting arguments and issues that
came up over the course of the activity.
 Timer
 Variant: Give each debater a card
complete with tag, and use a list of
labels (e.g., inherency, solvency,
answers to:) as their matches.
 Variant: Hand out an article that
you have tagged (BAUDL can give
samples). Write your tags on the
board, and have debaters match
them to parts of the article.
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Strategy & How-to-Win
Chunking **
20-40 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Talk about what makes a “chunk” or a thread of arguments; solicit examples and write
them on the board. Threads appear as horizontal patterns in a flow, in which debaters
focus on the same issue from the Affirmative & Negative sides.
 Sample flows (either from
BAUDL or from your
experienced debaters)
2. Give the debaters a fully filled-in sample flow and have them break it into
argumentative chunks. Have them check their chunks with each other in pairs or small
groups.
3. Come to agreement on 3-4 chunks that appear on the sample flow. Focus on one
chunk. Talk with the group about which team is winning this chunk and why.
4. Assign each group a single chunk to analyze from the perspective is a judge. Who is
winning the chunk – aff or neg – and why? Have the groups present on their
Hot tips:
 Can be a great prelude to the
Flow Pyramid
 May want to model for
debaters by circling chunks
given a flow projected on a
board.
5. As a full group, weigh the chunks against each other. For instance, if the Aff won against
the case attacks and the Neg won the Capitalism K, who should win the round? Why?
6. Discuss what the rebuttals would look like based on the group analysis, pointing out
that in their final speeches each team will try to emphasize the chunks that they are
winning.
Mine is Bigger!
10-20 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Split the group into two evenly-matched teams. Talk about the main criteria for
judging impacts: Timeframe (how quickly it happens), Probability (how likely it is to
happen), and Magnitude (how nasty it is). Talk about how a seemingly small impact like
dehumanization could compete with a seemingly large impact like nuclear war.
 A “hat” full of impacts (e.g.,
nuclear war, global warming,
economic recession,
dehumanization)
2. Two at a time (one from each team), debaters pick impacts out of a “hat” and attempt
to convince the audience that their impact is more important than the other.
Determine the winner as you like, count up the score at the end (keep it close to
heighten the drama!), and reward one or both sides as you see fit.
 Timer
Hot tips:
 Ideally, have debaters create
the Hat O’Impacts using the Jar
O’Resolutions activity
discussed above.
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Rebuttal Re-dos **
30-90 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Each debater starts the activity with a sample flow – ideally a copy of their actual flows
from a debate round.
 Flows from old debate rounds
(or fully filled sample flow)
2. Divide the team into groups, or focus on one flow as a model with the full group (the
model step is necessary with novices). The team should discuss why they won or lost
the round represented by the flow, and what issues/evidence were crucial to this.
 Timer
3. Give each debater 10 minutes to prepare an ideal rebuttal. This can be done with any
of the four rebuttal speeches, the 1NR, the 1AR, the 2NR, and the 2AR.
 This is an exercise that can be
repeated after every
tournament or practice round.
4. Have debaters deliver their rebuttals in groups or in front of the full class. Make sure
to time them to emphasize concision.
Hot tips:
 Easy for experienced debaters,
but can be used in mixedexperienced groups by
partnering experienced
debaters with novices.
Research
Bag It & Tag It
25-40 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Divide the squad into numbered groups of 3-4. Make sure that each group has a bag or
box of Evidence Slips.
 Evidence Slips, cut into strips
(see Supplements & Handouts)
2. Hold a quick discussion about what makes a good tagline for an evidence card: for
instance, write on the board concision, strategy, and drama and reinforce these
characteristics as the activity goes on.
 Bags or Boxes
3. Have one of your debaters pick out an Evidence Slip, read it aloud, and talk together
about possible tags for the card. Repeat this intro phase as desired.
Hot tips:
4. The Race. Let the groups know that they will now race to generate good tags for the
evidence. Emphasize that their job is to work together to go fast and keep the quality
high. Start the timer while groups race to write good tags for each Evidence Slip in
their Bag. As the time ends, have each group shout out how many tags they completed.
5. The Challenge. Have each pass their completed Evidence Slips to a higher group
(e.g., Group 1 passes to Group 2, Group 2 passes to Group 3). Each group has an
opportunity to challenge up to two tags.
 Timer
 Variant: This activity can be
done without challenges to
save time – in this case, it is
easiest to have groups turn in
their tags so that the coach can
pick out examples for later
discussion.
