Spar Lit Jr. 5：透過辯論理解 Blue Balliett 的“追逐維米爾”

Kindly note:
This is an ESL friendly class, CEFR  level — B1-B2 (intermediate).
Please feel free to write me via Outschool email with questions.
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Now is the time to use the key skills of  speech and debate in the classroom and the world with Blue Balliett's best-selling Chasing Vermeer, a brilliant puzzle book that merges art history with a modern day mystery.  Winner of the coveted Edgar Award for best mystery novel, Chasing Vermeer is the perfect follow-up to my own Spar Lit Jr. 4: From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.   Hailed by Newsweek as "A Da Vinci code for tweens" and by The New York Times Book Review as "Suspenseful, exciting, charming, and even unexpectedly moving, " Chasing Vermeer is both a marvelous read and an exceptional mystery -- a book that challenges the reader's critical thinking skills and offers the opportunity for in depth thinking. 

Each class in Chasing Vermeer will feature an introduction with an art history lesson on Johannes Vermeer and his artistic legacy to give students the opportunity to further sharpen their critical thinking skills. Optional writing assignments will be provided after each class as well to give learners the opportunity both to enhance oral speaking abilities and explore creative writing.

Chasing Vermeer  is the 5th in my own series of  Spar Lit Jr. Outschool classes, following my own Spar Lit Jr:  Understanding Literature Through Speech and Debate (A Wrinkle in Time) and Spar Lit Jr. 2: Understanding Literature Through Debate --A Long Way From Chicago and Spar Lit Jr. 3: Understanding Literature Through Debate--The Westing Game and Spar Lit Jr. 4: From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  These classes, merging literary discussion and debate,  can be taken in any order. 

Chasing Vermeer tells the story of  Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay, 6th graders at the renowned University School in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, who find themselves unexpectedly thrown together and linked by a series of odd and unexplained occurrences in their quirky neighborhood.  Mysterious letters are sent and received.  An eccentric old woman befriends and confounds them. Coincidences abound--if in fact they really are coincidences. Puzzles confront them, friendships blossom. And most importantly a rare Vermeer painting disappears as if into thin air.  Before they know it, Calder and Petra find themselves coiled in a labyrinth of international deception, racing against time to bring this rare masterpiece back to the world.   

Both first time students and learners who have taken any of my previous  Spar Lit Jr. classes ( A Wrinkle in Time, A Long Way from Chicago, The Westing Game, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler)  are welcome in this class. No previous experience with Spar debate is necessary. 

Our classes will focus on blending the acknowledged technique of Spar debating with understanding literature through debate and discussion.  Spar means “SPontaneous ARgumentation” a quicktime technique that is used to prepare students for formal debate.  Our class will use  Spar debating the key points of literature to explore the New York Times bestseller, Chasing Vermeer. 

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

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

Moreover, optional writing assignments will be provided after each class as well to give learners the opportunity both to enhance oral speaking abilities and explore creative writing and further enhance their critical thinking skills. These assignments range from creative writing to assertion essay writing, mapmaking to design and puzzles. The teacher will provide a personalized response to all finished work. 

Our 6-session class will run as follows:
Week 1: Chapters 1 through 4
Week 2: Chapters 5 through 8
Week 3: Chapters 9 through 12
Week 4: Chapters 13 through 16
Week 5: Chapters 17 through 20
Week 6:  Chapters 21 through 24

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 class will run as follows:

5 minutes of general introduction

30 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


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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 specific reading from literature for the day.

COIN FLIP TO DETERMINE PRO/CON

2 minutes

Both students have 1 minute 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!

2 to 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

30 second
Con student gives a 30 second closing statement (Pro student listens quietly)

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

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Our 6-session class will run as follows:
Week 1: Chapters 1 through 4
Week 2: Chapters 5 through 8
Week 3: Chapters 9 through 12
Week 4: Chapters 13 through 16
Week 5: Chapters 17 through 20
Week 6:  Chapters 21 through 24

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.