The Great Debate

As you know from our last post, sixth graders at Nature Hill are currently studying nonfiction texts. We've done some great work around implicit and explicit thinking, character study in nonfiction, and becoming experts at reading for a purpose.  

Coupled with this reading unit is our writing unit on persuasive essays, or argument essays.  Sixth graders have been working hard and studying as essayists, debaters, and researchers.  We have looked closely all year at the structure of an argument piece, honing in on five key concepts:  the hook, or lead, the claim, three pieces of evidence, the counterpoint, and the conclusion, or call to action.

One way that we have been studying persuasion is by holding debates in our classrooms.  Last week on the days before Thanksgiving Break, we held "The Great Debate."  This was a two day event that took place in the morning on each day.  

The first debate was based on the book The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein.  We read the book to the kids and then had them decide on the two possible arguments relating to the book.  They decided that they could choose one of two options.  One option was that the tree in the book was weak and careless.  The other option was that the tree was strong and kind.  Students chose sides of the argument and got into caucus groups with others having the same opinion.  They studied hard focusing on evidence from the book to come up with an argument for their side.  

                                       

Next students had an opportunity to talk through their point of view with someone that had an opposing point of view.  They were able to share their points, and hear the counterpoints of their peers.  They then got back into their caucus groups to put together a strong argument.  

           

            

Students had the opportunity to participate in a series of debates back and forth with their opposing partner, always coming back to their small groups to talk through debating their next point.  This structured debate allowed students to talk through their argument and test out theories of the best way to argue the viewpoint and include a counterclaim.

           

           

All of this debating led to the climax of the activity, which was to write a strong argument piece supporting the viewpoint that they debated.  Students produced outstanding work.

          

       
          

This same structure then supported a debate on the following day on Hammurabi's Code, a topic being studied in social studies.  

"The Great Debate" was really a neat way for students to look at the structure of an essay, and participate in a real-life application of arguing a point of view in a civilized way with peers.