6. The Final Tally. Work through challenges, talking with the squad about which
challenged tags should count – and how bad tags could be made better. If a challenge
stands, take away points from the challenged team. If a challenge is defeated, take away
points from the challenging team!
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Evidence Scavenger Hunt**
10-40 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Have debaters pair up and give each pair an Evidence Scavenger Hunt Sheet.
 Evidence Scavenger Hunt Sheet
– pre-prepared with claims or
blank
2. Read a claim aloud and write it or project it on the board. Debaters write claims
down in the first row of the left column of the Sheet. Give the group a set amount of
time to find support for the claim.
3. Partners decide whether they agree with the claim and circle Agree or Disagree in the
first row. They then look through the evidence as quickly as they can to find a quote
that supports their opinion, and write it down in the “Evidence from the Text” column.
4. In the right column of the Sheet, debaters explain briefly how their evidence supports
or refutes the claim. Make sure they analyze the text rather than simply re-wording it.
5. Partners shout out when they have finished supporting the claim. As they do, check
answers for accuracy and depth of analysis. Award points (see Sheet for point guide).
6. Repeat steps 2-5 as desired.
 Evidence Base: debate evidence
(expandos) or group of articles
Hot tips:
 Variant: Silent Hunt.
Generate a longer list of claims
on paper (6 rather than 3) and
have each group work through
the claims as fast as they can.
 Variant: Article Search. Have
them find relevant articles (e.g.,
internet searching) rather than
quotes.
Sourcery: Cards from Articles
30-45 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Discuss the importance of research and being able to produce your own knowledge.
Have a quick discussion about the argument that you have chosen for this activity and
how it fits into the broader landscape of arguments you have discussed,
 1-page selection from an article
related to an argument or case
of interest
2. Pass out a page of an article and model how you would approach reading it
strategically, highlighting important passages and assessing how it relates to the
argument you have chosen.
 Additional articles on same
argument
3. Pass out other relevant articles – or have debaters take out articlces they have found –
- so that each group or individual has one article.
4. Article analysis. The debaters should have a set amount of time to read the article,
take careful notes, and find at least one Card (2-3 crucial paragraphs) that supports the
point they want to make.
5. Presentations. Each debater or small group gives a 3-5 minute presentation on their
article. They telling how the article could be used strategically in a debate round,
introduce the source and defend its credibility, and then read the Card aloud (make
sure the reading is passionate – see Power Words/Act the Part above).
6. Questions. Immediately following the presentation open a question period for the
other debaters and encourage them to challenge the presenters (in a friendly but
competitive way) on the credibility of their source, interpretation and strategy, etc.
7. Repeat for as many groups as desired. If desired, have the squad cut and paste their
Cards onto pieces of paper and add a tag and citation – they are now ready for use in a
live debate!
 Timer
Hot tips:
 The Questions part of this
activity is generally the most
fun – time it, and make sure
that the questions flow like a
cross-examination!
 Once you have done this one
in person, it makes for a good
homework assignment,
 Even if your debaters have
found their articles themselves,
it often helps to have a few
extra on hand.
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Full Debates
Pair SPAR Debate **
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Choose 3-4 topics for debate (brainstorm or use the Jar O’Resolutions) and write
them on the board.
 SPAR Debate Setup handout –
modified to suit your preferred
structure
2. If needed, have the debaters generate ideas pro and con for a sample topic, and write
them on the board (see the Reasons activity).
 Flowsheets
3. Divide the class into pairs. One debater chooses a topic from the list of resolutions;
the second debater chooses to be affirmative or negative. Thus they each have an
advantage in the debate.
 Timer
4. Allow 5-10 minutes for the individuals to write preliminary ideas and arguments.
Discourage the debaters from writing full sentence speeches.
 If desired, write a list of topics
beforehand and have it ready as
a handout.
5. Start the debates! Use the SPAR Debate Setup handout, modified to meet your needs.
Hot tips:
 Collect debaters’ flows at the
end of the debate.
Pass the Flow/Silent Debates **
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Start with a partly-constructed flow (you choose how many speeches are already filled
out, but most coaches fill in at least the 1AC and 1NC) face down on each debater’s
desk.
 Partly-filled flowsheets (see the
Starter Flows in the
Supplements & Handouts pack)
2. Have debaters sit in a circle, or in multiple circles depending on numbers. With
enthusiasm, ask debaters to flip the paper over and read through the debate so far. If
you’re feeling charitable or dealing with novices, provide some guidance or allow for
Q&A to make sure all participants understand the arguments on the flow.
 Timer
3. With great fanfare, give them 1-2 minutes to answer all the arguments on their sheet
(make them drop those pens!).
