Debate I & Public Speaking
Syllabus
2010-2011 Season
Debate is Life.
The rest is just Prep Time.
Instructor
Brian Simpson
Speech & Debate Coach
Byron Nelson High School (Go Bobcats!!!)
Introduction
Welcome to the Debate Team for 2010-2011. Debate is definitely something that
has made a major difference in my life and it was one of those skills that have
opened so many doors. I hope this year will be fun, challenging, inspiring, and
everything else that we could hope it could be. Debate team is definitely a family,
and as you grow on the team, you will realize that you will get out of it what you put
into it.
The Debate Team had a lot of success last year. Here are some of our
accomplishments:
National Qualifier
Eric Pool – International Extemp
Regional Qualifiers
Eric Pool – LD Debate & Persuasive Speaking
Drew Marshall – LD Debate (District Champion) & Persuasive Speaking
Brendan Gillette – Informative Speaking (District Champion)
Conor Mullis – Informative Speaking
Micka Alves – Poetry (District Champion)
There are four things that truly make a great debater:
1. A Good Coach (25%)
2. Parents who keep their student accountable (25%)
3. A student who is motivated (25%)
4. A student that has talent (25%)
I come to win and I hope that you do too. 
Debate I and Public Speaking Grading
Summative Grading – 60%
A. 1 Paper per six weeks
B. Book Exams
Formative Grading – 40%
A. Book Quizes
B. Daily assignments
C. Current Event Quizes
AUGUST
August 25th (Wednesday)– Need to have your copy of Game Change.
August 27th (FRIDAY) – Current Events Quiz
August 30th (MONDAY)– Game Change Prologue & Chapter 1 Quiz
SEPTEMBER
September 3rd (FRIDAY)– Current Events Quiz
September 7th (TUESDAY)– Game Change Chapter 2-3 Quiz
September 10th (FRIDAY) –Current Events Quiz
September 13th (MONDAY)– Game Change Chapter 4
September 14th (TUESDAY)– SUMMATIVE EXAM #1 on GAME CHANGE,
Prologue-Chapter 4
September 17th (FRIDAY) –Current Events Quiz
September 20th (MONDAY)– Game Change Chapter 5
September 24th (FRIDAY) - Current Events Quiz
September 27th (MONDAY)– Game Change Chapter 6
September 28th (TUESDAY)– SUMMATIVE EXAM #2 on GAME CHANGE, Chapters
5-6
September 30th (THURSDAY)– SUMMATIVE: Need to turn in 1 paper or have
completed 1 Tournament for credit
OCTOBER
October 1st – (FRIDAY) Current Events Quiz**
October 4th – (MONDAY) Game Change, Chapter 7
October 8th – (FRIDAY) Current Events Quiz**
October 12th – (TUESDAY) Game Change chapters 8-9
October 15th – (FRIDAY) Current Events Quiz**
October 18th – (MONDAY) Game Change chapters 10-11
October 19th – (TUESDAY) SUMMATIVE #3 on Game Change, chapters 7-11
October 22nd – (FRIDAY) Current Events Quiz
October 25th – (MONDAY) Game Change chapters 12-13
October 29th – (FRIDAY) Current Events Quiz
NOVEMBER
November 1st – (MONDAY) Game Change Chapter 14
November 5th – (FRIDAY) Current Events Quiz
November 8th – (MONDAY) Game Change Chapters 15-16
November 9th – (TUESDAY) SUMMATIVE #4 Game Change Chapters 12-16
November 11th – (THURSDAY) SUMMATIVE: Need to turn in 1 paper or have
completed 1 Tournament for credit
November 12th (FRIDAY) - Current Events Quiz
November 15th (MONDAY) – Game Change Chapters 17-18
November 19th (FRIDAY) - Current Events Quiz
November 29th (MONDAY) – Game Change Chapters 19-20
DECEMBER & JANUARY
December 1st (WEDNESDAY) (short week due to NYC TRIP, whoo-hooo!!!) Current Events Quiz
December 6th (MONDAY) – Game Change Chapter 21
December 7th (TUESDAY) – SUMMATIVE #5 Game Change, Chapters 17-21
December 10th (FRIDAY) - Current Events Quiz**
December 13th (MONDAY) – Game Change Chapter 22
December 17th (FRIDAY) - Current Events Quiz
January 4th (TUESDAY)– Game Change Chapter 23 & Epilogue
Tuesday’ with Simpson
th
January 5 – (WED) SUMMATIVE #6 Game Change Chapters 22-23 & Epilogue
January 10th (MONDAY) – Performance Week for FINAL EXAMS
January 12th (WEDNESDAY)- Current Events Quiz**
END OF SEMESTER – DID YOU BRING YOUR “A” GAME???
