Debate Club

Students research, prepare, and participate in structured debates on age-appropriate topics, developing persuasive speaking, critical listening, and logical reasoning skills while learning to respectfully engage with different viewpoints.

Activity Overview

Debate Club introduces Grade 4 students to the fundamentals of formal debate in an engaging, supportive environment. Students learn to research topics, organize arguments, use persuasive language, and respond respectfully to opposing viewpoints. Through structured debate activities, students develop critical thinking, public speaking confidence, and active listening skills while exploring topics relevant to their lives and curriculum.

Duration: 2-3 sessions per debate topic (45-60 minutes each)

Group Size: Whole class, divided into debate teams

Learning Objectives:

Develop persuasive speaking techniques and confidence in public speaking
Practice critical listening and note-taking during others' presentations
Learn to respond respectfully to opposing viewpoints
Research and organize information to support arguments
Distinguish between facts and opinions
Develop logical reasoning and evidence-based argumentation

Curriculum Connections:

Listening & Speaking: Speak fluently and confidently in a range of contexts and with a range of audiences
Listening & Speaking: Listen attentively and build on others' ideas in discussions
Reading & Viewing: Use different sources to find information for research purposes
Writing & Representing: Organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience

Materials Needed:

Debate topic cards with age-appropriate questions
Research materials (books, articles, approved websites)
Argument planning templates
Note-taking sheets for listeners
Timer or stopwatch
Visual aids for debate structure and rules
Feedback forms for peer and self-assessment

Students participating in a classroom debate

Students engage in a structured debate, practicing persuasive speaking and respectful listening skills.

Teacher Tips

Start Simple: Begin with straightforward, familiar topics that have clear opposing viewpoints.
Create Safety: Establish clear guidelines for respectful communication and separate ideas from individuals.
Scaffold Arguments: Provide templates and sentence starters to help students structure their arguments.
Assign Positions: Have students debate positions they might not personally agree with to develop perspective-taking.
Celebrate Effort: Recognize courage, improvement, and respectful engagement rather than just "winning" debates.

Debate Format for Grade 4

This simplified debate format is designed for Grade 4 students, providing structure while being accessible for beginning debaters. Each side has equal time to present their arguments and respond to the opposing team.

Opening Statements (2 minutes each side)

Each team presents their position on the topic, explaining their main arguments and why they believe their side is correct.

Supporting Arguments (3 minutes each side)

Teams provide evidence, examples, and reasons to support their position. Each team member should contribute at least one point.

Rebuttal Preparation (2 minutes)

Teams work together to prepare responses to the opposing team's arguments.

Rebuttals (2 minutes each side)

Teams respond to the opposing arguments, explaining why they disagree or why their position is stronger.

Closing Statements (1 minute each side)

Teams summarize their position and main points, explaining why the audience should agree with their side.

Audience Questions (5 minutes)

Audience members (other students) ask questions to either team, and teams respond briefly to clarify their positions.

Reflection (5 minutes)

All participants discuss what they learned from the debate, regardless of which side they were on or which arguments they found most convincing.

Implementation Steps

Session 1: Introduction to Debate

Introduction (10 minutes): Explain what a debate is and why it's valuable. Show a short video clip of an age-appropriate debate or model a mini-debate with another teacher.
Debate Rules and Format (15 minutes): Introduce the simplified debate format and establish ground rules for respectful communication.
Topic Selection (10 minutes): Present 2-3 age-appropriate debate topics and have the class vote on which one to debate first.
Team Formation (10 minutes): Divide the class into teams, assigning positions (for or against) regardless of personal opinions.
Initial Brainstorming (15 minutes): Teams begin brainstorming arguments for their assigned position using a graphic organizer.

Session 2: Research and Preparation

Research Time (20 minutes): Teams use classroom resources to find facts and information that support their position.
Argument Development (15 minutes): Teams organize their arguments using the provided templates, deciding which points are strongest.
Role Assignment (10 minutes): Teams decide who will present each part of the debate (opening statement, specific arguments, rebuttal, closing).
Practice Time (15 minutes): Teams practice delivering their arguments, giving each other feedback on clarity and persuasiveness.

Session 3: Debate Day

Setup (5 minutes): Arrange the classroom for the debate, with teams facing each other and the audience in between or around them.
Review Rules (5 minutes): Remind everyone of the debate format and expectations for respectful behavior.
Conduct Debate (25-30 minutes): Facilitate the debate following the format outlined above, keeping strict time limits.
Audience Participation (10 minutes): Non-debating students take notes during the debate and prepare questions for the question period.
Reflection (10 minutes): Lead a whole-class discussion about what was learned from the debate, focusing on content and skills rather than "winners."
Self-Assessment (5 minutes): Students complete a simple self-assessment form about their participation and what they would improve next time.

Assessment Opportunities

Formative Assessment

Observation of team preparation and collaboration
Review of research notes and argument planning templates
Feedback during practice sessions
Monitoring of respectful communication during the debate
Analysis of questions asked by the audience

Summative Assessment

Debate performance rubric assessing speaking skills, argument quality, and teamwork
Written reflection on the debate experience
Research notes and argument organization
Peer and self-evaluation forms

Assessment Criteria

Quality and organization of arguments
Use of evidence and examples to support claims
Speaking clarity, volume, and expression
Listening and responding to opposing arguments
Respectful communication and teamwork
Preparation and research effort

Differentiation Strategies

For Students Needing Additional Support

Provide sentence starters for different parts of the debate
Allow for written notes or scripts during the debate
Assign specific, manageable roles within the team
Pre-teach key vocabulary related to the debate topic
Provide simplified research materials with highlighted key points
Allow for shorter speaking times or partner presentations

For Students Needing Extension

Encourage research from multiple sources with more complex information
Assign leadership roles in organizing the team's approach
Challenge students to anticipate and prepare for counter-arguments
Introduce more complex debate formats with additional components
Encourage the use of rhetorical devices and persuasive techniques
Assign more challenging debate topics with nuanced positions

Cultural Relevance

Include debate topics relevant to local community issues and interests
Acknowledge and value different cultural perspectives on debate topics
Recognize various cultural styles of argumentation and persuasion
Allow for code-switching between Standard English and Home Language where appropriate
Connect to traditional forms of community discussion and decision-making

Extensions and Variations

Cross-Curricular Connections

Social Studies: Debate historical decisions, community issues, or environmental policies
Science: Debate scientific topics like conservation efforts or technology use
Mathematics: Debate different problem-solving approaches or real-world applications of math
Health: Debate topics related to healthy habits, screen time, or food choices

Activity Variations

Four Corners Debate: Students move to different corners of the room representing strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree
Fishbowl Debate: A small group debates while others observe and take notes, then switch roles
Role-Play Debate: Students debate from the perspective of different characters or historical figures
Progressive Debate: Students begin on one side but must switch to the opposing side halfway through
Mini-Debates: Several short debates on simple topics in a single session to build confidence