4. Have each debater pass the sheet to their left. Once again, debaters have 1-2 minutes
to answer all the arguments in front of them.
5. Once all the speeches are filled, have them pass one last time, judge the debate
represented by the flow, and tell the team who won and why.
Hot tips:
 A great way to involve a large
number of debaters actively in
debating without the room
getting too loud.
 Over time, gradually decrease
the amount of space debaters
have to respond to each
argument, challenging them to
be efficient and concise.
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Line-by-Line Relay Race
15-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Divide the team into groups of 3-4. Discuss the importance of the line-by-line – also
known as answering the opposing team’s arguments one by one during a speech. Let
them know that the groups are about to race through a full debate, announcing a prize
(could just be bragging rights) for the team that wins.
 Partly-filled flowsheets (see the
Starter Flows in the
Supplements & Handouts pack)
2. Have debaters sit in a circle, or in multiple circles depending on numbers.
3. With enthusiasm, ask debaters to flip the paper over and read through the debate so
far. If you’re feeling charitable or dealing with novices, provide some guidance or allow
for Q&A to make sure all participants understand the arguments on the flow.
4. Tell debaters the rules of the game – the first debater will answer one (only one!)
argument as quickly as possible and then pass to their left, answering arguments one by
one until they are done with the whole round.
5. Start the timer going, and give encouragements as they race. If any group seems to be
pulling ahead, feel free to distract them (in a light-hearted way!) by asking questions.
6. Have each group present their flow – before you announce a winner, make sure that
the handwriting changes with every argument, and that the quality stays high – and
highlight any arguments that are particularly creative, interesting, or entertaining.
 Timer
Hot tips:
 A great way to involve a large
number of debaters actively in
debating without the room
getting too loud.
 To make this a teambuilding
exercise, can be done as a full
group, with debaters racing
against the clock as you (or a
lead debater) flow their
arguments on the board.
 Allow debaters to help each
other within teams.
Group Role Debate **
Steps:
DEMONSTRATION
1. Tell the debaters that they all will be participating in a mini-debate for the unit
assessment. Each debater will rotate through the roles of Affirmative Speaker, Negative
Speaker, and Judge.
2. Decide on a topic and resolution as a class or have one already selected (high
engagement topic is best).
3. Discuss the topic briefly and outline some potential arguments for and against. Help
debaters distinguish clearly between aff and neg positions.
4. Share and discuss the ballot with the class so they can see the expectations for success
(Recommended: project the ballot and allow debaters to fill out their own copy as
you guide the class).
5. Have 3 debaters volunteer to take on the roles of Aff, Neg and Judge. Hold at least one
round with your commentary and coaching. If desired, repeat one uninterrupted with
class feedback at the end. Debaters turn in their completed ballots from the second
debate as an exit slip.
45-90 min
Materials:
 Debater Ballot handout
(ideally front and back)
 SPAR Debate Setup handout –
modified to suit your preferred
structure
 Flowsheets
 Timer
Hot tips:
 Demonstration section only
needs to be done once for
each group of debaters
 Could be split across two days
 Extension: Poll the debaters on
their opinion of the topic
beforehand and then count the
ballots to see if the win/losses
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DEBATE!
reflect the class view.
1. Gather debaters into groups of 3 (or 4), and make sure that every debater has at least
one Ballot, one SPAR Debate Set-up handout, and 2 flowsheets. Remind debaters that
the purpose of the assessment is for them to experience a debate from all three
perspectives – Affirmative, Negative, and Judge.
2. Give instructions and guide the debaters to choose their roles for the first round. Help
any debater left out of a group to find a place to be on a “judge panel”, and give them
an extra ballot if needed.
3. Announce 2 minutes of prep time, and then keep time as they proceed through the
debate using the speech structure outlined below, giving encouragement along the way.
Use a stopwatch and give cues at 30 seconds left to increase drama and excitement.
 Musical chairs rotation: each
debater has to debate with a
different group each time (no
person should ever do the
same task twice or be with the
same person). Allow for happy
chaos between rounds, and
play a musical chairs transition
if desired.
4. At the end of each round, allow 2 minutes for judge feedback. Then have debaters
rotate roles and repeat the process twice.
Argument Types (JV/Var): Disadvantages, Kritiks, etc.
Find the Link
10-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. On the board, write a plan and a negative argument. After a quick discussion of what
makes a good “link” – the connection between a negative argument and its target
affirmative plan – give the squad 30 seconds to brainstorm a strong link between the
negative argument and the plan. Discuss.