SPRING TIME = TIME TO ROCK NFL, TFA, AND UIL!!!
Class Expectations
1. Follow all school rules.
2. Failing to plan is planning to fail.
3. Keep an open mind, "It is better to debate a question without settling
it, than settle a question without debating it." Joseph Joubert
4. Treat others with. . .“R-E-S-P-E-C-T. . .find out what it means to me. .”
Aretha Franklin
5. Be helpful and with self initiative. “Ask not what the debate team can
do for you; ask what you can do for the debate team.” John F Kennedy
6. “Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm.” Ralph
Waldo Emerson.
7. Tub Violators:
 You will get tub duty in the next tournament if you do any of
the following:
1. Leave Extemp Tubs out
2. Fail to show up for a meeting with Coach Simpson
3. Leave any room that we are occupying in disarray.
Tournaments
Obviously, being on the debate team requires that you go to the tournaments.
Tournaments are typically on Saturdays, but sometimes on Friday & Saturdays. Here
are some things to note about tournaments:
1. You must be on time. If you fail to make the departure time, you must
transport yourself to the tournament.
2. If you cannot make a tournament, you must give us 7 days notice, otherwise
we are subject to drop fee’s. If we incur a drop fee (usually around $50), you
will not be allowed to go to any tournaments until that fee is paid.
3. You will be required to do one paper per six weeks. However, if you go to at
least one tournament per six weeks, you can be exempted from the paper. If
you cannot attend a Tournament during the 6 weeks time, Here are the
requirements for the paper:
a. 2 pages in length
b. 1.5 spacing
c. Times New Roman Font, size 12
d. 3 sources
e. Topic of paper will be chosen by Coach Simpson
f. The dates when the papers are due are on our assignment guidelines.
g. Paper will be graded for content, spelling, and must follow our extemp
format of:
i. Attention Grabber
ii. link
iii. Thesis Statement
iv. Roadmap
v. 3 Main Points
vi. Review
vii. Reverse Thesis Statement
viii. Conclusion
h. Coach Simpson will be checking spelling, sources as well as checking
for plagiarism. Do you plagiarize your paper, I will find out.
4. If you skip a tournament (meaning you signed up, and you just didn’t show
up), you will be assessed the following:
a. Parent/Student/Teacher meeting will need to be done in person with
Coach Simpson
5. You must wear the proper tournament dress code and follow the proper
BNHS Debate tournament team rules. (Please see handout regarding
tournament dress code).
6. For tournaments, students must remember to bring their debate cases & flow
sheets, their prose/poetry pieces, and paper & pens for extemp and debate.
2010 Debate Season (FALL)
(Spring Debate Schedule will be released on October 1st)
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
August 28th – LD Angel Tournament at Byron Nelson (BNHS students only)
***Be in the Lecture Hall @ 9:00 AM
***Parent/Student meeting at 9:15 AM
***Rounds should be over by 3:00 PM
September 4th – Plano Senior High School TFA (Varsity only)
***Extemp Tubs: 5:45 AM
***Arrival Time: 6:00 AM
***Departure Time: 6:15 AM
September 10-11th – Texas Tech Tournament TFA (Select Varsity only)
***Extemp Tubs: 6:30 AM (Friday, Sept 10th)
***Arrival Time: 6:45 AM
***Departure time on Friday, Sept 10th @ 7:00 AM
***DEBATE ON FRIDAY
***EXTEMP ON SATURDAY
September 18th – BNHS Extemp Tournament (BNHS students only)
***Be in CT215 @ 9:00 AM
***Rounds should be over by 3:00 PM
September 25th – Northwest High School TFA Tournament held at Mountain
View.
