Winter Speech and Debate Camp - Beginners
During this one week camp, students will learn the fundamentals of debate and will be introduced to competitive Public Forum debate rounds.
Seattle Debate Academy
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(539)
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What's included
5 live meetings
6 hrs 15 mins in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. While no work will be assigned after each class, students will be given individualized feedback that includes personalized recommendations for improvement.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 7
Beginner Level
Over five sessions, this debate camp will introduce Middle School students to the basics of good argumentation and then allow them to engage novel debate topics alongside fellow students. Session 1: Introduction to debate and the basic tactics of persuasion (i.e. ethos, logos, pathos) and basic fallacies (e.g. ad hominem). First mini-debates after group brainstorming sessions. Session 2: Structuring arguments into claim/warrant/impact. Introduction to rebuttals. More mini-debates with both constructive speeches and rebuttals. Session 3: Evaluating evidence and weighing impacts. Further discussion of ethos/logos/pathos alongside warrants and impacts. Introduction to intermediate fallacies (e.g. availability heuristics). Introduction to cross-examination. Session 4: Introduction to affirmative plans vs arguing for/against a resolution. Discussion on topicality. Further mini-debates with full constructive speeches, cross examinations, and rebuttals. Session 5: Final Tournament. Concepts will be heavily scaffolded and new challenges will be introduced after each mini-debate round. Throughout the camp, students will paired into Zoom breakout rooms for 5-minute intervals prior to mini-debates so that teammates can collaborate as they prepare for their speeches. Team collaboration and camaraderie will be heavily emphasized during debate round prep and teams will be frequently rotated. No prior debate experience is required to attend the camp.
Learning Goals
Students will learn the fundamentals of competitive debate throughout the camp, including public speaking, teamwork, creative engagement with novel debate topics, basic logic and impact weighing.
Other Details
Supply List
Students will need to be able take notes and occasionally access the internet for topic-research.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined May, 2020
5.0
539reviews
Star Educator
Popular
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 teachers have a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's Degree in English Language and Literature from University of Florida
Bachelor's Degree in Economics from University of Southern California
I'm a strong believer in the educational value and sheer fun of debate camps for primary school students. Most recently, I spent last summer as an administrator and head coach at the Mi Edu Debate Camp in Shanghai, China, where I helped design and deliver a Public Forum Debate curriculum to students between the ages of 9-15. Reviews
Live Group Class
$95
for 5 classes5x per week, 1 week
75 min
Completed by 497 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-13
4-6 learners per class
