Spar Art Jr 1: Understanding Great Art Through Debate--Audubon and Rousseau

Now is the time to use the key skills of  speech and debate in the classroom and the world!
 
Our one-time class will focus on blending the acknowledged technique of Spar debating with understanding great art through debate and discussion.  Spar means “SPontaneous ARgumentation” a quicktime technique that is used to prepare students for formal debate.  Our class will use both discussion and Spar, debating the key points of artistic creation to explore the similarities and differences between key works by acknowledged masters John James Audubon and Henri Rousseau, artists of different time periods, different countries, and different techniques. Both artists were renowned painters of birds and animals but had astoundingly different styles. 

The result?  Students will learn to take a position on key issues involving intriguing and provocative artistic questions, while gaining a nuanced and thorough understanding both sides of every issue. All students will gain an enhanced exploration of artistic expression while expanding debate techniques. 

This class has been purposely limited to six students to maximize the participation of every learner.  

Spar is quick debate! With debaters given the Pro or Con position, a short Spar debate can illuminate ideas and provide for more nuanced critical thinking. 

Each one-time class will run as follows:

5 minutes of general introduction

20 minutes of interactive  discussion on the chapter or pages set for the class

20 minutes of ongoing Spar pro/con debate involving key literary questions from the weekly reading

15 minutes of recap of the Spar discussions and the points raised by the students.

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How does Spar debating work?

10 MINUTE MINI DEBATES!

Students face off in pairs to debate a Pro/Con question involving the artworks in question

COIN FLIP TO DETERMINE PRO/CON

2 minutes

Both students have 2 minutes to brainstorm ideas for their position (evidence/arguments)

1 minute
Pro student gives a 1 minute opening statement to make their case (Con student listens quietly and takes notes)

1 minute
Con student gives a 1 minute opening statement to make their case (Pro student listens quietly and take notes)

30 seconds
Both students think!

3 minutes
Mini crossfire discussion where both students can ask each other questions about opposing statements.

30 seconds
Both students think again to prepare their closing statements

1 minute
Con student gives a 1 minute closing statement (Pro student listens quietly)

1 minute
Pro student gives a 1 minute closing statement (Con student listens quietly)

No previous experience with speech and debate or Spar debating required, However,  this class also provides an excellent outlet for speech and debate students interested in enhancing their ability to communicate their ideas with clarity and style that will be useful in classrooms and in ongoing discussions everywhere.