***Extemp Tubs 5:45 AM
***Arrival Time 6:00 AM
***Departure Time 6:15 AM
OCTOBER
October 2nd – BNHS TFA Qualifying Tournament at BNHS
***All Debate I & II students will helping to run
***Students need to be on campus at 6:30 AM
(Bring your suits in case we need you to compete)
October 9th – Princeton HS UIL Tournament (All BNHS Debaters welcome)
***Junior High Students welcome
***Extemp Tubs: 5:45 AM
***Arrival Time: 6:00 AM
***Departure Time: 6:15 AM
October 23rd – Community Service Project at Colleyville Parks and Recreation. More
info to come. Varsity and Debate I.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
November 6th – Southlake Carroll TFA Tournament (Varsity Only)
***Extemp Tubs: 6:15 AM
***Arrival Time: 6:30 AM
***Departure Time: 6:45 AM
November 12-13 – BNHS Congress Tournament
***Be at CT215 at 9:00 AM
December 2-7 – PRINCETON UNIVERSITY TOURNAMENT (NYC!!!)
***Must have your $500 by Friday, Sept 24th
***If you are flying with your parents, or arranging your own
flight, you must have this done by Sept 24th.
***Departure on earliest flight on Thursday, Dec 2nd
***Return on latest flight on Tuesday, December 7th
December 11th – Richardson UIL Tournament (Varsity Only)
***Extemp Tubs: 6:15 AM
***Arrival Time: 6:30 AM
***Departure Time: 6:45 AM
December 18th – Debate Christmas Party – Everyone’s invited. Location - TBD
Tournament Rules
The following is the dress requirements for attending a tournament as part of the
Byron Nelson HS Speech & Debate Team. The reason for the rules is very simple: we
are representing Byron Nelson HS and we are “THE PRIDE OF BNHS”; therefore, we
will prove this point in both our dress and behavior.
The Bus Trip
You can only wear BNHS debate clothing to the tournament. Once we arrive at the
tournament, you need to change into your suit. Remember you must be
“Tournament ready” in less than 15 minutes upon arriving at the meet.
Do not show up for a tournament and forget things like a belt, your tie, socks, etc.
Make a checklist and make sure you have everything.
At The Tournament
Ladies:
1. Always in dress code. No belly shirts, spaghetti straps, etc.
2. For competition, black or dark blue suits are required. Skirts are fine, but must
be knee length
3. Dress shirt under suit can be whatever color you want and I would encourage you
to be creative with this. However, nothing that takes away from your performance.
3. Wear hose – avoid white or non-natural colors
4. Make sure your blouse isn’t low cut. No cleavage is to be shown!
5. Make-up is fine but don’t over do it.
6. NO JEWELRY during your performance except the NFL pins. This includes
watches, rings and “BIG” ear-rings.
7. NO TIGHT FITTING CLOTHES!!
8. Letter jackets are not to be worn during rounds.
9. Black dress shoes, no open toed shoes or sandals.
Gentleman:
1. Black or dark blue suit
2. Shirt & tie can be colors that you want but not to take away from your
performance.
2. Must be clean-shaven.
3. Remove everything from your pockets prior to performing.
4. NO JEWELRY during the round except the NFL pins. This includes rings and
watches.
5. Black dress shoes, black dress socks.
6. Letter jackets are not to be worn during rounds.
After you are finished you can change into the following:
1. Debate team shirts and jeans, NO SHORTS.
2. You cannot wear a team shirt that has had the sleeves cut off or changed in any
fashion.
Any sponsor may reserve the right to make you modify your tournament clothing.
