Debate Day 3: Snack Attack

I. Warm-up (5)

Seat students in 4 groups (of 5) in each corner of the room .
Tell students you will explain the seating arrangement, but first we need to check our memories.
Review some key vocabulary from last class by asking students to give the correct word for:
1. our topic from last class – debate
2. the statement people debate – resolution
3. the side that agrees with the resolution – affirmative
4. the side that disagrees with the resolution – negative
5. the first speech – constructive
6. the response speech – rebuttal
7. the person who makes sure debaters follow the rules – moderator

II. Presentation (10 min)

Tell students you are still considering all of the resolutions they submitted for our future class debates, and you will announce the resolutions next class.
Give each group a large white board, dictionaries, and markers.
Then give each group a snack and assign group numbers, using Snack Attack PPT, Slide 2:

Instruct students to consult with their groups and make a Top 5 list on their white boards. The list should consist of 5 reasons why their snack is the best.
- Tell students to focus on their snack’s unique qualities (taste, smell, size, shape, color, cooking method, nutrition, marketing, packaging, etc.) and not to compare to other snacks.
Circulate and tell students they should be able to explain their reasons with support (examples, evidence, etc.).
Some groups will shy away from opening the snack. If that happens, tell them: “If I had to explain why this was the best snack, I’d want to be an expert. And I think I’d have to try the snack to be an expert.”
- Eventually, a brave student will open the snack, and the other groups will follow suit like dominoes.

III. Production (30 min)

When each group has created their list, they should choose one or two speakers (by rock-paper-scissors) to represent their group and share their argument, using their team whiteboard.
- The speakers should use the following script, on Slide 4 to make their cases:

After each group has made their cases, tell students we are going to do a little judging practice.
Group 1 should look at Group 2’s reasons and vice versa.
Group 3 should look at Group 4’s reasons and vice versa.
Each group must decide the two weakest reasons in their opponents arguments. Once decided, you should erase those reasons from each white board.
Now, distribute the white boards to opposing teams.
- Give Group 1’s board to Group 2 and vice versa.
- Give Group 3’s board to Group 4 and vice versa.
Give each group one additional, blank white board.
Show them Slide 5:

Tell students that they have the 3 strongest reasons for their opposing team’s argument (they will bristle at this because they just removed the weakest arguments), and now their job is to rebut each reason.
So, on their blank white board, students should rebut each of their opponent’s reasons, in list form.
Then students should choose a new representative(s) to present their rebuttals. Tell Groups 1 and 2 they should pay extra attention to Groups 3 and 4 because they will vote on which team made the best arguments. Similarly, Groups 3 and 4 should pay extra attention to Groups 1 and 2.

IV. Voting and Wrap-Up (5 min)

After each group has presented their rebuttal, have Groups 1 and 2 vote for the winner of 3 vs. 4. And have Groups 3 and 4 vote for the winner of 1 vs. 2.
Reveal the votes and congratulate the winners.
Point out to students that they have all just proven that they can successfully write and present both a constructive speech and a rebuttal speech.

Student Samples

Constructive Speech – Student Sample 1

Constructive Speech – Student Sample 2

Rebuttal Speech – Student Sample 1

Rebuttal Speech – Student Sample 2

Materials:
– Snack Attack PPT
– Snacks of your choice
– White boards and markers
– Dictionaries

*This is Day 3 of an 8-lesson series called “How I Teach Debate to English Learners”.
**This lesson was inspired by a lesson originally created by Mark Schneberger.