Molloy College

Division of Education
Student: James Williams
Course: EDU 521
Grade: 8 Topic: How to Construct an Effective Debate

Professor: Esposito
Date: 12/6/15
Content Area: Social Studies

Instructional Objective(s) (Lesson Objective(s)*)

Students will prepare with their group for a class debate on the units essential
question: Is War Inevitable or Avoidable?

Students will analyze class notes, discussions, documents and other resources to
compose arguments and gather evidence that agree with their side of the debate.

Students will develop an understanding for how class debates work and all that
they encompass.

Students will compare and contrast the various reasons the US entered World War
1 in order to compose arguments.

CCLS / +NYS STANDARDS AND INDICATORS

Social Studies (CCCS): Text Types and Purposes (WHST.6-8.1)
Students will write arguments focused on discipline specific content.
Indicator:

This will be evident when students develop arguments based on their side of their
debate on whether or not ear is inevitable or avoidable. Students will analyze the
pros and cons of the US entrance into World War 1.

Social Studies Standard (NYS): 7-8.8.1.5

Students will analyze the role played by the United States in international politics,
past and present.

Indicator:

This will be evident after students compare and contrast the cause and effects of
World War 1 and evaluate whether they think war is inevitable and avoidable.
Students will take this understanding and relate it to modern conflict.

MOTIVATION (Engaging the learner(s)*)

Students will be engaged in a brief video of a class debate to exemplify what they
are trying to accomplish in their formal assessment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grmdnXzJVO4

MATERIALS

Microsoft PowerPoint
YouTube
A smart board
A pen
Paper
Class notes
Graphic organizer
A highlighter

STRATEGIES (Learning Strategies*)

Cooperative learning
Group discussion
Direct instruction
Differentiation
Teacher demonstration.

ADAPTATIONS (Exceptionality*)

The student who is a visual learner will be able to reference the PowerPoint made
by the teacher with the necessary notes and examples from the lesson.

The student who is an auditory learner will listen to a motivational video on

propaganda. This student will also listen during a class discussion on the given
topic.

DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

Students will be placed in groups based on readiness level in which each group
will be diverse with different types of intellectual abilities as well as learning
styles.

The summative assessment will be differentiated by students interest. The

summative assessment is the class debate, but for the students who do not show
interest in the debate will have the option to write a five page argumentative essay
in which they choose a side of the debate and include arguments and evidence to
back up their argument.

DEVELOPMENTAL PROCEDURES
Activities and Key Questions:

Students will take a few minutes to consider the statement, The Pledge of
Allegiance should be recited in school everyday. The students will decide
whether they agree or disagree and list a few reasons why they take this side.
Students will understand how to perform a debate. (What is the opening
statement? What is the closing statement? What is debate etiquette?)
Students will actively take notes off the given powerpoint that provides examples
of evidence they may use for their debate.
Students will be broken into two groups. One group will be War is Inevitable
while the other side will be War is Avoidable.
Students will work with their group to develop arguments for their debate based
on their class notes, discussions, documents, powerpoints, and other resources.

ASSESSMENT (artifacts* and assessment [formal & informal]*)

Students will be engaged in their summative assessment at the end of the unit
where the students will debate if war is inevitable or avoidable.

Students will have the option to write a five page argumentative essay in which
students choose a side of the debate topic and establish an argument. Students will
develop this statement based off arguments and evidence from their class notes,
discussions and resources.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

Afterpreparingfortheclassdebateonwhetherornotwarisinevitableor
avoidable,studentswilldevelopanopeningandclosingstatementbasedontheir
arguments.

FOLLOW-UP: DIRECT TEACHER INTERVENTION AND

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT

The student will turn in their homework in order for the teacher to provide
constructive criticism.
The student who struggled with work on forming arguments and using evidence
with the teacher one to one.

TEACHER REFERENCES
English Language Arts Standards History/Social Studies Grade 6-8 (2015 ).
In Common Core State Standards Initiative Preparing America's Students for
College and Career. Retrieved December 6, 2015, from
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/6-8/
Learning Standards and Core Curriculum (2015). In NYSDOE Curriculum and
Instruction . Retrieved December 6, 2015, from
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/ssrg.html
School Uniforms Debate 2014. YouTube, 2014. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grmdnXzJVO4