We had fun today with our first "Five-minute Feud." The two sides debated Tablet computer use as the main learning tool in class. The idea here is to get us into persuasive writing, which is the new writing task for this week and next. We should be choosing a writing topic this week - one ways is if one of these topics strikes your fancy, then you can choose one side or the other. Mostly you will state your opinion. I also like it when you say something about the other side - probably to attack, rather than concede - which is (or has been) "in vogue" in persuasive writing. That means I've heard a lot of teachers say you should say something nice about "the other side" near the end of your paper when trying to persuade. Perhaps, if done well, but equally effective can be a proper take-down of the other side's probable viewpoints. One thing is certain, before beginning to write, or speak, in persuasion or persuasive writing, make sure you consider both sides of the issue.
I'd like you to keep your eye on "the follow-up," or anchor, of the teams, who is the third person to speak. That person has a hard job because he or she can do anything - keep on stating the position of the team with additional points, summarize only points that have been said so far, better attack points brought up by the other side, or just add support to what was said by the team before. It is as if too much freedom is just enough rope with which to hang yourself! Each person just gets 50 seconds, so plan accordingly.
Just to refresh your memory, three people on a team do the following:
Lead - states the team's position
Second - attacks the other side
Follow-up (or Anchor) - summarizes or attacks, may add a new point
I almost termed the third person "clean up" because the person sort of cleans up whatever messes are left over by the others, and also sorts out anything from the other side left unsaid. This person should be keeping notes on what the other side is saying. People on his or her team should be feeding him things to say at the end that were forgotten.
The second person really should stick to attacking whatever the first person from the other side said. So pay attention to that and keep it simple! Try to make suggestions to your team while they are freaking out.
The first person on each side is important too - just make 2 or 3 short points clearly and well, then stop.
The most memorable things are what comes first and last, so use images, humor if you can, and be polite.
Avoid attacking the other person or people speaking with personal comments (ad hominem attacks) - or, for that matter, fancy terms that others may not understand. But knowing or reviewing logical fallacies is very helpful - I have some on my classroom Kindle for people to see and we will get to them later in the year.
Go here for the definition of fallacy, and other mental handicaps such as cognitive bias, and for a list of fallacies, go here. Oh, wow, I just saw an awesome link I highly recommend called Purdue Online Writing Lab Logical Fallacies and you really need to see that one, because it's super-clear.
"Later in the year" may be sooner than expected!
"Later in the year" may be sooner than expected!
Five-minute
Feud One – Using Tablet computers in Class
1.
Should tablet computers become
the primary way students learn in class — for classwork, homework and
educational games? What would be the benefits? The downsides?
2.
Do you think students will learn more, and
faster, with a tablet computer at their desk? Will this technology engage more
students than old-fashioned teaching?
Source article: Should Tablet Computers Become The Primary Way Students Learn in
Class
Five-minute
Feud Two – Does Keeping a Messy Desk Make People More Creative?
1.
Should students be encouraged
to doodle in class and “decorate” their lockers, or even be slightly untidy
inside their lockers, in order to foster more creativity?
2.
Does the environment where we
do our work provide a glimpse into our creative process?
Source article: Does Keeping a Messy Desk Make People More Creative?
Five-minute
Feud Three – Can a library fire a beloved librarian for publicly praising a
good reader?
1.
Should a student who “hogs” a library
reading contest every year by winning step aside?
2.
Should the library be able to fire
a librarian/worker who praised the winning student in the newspaper?
Source article: Beloved Librarian Claims She was Fired
Five-minute
Feud Four – Should people who are not willing to kill their own animals for
food become vegetarians?
1.
Should people who are not
willing to kill their own animals for food become vegetarians?
2.
Is it wrong for someone who is
morally against killing animals, or finds it distasteful, to pay for someone
else to do the killing by buying the food in a supermarket?
Five-minute
Feud Five – Should the Government Spy on Private Citizens to Protect the
Public?
Source article 1 (Where to Draw the Line Balancing Government Surveillance with the
Fourth Amendment)
Source article 2 (Living With the Surveillance State)
1.
Can the government use drones
in the sky to search for criminals or watch borders, use facial scanning
technology to spot terrorists and know who is attending crowded events, or use
GPS cellphone tracking to follow people suspected of wrongdoing?
2.
Can the government search
emails or collect DNA of non-criminals if the overall effort helps prevent
terrorist acts and lower the rate of violent crime?
Five-minute Feud Six – Should students be able to move from public schools with public money to private or religious schools?
Handout
Source document 1 - 11 Facts about High School Dropout Rates
Source document 2 - High School Dropout Statistics
Source article 1 - (One in Three Top Companies Can't Fill Graduate Vacancies)
Source article 2 - (U.S. Students still lag globally in Math and Science)
Source video - Malcolm London - "High School Training Ground" - TED Talk
Guns and Coffee article - maybe we will use this for a 7th Feud
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