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Sofia Hibbs, 8th Grade Social Studies Debating the Issue |
Topic of the Week
Who is responsible for children's health? Target Words |
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- In the classroom, teacher has placed poster corresponding with each of the four positions. - Students move to work near poster that corresponds with their chosen position. - Students work in groups to make posters with supporting bullets. - Teacher assists groups. - Student post their work on the board in the front of the classroom.
[clip length—16:18] TEACHER: Now what we’re gonna do is an activity that we’ve done in that past. But I’m gonna re-explain the directions, just to make sure we’re really clear. Listen, before you get ready to move. I know you’re, um, impetus is gonna be to wanna jump up right away, but let me explain exactly how this is gonna go before we begin. Okay? So whatever position you’ve chosen—one, two, three or four—there are positions around the room. Okay? Position number one is over here by the, uh, cage, by Yoshi’s cage. Position number two is gonna be right here at this table. Um, position number three is at the back table. And position number four, the supply table. Okay? So whatever position you’ve chosen, that’s where you’re gonna go. Now, once you get to that spot, you’re gonna make sure that you’re in groups of four or less. For example, if you get there and there’s seven people there, you need to make that two separate groups. Okay? That way, you can really have a valuable conversation where everybody can express their ideas and share what they’ve written. If you have to make two groups, you’re welcome to take a piece of paper—you’re gonna be writing these on the yellow pieces of paper you’ll find at each station—and a marker. Take that piece of paper and a marker with your group and go sit down at one of the table groups. Okay? Are there any questions about what’s expected? So you’re gonna make your poster based on whatever position your group is talking about, and you’re gonna discuss, before you write, you’re gonna discuss: What are some of the points, CJ, that you wrote down? What are some of the reasons you wrote down, for whatever position it is that you support? Share those with each other, so that you don’t write the same thing more than once. And make sure that you choose the ideas that you think are really the strongest arguments. Those are gonna go on your poster. And at the end of ten minutes, we’re gonna come together again. When you’re finished, you may bring up your poster and use a magnet to put it under whatever position you’ve chosen and then you return to your seats. And then we’re gonna review and read what other students have had to say about each position. Okay? Are there any questions about expectations? Alright, you may go. Thank you. TEACHER: Here’s one. Two’s gonna be right there at Karina’s table. TEACHER: So— well, there’s only gonna be four people per group, so you guys can make a new group, number three. And you can sit wherever you choose ’cause it’s open seating. Grab a marker. You already have one, good. Okay. [inaudible voices over each other] STUDENT 1: Position three on the top, right? STUDENT 3: Yes. STUDENT 2: I don’t wanna write it. STUDENT 3: Oh, my gosh. TEACHER: Go to a table and have a seat and discuss your position. So before you write down your positions, make sure you share them with one another, so you can say, “Oh, I wrote that, too,” or, “I had the same idea.” Or, “Wow, I didn’t think— I didn’t realize that that was a position that you would take. I didn’t think about that before.” And feel free to add to your notes, because again, you can use all of these arguments tomorrow, when we write our essays. STUDENT 1: I put: I agree with this position because students should know what’s good for their body. And then: Students should make the decision by themselves, so it would make them become more mature. And then: Students should learn to take care of themselves and show how much they love themselves and have a healthy body. STUDENT 2: Um, I only have one, If someone tells a student, “Do more exercise because you are fat, that will make them feel bad.” [laughter] STUDENT 3: I put: Students are responsible for their health and schools don’t need to push healthy foods onto them and kids should be able to eat what they want. STUDENT 4: I wrote: I think students— students should be the one who want to exercise and eat right. That’s what I wrote down. Instead of pushing it. STUDENT 1: Okay, so… STUDENT 4: Diet, and exercise. STUDENT 1: …we each write a… STUDENT 4: Yeah. Everybody write their own, unless you want me to. TEACHER: It’s really, really important that you… STUDENT 1: Don’t write the same thing? TEACHER: Don’t write this— well, yeah, you don’t wanna write the same thing twice, but it may be like you say something that you wrote as one of your arguments, and all of you are like, Oh, my gosh, I had the same idea. That must be a really strong point. Or it might be that you write something down and the rest of you are like, I didn’t even think of that. That’s a really good idea. Or, I thought of that but I didn’t write it down ’cause I didn’t think it had enough— I didn’t have enough evidence for it or enough proof for it. ’Cause remember, these are persuasive essays. What you’re doing is you’re trying to persuade the reader. You’re trying to convince them that your idea is right, that position number four is the way to go. So why don’t you guys go around in a circle. We’ll start with BJ. STUDENT 1: I’ll go first. TEACHER: Oh, okay. STUDENT 1: No, last. TEACHER: We’ll start with— You wanna go last? STUDENT 1: First means last. TEACHER: Okay. Why do you [students laugh] go ahead and start, and just share one of your positions, one of your ideas. And then I want you guys to respond. Either you agree, you disagree, you wrote the same thing or something similar, or you didn’t think of that already. Go ahead. STUDENT 2: Uh, I agree with position four because it’s not all the parents’ responsibility. TEACHER: I can’t hear you. STUDENT 2: