Unit 5: Genetics, Heredity, and Molecular Genetics
Topic
Cloning
Skill
None
EBA Activity
Committee-Style Debate
Claim
Congress is meeting to decide whether to allow cloning in the United
States. Present to them your case.
Group 1: No Cloning should be allowed
Group 2: All Cloning should be allowed
Group 3: Only non-human cloning should be allowed
Procedure
[3 minutes] DO NOW: Write one fact you learned about cloning.
[2 minutes] Discussion of do now.
[Day 1] Committee-Style Debate. Teacher will place students in
groups, and discuss format. The rest of the period would be used for
prepping for the debate and constructing opening statements.
[Day 2] Committee-Style Debate. This would be the actual debate day.
Before the debate begins, the teacher will pass out and discuss the note
sheet.
[Day 3] Committee-Style Debate. Possible debrief, what students
thought, etc.
[5 minutes] Closing/ Summary
Timing/
Pacing
Notes

This previous day students learned about the different aspects of
biotechnology.
 This activity would take place over the span of two days. I would
use the first day for the students to gather information and do
research. The second day would be used for the actual debate. A
third day may be used to debrief (go over debate and talk about
what happened, what students thought, etc.).
This is a standard Committee-Style Debate. Teacher can assign students
to each side or they can be chosen randomly. Modify roles (opening
speaker, attacker, defender, and closing speaker) to accommodate the
number of students you have. Possible additions can include crossexamination, second attacker, and second defender. For note pages, make
sure to place the claim on top of each page of notes so that the students
can reference it. Note page can include a column for opening statement,
attacking questions, defense statements, and closing statements.
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Follow Up
Activity
This activity could be followed by an Essay Pre-Writing Activity to
summarize learning and to prep students for an enriched writing
component.
Text
Global Change. (1998). Here are three reasons why we should say no to
cloning-disadvantages. http://www.globalchange.com/noclones
---. (1998). Designer babies. http://www.globalchange.com/designer
---. (1998). Is it ethical to allow couples to decide the sex of their baby?.
http://www.globalchange.com/sexselection.htm
Human Genome Program. (2002). Human genome project information.
http://www.ornl.gov/TechResources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.html
Smith, S. (2002). The benefits of human cloning.
http://www.humancloning.org/benefits.htm
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Debate Notes (Must complete these to get a grade)
Introduction Must Include:
Claim/Resolution/Prompt: Congress is meeting to decide whether to allow cloning in the United
States. Present to them your case.
Group 1: No Cloning should be allowed
Group 2: All Cloning should be allowed
Group 3: Only non-human cloning should be allowed
Introduction must include:
Warrants Must Include:
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Group
Opening Statement (90 s)
Claim A
Introduction
Warrants:
1)
2)
3)
.
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Answers to Committee
Questions (2 min)
Questions for Other
Groups (2 min)
Answers to Other Group
Questions
(2 min)
Closing Statement (60 s)
Committee, you should
vote for Claim A
because…
Group
Opening Statement (90 s)
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Answers to Committee Questions for Other
Questions (2 min)
Groups (2 min)
Answers to Other Group
Questions
(2 min)
Closing Statement (60 s)
Claim B
Introduction
Warrants:
1)
2)
3)
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Committee, you should
vote for Claim B
because…
Group
Opening Statement (90 s)
Claim C
Introduction
Warrants:
1)
2)
3)
3)
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Answers to Committee Questions for Other
Questions (2 min)
Groups (2 min)
Answers to Other Group
Questions
(2 min)
Closing Statement (60 s)
Committee, you should
vote for Claim C
because…




Committee Member Guidelines
You are the judge in the round. Specifically, you will decide what bond we would be better off
being made primarily of.
Speakers may only present their arguments or ask questions when you call on them or permit
them to do so.
You are to be an unbiased and non-combative during the “Committee questioning” round.
Instead, you must ask probing and clarifying questions to gather information to help inform your
judging.
You must make sure that each group is allowed to ask at least two questions during the
“Attacking questions from other groups” round. The table below will help you in this task
Group
Tally of number of Questions allowed to
ask during Attacking Questions (At least
2 per group in total)
Claim A
Claim B
Claim C
Evidence Tally Sheet
Group
OS
CQ
Claim A
Claim B
Claim C
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AQ
QA
CS
Total
Evidence
Group
Claim A
Committee Questions
Claim B
Claim C
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Answers you found convincing
Committee Question sheet
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Committee Verdict Sheet
Decision (Claim) :
Decision (Warrants):
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Group
Claim A
Misconceptions/Inaccuracies that You Caught
Claim B
Claim C
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Checklist for a Committee Style Debate
Check
Tasks -To be completed in order!
Our group has 3 warrants that support our claim.
Our warrants are clearly numbered 1 through 3.
We double checked that our warrants, when taken together,
address all of the requirements for the opening speech.
We have completed our introduction to our group concept.
The introduction to our group concept covers the following
background information about the concept:
We each have a role in the debate, only the intro speakers
can share a role (remember only the question answerer
does not have prep time, everyone else will have time to
discuss their speech with their group first).
Taglines (3-5 word summary of a warrant) are prepared for
each warrant.
Our teacher has checked our warrants.
Bonus: We have questions ready for other teams.
Bonus: We have visual representations of our warrants.
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Individual Grading Rubric for Committee Style Debate
Points
Earned
Description
Possible
Citizenship and Participating in a Group
25
You helped your group members prepare for their part of the debate during group
prep time.
5
You listened to and did not interrupt other teams when they were speaking.
Individual Part of the Debate
10
Your warrants connected back to the overall claim that you are advocating for
15
You used evidence (text) during your presentation.
5
You introduce yourself, your group, and you spoke confidently, passionately, and
persuasively with your own sense of style/swag.
Flowing (Note taking)
20
You have warrants/key points from questioning listed in each block of notes.
Your Particular Role (if more than one role then grade yourself on the one you felt best about)
Opening statement presenter(s)
5
You numbered your ____ warrants.
15
Your 3 warrants clearly related to your group’s plan
Question Asker
10
You asked questions that exposed errors, set up arguments, or obtained admissions.
10
You specifically referenced your opponent’s numbered warrants.
Question Answerer
5
Your answers were spoken confidently.
15
You directly responded to your opponent’s questions using evidence that clearly
supports your overall claim.
Closing Speaker
10
Your closing statement was passionate, clear, concise, and summarized your group’s
strongest warrants.
10
You specifically told the judge why you should win the debate based on the strength
of your plan, your supporting warrants, and/or your responses to your opponent’s
warrants.
Committee Member
5
You were unbiased and non-combative during the “Committee questioning” round.
Instead, you must ask probing and clarifying questions to gather information to help
inform your judging.
5
You helped support an engaging debate by directing speaking turns and ensuring
that all teams were able to have at least two questions during the “Attacking
questions from other groups” round.
5
You upheld the honor and prestige of a judge.
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5
You wrote and provided a well-reasoned explanation of your verdict
100
_________ Total
Grading Criteria by Category
Points Possible Self Grade of A B
C
D
F
If 5
5
4
3
2
1
If 10
10
8
6
4
2
If 15
15
12
9
6
3
If 20
20
16
12
8
4
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