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Learn to Debate - 10 Week Introductory Curriculum

In this ten week course students will learn the basics of debate, improve their critical thinking and listening skills, while becoming better at research and preparation by having the opportunity to have progressively more in-depth debates.
Broome County Debate Alliance
Average rating:
4.7
Number of reviews:
(2,092)
Class

What's included

10 live meetings
15 in-class hours
Homework
1-2 hours per week. Students are encouraged to prepare for the upcoming classes and are encouraged to repeat the class activity with friends and family.
Assessment
Students will be assessed on whether or not they won their debate rounds based upon how well they argued their side and answered their opponents.

Class Experience

US Grade 5 - 8
During this ten week long debate program students will learn the basics of argumentation, some advanced debate techniques, and participate in a mini-tournament. This class includes both the introductory and intermediate argumentation courses. Each class will include both a short lecture followed by an activity to help students learn the skill being taught during the lecture portion of class. Students will learn how to form arguments, listen to their opponents, develop critical thinking skills, and discern the difference between reliable and unreliable sources for evidence. This will allow students to learn to speak to a diversity of different people in order to learn how to adapt their arguments to the audience they're speaking to. By the end of the week students will have developed their public speaking skills, logical reasoning, as well as their ability to listen to and understand others. A breakdown of the course is as follows...

Week One: Introduction to Debate and Mini-Debates.
Week Two: Learning how to Impact and Weigh Arguments
Week Three: Audience Adaptation and Persuasive Speaking Skills
Week Four: Asking and Answering Questions to Win
Week Five: Mini-Tournament
Week Six: Recap of Basics of Debate, Ice Breakers & Speaking Drills, Debate Format
Week Seven : Disadvantages and Opportunity Costs, and Research
Week Eight: Procedural Argumentation and Philosophy, Round 1
Week Nine: Speaking Drills, Rounds 2 & 3
Week Ten: Rounds 4, 5, and Finals
Learning Goals
Students will learn how to work in teams, better their research, public speaking, debate, listening, and note taking skills.
learning goal

Syllabus

10 Lessons
over 10 Weeks
Lesson 1:
Introduction to Debate
 Students will get a chance to introduce themselves to their peers, learn the fundamentals of debate, and get a chance to participate in mini-debates. 
90 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Impact Analysis
 Students will learn how to do cost-benefit analysis and compare impacts. Afterwards they will participate in a debate game to help them internalize the lesson. 
90 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Audience Adaptation
 Students will learn how to adapt to different audiences and about different rhetorical styles to influence people. Afterwards they will participate in a debate game to help them internalize the lesson. 
90 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Asking and Answering Questions
 Students will learn about cross-examination and how to ask questions in order to further their arguments as well as how to effectively answer questions, even when they might not fully know the answer. Afterwards they will participate in a debate game to help them internalize the lesson. 
90 mins online live lesson

Other Details

Parental Guidance
Talking with parents and doing some limited research for the mini-tournament is suggested, but not required.
Supply List
Students should come with paper and something to write with. Taking notes on a computer is also entirely fine. A timer is suggested, but not required.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined March, 2020
4.7
2092reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
The BCDA's founder has been run a competitive college debate team for twenty years. He has also run elementary and middle school debate workshops for the past four years both in the US and internationally. We have now taught well over a thousand kids from countries around the world digitally through this platform with great reviews. If for whatever reason you feel the class didn't live up to what you were looking for, please contact us for a refund. We are offering these courses as a way for students to get the benefits of debate and peer-directed education while schools are shutdown. Debate is not necessarily for everyone, but we are confident that if your kid is excited about it they will enjoy this class, and don't want you paying if that's not the case.

Reviews

Live Group Course
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$25

weekly or $250 for 10 classes
1x per week, 10 weeks
90 min

Completed by 660 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 9-14
2-6 learners per class

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