 List of 2-4 affirmative plans
2. Erase the board. Soliciting from the team as needed, write a list of 3-4 negative
arguments and make sure that the squad understands them.
Hot tips:
3. Pass out a sheet listing 2-4 affirmative plans. Each debater races to link as many
arguments as possible from the board to these plans.
4. (optional) Break the squad into pairs. Tell each debater to pick the plan they think they
linked to best. Give a first debater in each pair 1 minute to argue for the links to the
plan they picked while their partner flows. Give their partner 1 minute to refute, and
then give 1 minute for discussion. Rotate, then discuss as a group.
 List of negative arguments on
the board)
 This activity can be tuned to be
extremely difficult or
extremely easy based on the
negative arguments and the
plans that you choose.
Disadvantages: The Missing Link
20-30 min
Steps:
Materials:
1. Split one or more disadvantages into their component parts – Brink (the system is
okay now, but fragile); Link (the affirmative plan makes things worse); Internal Links
(a chain of events leading to the impact); and Impact (the terrible things that will
 Disadvantage shells (cards) split
into link, brink/uniqueness, and
impact – see Missing Link Strips
handout.
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occur because of the Affirmative plan. For example, cut the Missing Link Strips handout
into its component strips.
2. Give one strip – or one evidence card – to each debater. Give them 1 minute to read
it and ask questions.
3. Give the debaters a limited time (5 minutes tops) to circulate and re-unite with the
other debaters who have the remainder of their disadvantage story.
Hot tips:
 The handout uses simple
analytic arguments – advanced
debaters can handle full cards
(for extra difficulty, remove the
tags!)
4. Have each newly united group tell the story of their disadvantage.
Disadvantages: The Tale of Captain BLI
Captain BLI is an acronym for Brink (Uniqueness), Link, and Impact. These three
concepts create a cause and effect story of negative consequences that result from
adopting a plan. This is a basic disadvantage.
Steps:
5. The lesson begins with the telling of the BLI story, which can be as short as this:
Captain BLI stands at the edge of a cliff, scanning the ocean for ships. Behind him comes the
evil Doctor Plan, who gives him a gentle push. Set off balance, Captain BLI falls into the ocean
and certain doom.
6. Feel free to tell the story with entertaining bells and whistles. Then use the white
board to graphically show the captain on the brink of falling off a cliff. Ask the debaters
to retell the parts of the story that represent the three main components of Brink (the
cliff), Link (the push), and impact (certain doom!).
30-45 min
Materials:
 Board and markers
Hot tips:
 This exercise has a tendency to
get boisterous with some of
the outrageous stories.
Depending on the number of
debaters participating, the
exercise can take a surprisingly
long time.
7. In groups or working alone, have debaters create their own disadvantage story. It can
be silly or serious. Give them at least five minutes to develop their stories.
8. Ask each debater to present their written disadvantage telling the story of impending
tragedy in front of the class. After each presentation, ask questions along with the
debaters to clarify any part of the three components that is unclear.
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BAUDL ACTIVITIES:
INDEX
Abbreviation Attack, 14
Act the Part **, 3
Argument Rampage, 11
Bag It & Tag It, 19
Beat the Clock, 17
Chain Lightning Debates, 9
Chunking **, 18
CX Attack, 12
CX Hot Seat, 12
Disadvantages: The Missing Link, 23
Disadvantages: The Tale of Captain BLI, 24
Don’t Answer, 2
Dr. Mo Answers the Arguments, 9
Evidence Match, 17
Evidence Racer **, 16
Evidence Scavenger Hunt**, 20
Find the Link, 23
Flow Bingo, 15
Flow Chain, 14
Four Corners **, 6
Group Role Debate **, 22
I Couldn’t Disagree With You More!, 6
Jar O’Resolutions **, 2
Line-by-Line Relay Race, 22
Mine is Bigger!, 18
Musical Flow, 13
Pair Flow Olympics, 15
Pair SPAR Debate **, 21
Pass the Flow/Silent Debates **, 21
Power Words **, 3
Pyramid Flow **, 15
Reasons **, 5
Rebuttal Re-dos **, 19
Sob Story, 7
Soouul Chaain Refutation, 8
Sourcery: Cards from Articles, 20
Speeches: The Quickening, 5
Speed Drills, 4
Tap-ins, 8
Team Line-by-line, 9
Team Refutation Battle, 11
The Inquisitor, 13
Tongue Twisters, 2
Which Warrant Is Best?, 7
Who or What am I?, 3
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