The Great Debate
is co-taught by:
Miss Jenkins (ext.3070)
&
Mrs. Rostas (ext. 3065)
This course is offered on A days during the 7th grade elective period (7/8 block). See course descriptions and answers to FAQ's below. Please contact Miss Jenkins and/or Mrs. Rostas with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Do you like to argue?
Do you like to convince people that you are right?
Join the Great Debate and you can learn how!
Learn how to listen effectively, think on your feet, and speak confidently through researching and debating current social issues!
Young people who get ahead in life are those who can communicate effectively. Wouldn’t you like to develop this priceless skill? Now you can! Debate will show you how to listen effectively, think on your feet, and speak confidently.
Ø By participating on a debate team, class or club, students learn the art of persuasion.
Ø Research has shown that participation in debates increases students' academic performance and increases their chances of earning a college degree.
What is the Great Debate?
The Great Debate is a semester long course that can be taken by seventh grade students. This course enhances the student’s research skills, and helps the student become a more avid reader of political and current-event issues. Students develop critical thinking and analytical skills along with logic and impromptu speaking techniques to defend opposing sides of social issues. Students will also be able to use after school hours to utilize community libraries for researching and preparing for presentations.
When is the course offered?
The Great Debate is a first semester elective course option for seventh graders taught by Miss Jenkins and Mrs. Rostas during the 7/8 block on A days.
Why choose Great Debate?
The special skills of critical thinking and reasoning are an important part of daily reactions to what students hear, think, and read. This course is designed to present students with a set of systematic strategies which should increase their abilities to react critically and to form arguments. This class will help students to learn the art of asking the "right" questions, including right questions about their own thoughts. This course is especially appropriate for students who are interested in careers in law, public service, education, or any position requiring leadership and advocacy activities.
What will I learn?
Students will have the opportunity to develop strategies to:
Ø reason logically in problem solving
Ø verbalize thoughts clearly and dynamically
Ø organize ideas clearly and appropriately
Ø generate speeches for a variety of occasions
Ø develop self-confidence to express ideas fluently
Ø debate successfully using individual, team, and group skills
Ø learn to use different libraries effectively
Ø defend positions using evidence according to debate conventions
How will I be graded? Grades will be based on research, quizzes, tests, debates, class participation, and attendance.