Activity - Class Debate: Women’s Right to Vote and the Declaration of Sentiments
Time: 3 full class periods
Objectives:
Students will be able to effectively gather information from texts and other class materials to support a point of view
regarding Women’s Suffrage. They will be able to deliver the information in a convincing manner within a classroom debate format. Then students will execute and explain their sentiments regarding their debate side’s point-of-view in a clear, persuasively written opinion piece.
Standards:
Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 11-12
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. a. Develop factual, interpretive, and evaluative questions for further exploration of the topic(s).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).
9. Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.
Writing Standards Grades 11-12
Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. Explore and inquire into areas of interest to formulate an argument.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
Speaking and Listening Standards 11-12
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.
Description of Activity:
DAY 1
1. Introduction to the activity
2. Explain the parts of a debate
· 2 sides
· Each side’s statements regarding specific topics
· Documents that support your statements
· Opening/middle/responses/conclusion
· Anticipating the other side’s statements
3. Ground rules of debating
· Discuss that students are debating from the point-of-view of the people in the mid 1800’s, not what they, as Americans,
think and know about women’s voting rights
· Students will be assessed using a rubric for the debate piece
4. Schedule of the debate
· Graphic organizer
5. Strategies for debating
· Looking at other groups material/potential statements
· Brainstorm more strategies as a class
6. Documents for support
· Declaration of Sentiments
· Textbook from History class
· ELA book from class
· Articles from classes
· Any materials from ELA or History class
· Outside documents must be submitted for review by teacher/other team before debate day
7. Provide informational key points for each side (do this as a class)
· For women’s suffrage
· Against women’s suffrage
DAY 2
1. Assignment of Groups (For/Against) – teacher assigned randomly
· Meet and split up parts of the debate
· Time to work, prepare and plan
· Use documents/texts to support point-of-view
DAY 3
1. Debate
· Openings
· Each side has an opportunity to present their view on topics
· Both groups get a chance to respond to each other
· Closing
2. Anonymous vote to determine winner
· Each student submits a vote for the winner of the debate anonymously on paper
· Teacher tallies votes and reports the winner of the debate
3. Students are assigned a follow-up opinion piece to be written regarding their debate point-of-view
· Synthesize their own knowledge, research, learning from the debate, and reflection on debate outcome
Assessment of Student Learning:
1. Student learning will be assessed through the observation of the debate presentations by the teacher using a rubric. Students will be aware of the aspects of the rubric assessment as they will be given a copy on the introduction day of the
activity.
2. Students will also be assessed on the opinion piece written following the class debate. The written essay will require a
clearly written persuasive argument regarding the students’ team’s point-of-view (for/against) in the debate. They will be asked to synthesize their knowledge, research, understanding, learning, and reflection about the topic of women’s
suffrage based upon the debate activity and class learning.
Enhancing Literacy Awareness in Student Learning:
1. Students will grow in their literacy experience as they learn to research, analyze, and cite textual based evidence from multiple sources to support an argument or viewpoint.
2. In this activity the students will work together to synthesize and create a persuasive piece that demonstrates a knowledge and understanding of the information formatted in a clearly presented verbal argument.
3. At the end of the activity, the learners will need to be able to develop a written reflective essay that incorporates their understanding of the topic and supports their claims.
Time: 3 full class periods
Objectives:
Students will be able to effectively gather information from texts and other class materials to support a point of view
regarding Women’s Suffrage. They will be able to deliver the information in a convincing manner within a classroom debate format. Then students will execute and explain their sentiments regarding their debate side’s point-of-view in a clear, persuasively written opinion piece.
Standards:
Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 11-12
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. a. Develop factual, interpretive, and evaluative questions for further exploration of the topic(s).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).
9. Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.
Writing Standards Grades 11-12
Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. Explore and inquire into areas of interest to formulate an argument.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
Speaking and Listening Standards 11-12
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.
Description of Activity:
DAY 1
1. Introduction to the activity
2. Explain the parts of a debate
· 2 sides
· Each side’s statements regarding specific topics
· Documents that support your statements
· Opening/middle/responses/conclusion
· Anticipating the other side’s statements
3. Ground rules of debating
· Discuss that students are debating from the point-of-view of the people in the mid 1800’s, not what they, as Americans,
think and know about women’s voting rights
· Students will be assessed using a rubric for the debate piece
4. Schedule of the debate
· Graphic organizer
5. Strategies for debating
· Looking at other groups material/potential statements
· Brainstorm more strategies as a class
6. Documents for support
· Declaration of Sentiments
· Textbook from History class
· ELA book from class
· Articles from classes
· Any materials from ELA or History class
· Outside documents must be submitted for review by teacher/other team before debate day
7. Provide informational key points for each side (do this as a class)
· For women’s suffrage
· Against women’s suffrage
DAY 2
1. Assignment of Groups (For/Against) – teacher assigned randomly
· Meet and split up parts of the debate
· Time to work, prepare and plan
· Use documents/texts to support point-of-view
DAY 3
1. Debate
· Openings
· Each side has an opportunity to present their view on topics
· Both groups get a chance to respond to each other
· Closing
2. Anonymous vote to determine winner
· Each student submits a vote for the winner of the debate anonymously on paper
· Teacher tallies votes and reports the winner of the debate
3. Students are assigned a follow-up opinion piece to be written regarding their debate point-of-view
· Synthesize their own knowledge, research, learning from the debate, and reflection on debate outcome
Assessment of Student Learning:
1. Student learning will be assessed through the observation of the debate presentations by the teacher using a rubric. Students will be aware of the aspects of the rubric assessment as they will be given a copy on the introduction day of the
activity.
2. Students will also be assessed on the opinion piece written following the class debate. The written essay will require a
clearly written persuasive argument regarding the students’ team’s point-of-view (for/against) in the debate. They will be asked to synthesize their knowledge, research, understanding, learning, and reflection about the topic of women’s
suffrage based upon the debate activity and class learning.
Enhancing Literacy Awareness in Student Learning:
1. Students will grow in their literacy experience as they learn to research, analyze, and cite textual based evidence from multiple sources to support an argument or viewpoint.
2. In this activity the students will work together to synthesize and create a persuasive piece that demonstrates a knowledge and understanding of the information formatted in a clearly presented verbal argument.
3. At the end of the activity, the learners will need to be able to develop a written reflective essay that incorporates their understanding of the topic and supports their claims.