Do not take this personally, just comply!
Remember: to be a winner you must ACT and LOOK it at ALL times!
Failure to comply with the team dress code will result in you not being allowed to
compete as well as subject to drop fee’s.
Tournament Behavior (For Debate & UIL Participants)
The following is a list of basic rules we will enforce.
1. No hats in a building.
2. We will clean up after ourselves before we leave a school.
3. We will remain in tournament dress code at all times. Non-speaking events dress
code is a UIL Team shirt and jeans.
5. We never criticize someone or the place. Always be positive and supportive of
other debaters as well as the facility.
6. We are here to learn and prepare for the district meet........if you don't make finals
go and watch them! If you are in a non-speaking event go watch the finals that our
students are in and help support them.
7. You can not leave the campus without written permission from your parents prior
to us leaving from BNHS
8. On overnight trips, if you are not in your assigned room at the correct time your
parents will be called to come and pick you up.
9. At the awards ceremonies we will sit together as a team. We will clap for
everyone. 
We will win with dignity and we will lose with dignity
Debate is Life.
The rest is just prep time.
Tournament Rules
The following is the dress requirements for attending a tournament as part of the
Byron Nelson HS Speech & Debate Team. The reason for the rules is very simple: we
are representing Byron Nelson HS and we are “THE PRIDE OF BNHS”; therefore, we
will prove this point in both our dress and behavior.
The Bus Trip
Wear whatever you want, BUT, you must stay within the school dress code.
Remember you must be “Tournament ready” in less than 15 minutes upon arriving
at the meet.
At The Tournament
Ladies:
1. Always in dress code. No belly shirts, spaghetti straps, etc.
2. For competition, black or dark blue suits are required. Skirts are fine, but must be
knee length
3. Dress shirt under suit can be whatever color you want and I would encourage you
to be creative with this. However, nothing that takes away from your performance.
3. Wear hose – avoid white or non-natural colors
4. Make sure your blouse isn’t low cut. No cleavage is to be shown!
5. Make-up is fine but don’t over do it.
6. NO JEWELRY during your performance except the NFL pins. This includes
watches, rings and “BIG” ear-rings.
7. NO TIGHT FITTING CLOTHES!!
8. Letter jackets are not to be worn during rounds.
9. Black dress shoes, no open toed shoes or sandals.
Gentleman:
1. Black or dark blue suit
2. Shirt & tie can be colors that you want but not to take away from your
performance.
2. Must be clean-shaven.
3. Remove everything from your pockets prior to performing.
4. NO JEWELRY during the round except the NFL pins. This includes rings and
watches.
5. Black dress shoes, black dress socks.
6. Letter jackets are not to be worn during rounds.
After you are finished you can change into the following:
1. Debate team shirts and jeans, NO SHORTS.
2. You cannot wear a team shirt that has had the sleeves cut off or changed in any
fashion.
Any sponsor may reserve the right to make you modify your tournament clothing.
Do not take this personally, just comply!
Remember: to be a winner you must ACT and LOOK it at ALL times!
Failure to comply with the team dress code will result in you being sent home!!!
Tournament Behavior (For Debate & UIL Participants)
The following is a list of basic rules we will enforce.
1. No hats in a building.
2. We will clean up after ourselves before we leave a school.
3. We will remain in tournament dress code at all times. Non-speaking events dress
code is a UIL Team shirt and jeans.
5. We never criticize someone or the place. Always be positive and supportive of
other debaters as well as the facility.
6. We are here to learn and prepare for the district meet........if you don't make finals
go and watch them! If you are in a non-speaking event go watch the finals that our
students are in and help support them.
7. You can not leave the campus without written permission from your parents prior
to us leaving from BNHS
8. On overnight trips, if you are not in your assigned room at the correct time your
parents will be called to come and pick you up.
9. At the awards ceremonies we will sit together as a team. We will clap for
everyone. 
We will win with dignity and we will lose with dignity
Eat. Sleep. Debate