Huh? TEACHER: Speak clearly. You’re kinda mumbling. STUDENT 2: I agree with position four because it’s not all the parents’ responsibility… TEACHER: Okay. STUDENT 2: …because the most— but the most power goes to the school because the student is at school more than they’re at home. TEACHER: Okay. So did anybody else put, The student is at school more than they’re at home? Did you write that? Where’s what— where is what you wrote? Can I see it? Or can you have it out so you show us? STUDENT 3: I put uh, uh, the kids go spending a lot of time in school. TEACHER: Okay, so you had a similar idea to that. I think that’s great. ’Cause it’s true, you guys. Statistics show you spend more time with me than you do with Mom. STUDENT 4: I do. STUDENT 3: Well I— TEACHER: Isn’t that interesting? STUDENT 3: [laughs] Yeah. TEACHER: Mm-hm. You spend more time with me and your other teachers than you do, usually, with Mom and Dad. STUDENT 3: I spend more time with— TEACHER: During the week. STUDENT 3: That’s what I wrote. TEACHER: Mm-hm. And you guys spend a lotta— Well, you guys spend even more time, ’cause I’ve got you for homeroom, too. STUDENT 3: And also, you— the school should also be re— responsibility because, like, the— I feel that parents and the school should work together. Like, we’re both responsibility because… STUDENT 1: Just leave it. TEACHER: What’s another word for overweight? STUDENT 1: Fat. STUDENT 2: Obese. STUDENT 1: Obese. TEACHER: Oh, a vocabulary word! Why don’t you put that in parentheses? Don’t be afraid to try the use of those words. STUDENT 2: How do you spell it? TEACHER: Okay? STUDENT 1: O-B— TEACHER: It’s right there. TEACHER: That’s okay. STUDENT 2: Like this, or obesity? STUDENT 1: Obese. TEACHER: Obese. STUDENT 2: Okay. TEACHER: Overweight, obese. Okay? Good. Don’t be afraid to try to use some of those vocabulary words in your poster. Okay? You’ve gotta start practicing them by use of them. STUDENT 1: Oh, my God. [chuckles] STUDENT 2: They would… That’s what I write? STUDENT 1: Put— that’s... STUDENT 2: Whatever. STUDENT 3: Be… fat. Did I say it, right? TEACHER: And did you guys share your ideas? Okay, good. Did you find that you had a lot in common? Yeah? STUDENT 1: We— TEACHER: That’s really cool. TEACHER: Okay. Don’t be afraid, too, to start using our vocabulary in here. You can talk about that students are obese, or obesity is an issue—if you think it’s an issue, okay? Don’t be afraid to talk about some of the restrictions that are on you at school right now, whether or not you agree with them. TEACHER: We— we restrict you here. We restrict— we— approve what you can eat. Not allowed to have soda, you’re not allowed to have McDonald’s, you’re not allowed to have— TEACHER: Yeah. Okay? But don’t be afraid to use those words in your poster, okay? STUDENT 1: We spend a lot of time in school and this doesn’t allow[?] the parents— STUDENT 3: I wrote, The school has the most power … TEACHER: We’ve got about two and a half minutes left. STUDENT 3: …the students are at school more than they’re at home, and they control ... STUDENT 4: I agree. TEACHER: What I’d like you guys to do, one, tell us why. STUDENT 3: I agree, too. TEACHER: I know. It’s a lot harder to say why we agree than it is to say, “Oh, yeah, I totally agree with that.” Why do we agree? Why do you think? TEACHER: Okay. It’s a lot easier to be lazy at home, because that’s where you’re comfortable? Okay, I hear that. Alright, we’ve got about two minutes left, so what I want you guys to start doing now is getting these ideas down, now that you’ve shared. Thank you for taking the time to take that step, though. I think it’s really valuable. Okay? And let’s see. How many of the ideas that you guys had were the same? Did you have similar ideas? No? Interesting. That’s really interesting. STUDENT 2: Well, me and Joel had the same ideas. TEACHER: Okay. So let’s put down the ones that you think are the strongest arguments for your position. If you were trying to convince Dr. Smith to change programs here at the school, which arguments would you use? STUDENT 1: Change the lunch! STUDENT 2: To, um, get— to help people. STUDENT 1: He keeps— he keeps saying that, but then— STUDENT 1: He keeps saying that, but they still won’t change the lunch. STUDENT 2: I know, right? STUDENT 1: I know. [timer goes off] TEACHER: Alright, so that tells you that it’s been ten minutes. Raise your hand if you need another couple minutes. STUDENT: What? TEACHER: Another couple minutes? STUDENT 1: We just finished. STUDENT 2: Yeah, we just gotta finish TEACHER: Gloria[, how’s your's coming? You need a coup— another couple minutes? Huh? You’re finished? Okay. When you’re finished, put your poster up. I’m gonna give two more minutes. STUDENT: Come on, Miss Margaret. STUDENT 1: Can I put it up? STUDENT 2: Can I finish? STUDENT 1: No! STUDENT 2: Well, too bad. STUDENT 2 : You could see it. STUDENT 3: You need glasses. STUDENT 1: I have glasses. STUDENT 3: Well, then you should put them on. STUDENT 1: I leave ’em at home. STUDENT 3: Well, bring them to school. STUDENT 1: Mrs. Hibbs, where’s the tape? STUDENT 3: No, the magnets. TEACHER: Magnets, yeah. TEACHER: Alright, I would like to see groups bringing their posters up to the board now, please. STUDENT: Could we put the last sentence? TEACHER: Of course, you can put the last sentence. TEACHER: Once your poster’s on the board, go ahead and return to your seats. You can leave those markers there for the next class. TEACHER: Okay. So what I’m gonna encourage you to do now, while we’re waiting for the last few groups to finish their posters, go ahead and take a look at what some of your peers have written. TEACHER: So far, we’ve got two up here for position number three. Okay? One up here for position four and one for position number two. TEACHER: Is anybody doing position number one? Okay, so let’s wrap it up. TEACHER: Okay. Is that— is that it? Okay. Alright. TEACHER: What I would like you to do right now— we’re waiting for one last sentence to be written— make sure that you are back in the seat where you started, please.
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