Student Debate News Segment PBL (3 student jobs, 25 lesson plans)

Student Debate News Segment PBL
This resource is one news segment of my student run newscast Project Based Learning Enrichment Packets. This segment focuses on opinion and persuasive writing, reading informational texts using textural evidence, debate, research and the Universal Constructs. This resource is complete with job descriptions, graphic organizers and the writing process. Each job is centered around completing tasks that when put together, create a complete news segment. Students choose a question/topic with their partner but work through their jobs individually. All jobs, when put together, create a debate news segment. Each segment is centered around engaging tasks that give students a voice and choice in their investigations that are highly engaging and motivating!

Project Description:
Debate is designed to teach students about the importance of a good debate. Students are required to create persuasive speeches related to a controversial topic of their choosing. Students will develop and defend their opinion with facts while preparing for arguments from the opposing view. Students will learn that there are always two sides to every story.

In this project, students work with a partner to engage in investigations on a topic of their choice. They will choose a topic together to debate against their partner. Each partner chooses an opposing position and will conduct research using facts to back up their claims. Both students will build a strong argument using facts, protect their claim and develop possible counterclaims and rebuttals. Both partners will present in a debate fashion.

This project may be completed in a few weeks with a focus on a specific issue, or may be spread out across a semester or entire school year to using multiple issues.