Debate I Syllabus ELA 1961 A & B 2011-2012 School Year CONTACT INFORMATION (add your contact information here) COURSE OBJECTIVES Policy debate teaches students a number of important academic skills, including logic, argumentation, research, writing and public speaking, all within a social sciences context. Drawing from the fields of government, economics, philosophy, sociology, anthropology and psychology, students will develop evidence-based cases they will advocate at this school year’s tournaments. This year, national high school policy debate will focus on the following resolution: Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its exploration and/or development of space beyond the Earth’s mesosphere. COURSE PROCEDURES Policy debate is an interactive and team-oriented activity. As such, students are required to attend at least two tournaments per semester in order to receive a passing grade for the Debate 1A and Debate 1B classes. Any student unable to meet this criterion must meet with their instructor to explain the situation and ask for an exemption. Exemptions will be given only in the case of extenuating personal circumstances. It is the sole responsibility of the student to request this exemption and it will be considered on a case by case basis. This school year’s tournaments will be divided into two divisions: Novice, open to beginning debaters and students who feel they need a refresher in debate basics, and Varsity, open to all argumentation and any affirmative case. Novice will be limited to two affirmative cases during the fall semester and four in the spring. These cases can be found on the HUDL Wikispace under the Case Disclosure tab (see Textbook section below). Varsity debaters must post any affirmative case (plan text only) they will run on the HUDL Wikispace no later than the Friday prior to the tournament. (add other procedures and rules here) ASSESSMENTS A majority of the grade for this course comes from weekly research, writing and speaking assignments but will be supplemented by quizzes and test grades. (add percentage breakdown here) TEXTBOOKS A majority of this year’s evidence and curriculum will be posted on the new HUDL Wikispace at the following web address: http://houstonurbandebateleague.wikispaces.com The primary text for this course will be the Houston Urban Debate League’s Introduction to Policy Debate. This book will be available free as an electronic copy on the HUDL Wikispace under the curriculum tab. OVERVIEW Debate 1 is divided into two 16 week semesters. The first semester will teach the basics of argument, logic, research, writing and speaking. The second semester will expand on these skills and give the students more freedom to write their own cases and argument extensions. Over the course of the year, students will have the opportunity to attend six HUDL seminars and six HUDL tournaments, with an opportunity for more based on student success and interest. At the end of the debate season, the first and second place teams in Houston will travel free of charge to the Chase Urban Debate National Championships in New York City, New York (see tournament schedule). Below is the breakdown of the Debate 1 curriculum. Semester 1 Week 1: What is debate?/What is a resolution?—Public Speaking Skills Poster Week 2: Aff and Neg Burdens/Presumption/Topic and Potential Case Areas Seminar #1: Junior Varsity: On-case/Stock Issues Varsity: Defensive v. Offensive Arguments/Case turns/T; Lab: Argumentation (Toulmin model)/Syllogisms/Proof (Evidence) Week 3: On-case-Stock Issues/Case Turns/Finding and labeling evidence; Prepare for First Tournament Tournament #1 Week 4: Building a case/Direct Clash/Defensive Arguments/Argue a mini-round Week 5: The Topicality Debate—Listening and Flowing Week 6: Sample debates Seminar #2: Junior Varsity: Case Building Workshop/Cutting Aff and Neg On-case evidence Varsity: Case Workshop/Cutting Aff and Neg On-Case Evidence ALL: Flow a mock debate Week 7: Disadvantages/Clash/Timeframe, Scope, Magnitude, Probability Week 8: Disadvantages/Link Turns, Impact Turns, Straight Turns and Double Turns Week 9: Prepare for Second Tournament Tournament #2 Week 10: Counterplans; CP/DA in combination Week 11: Troubleshoot Second Tournament Problems/DA/CP Construction Seminar #3: DAs/Introduce Counterplans Week 12: DA/CP/Kritik Introduction Week 13: Prepare for Third Tournament Tournament #3 Week 14: Strategic Argumentation Week 15: Prepare for Fourth Tournament Tournament #4 Week 16: Dead Week/Semester Exam Prep Week 17: Semester Exams Semester 2 Focus on research writing and expanding on skills learned in the first semester. Seminar 4 as well as tournaments 5 and the city, state and national championships are also this semester.