Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Cashing In

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating paying kids for doing well in school. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Book Battles

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating whether or not some books should be banned from school libraries. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: News Debate Snowed Out!

For Teachers 5th Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating whether schools should or should not have snow days. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: A Gym Jam

For Teachers 6th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational debating the requirement of gym class for students. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Taking Out the Trash Talk

For Teachers 3rd
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text that argues whether trash talking should or should not be banned from professional sports. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Debate: Better Late Than Never?

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] This nonfiction passage gives information about how some states are apologizing for their roles in slavery during the past. Reading comprehension questions are provided as supplements to the passage..
Handout
Washington State University

Washington State University: Call the Question

For Students 9th - 10th
Clear explanation of the debate term. No other information is given.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: News Debate Tough Cell

For Teachers 5th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating whether or not students should be allowed to use cell phones in school. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Are Roller Coasters Safe?

For Teachers 3rd
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about scientists studying the safety of roller coasters. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Looking Up to the Stars

For Teachers 3rd
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating whether stars have a duty to be role models or not. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Debate a Moment of Silence, Please

For Teachers 6th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating the topic of starting each school day with a moment of silence. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Born to Run

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating the necessity of Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution which states that only natural-born American citizens can be elected President of the United States. A question...
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: News Debate: Atten Hut!

For Teachers 7th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating restrictions to military recruiting in high schools. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: On the Wild Side

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating whether or not people should be allowed to own exotic animals as pets. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: News Debate: Sew Long?

For Teachers 7th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text debating whether home economics courses should or should not be taught in schools. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Handout
Lectric Law Library

'Lectric Law Library: Quorum

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site gives a legal definition of the term, Quorum.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: Debate: Is Cheerleading a Sport?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson plan in which students examine how women are perceived in society by preparing for, then debating, whether or not cheerleading should be considered a sport.
Handout
Brown University

Brown University: Debates

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Use this resource to learn how to engage in collaborative discourse and argumentation enhances student's conceptual understandings and refines their reasoning abilities. Be sure to click on the links to other resources.
Handout
Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University: Forest of Rhetoric

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site is provided for by the Brigham Young University. Almost anything you would want to know about rhetoric and speech is here with great examples and explanations. Intended for a college-level audience, but plenty for younger...
Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Elements of an Effective Argument

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Discussion focuses on understanding the three academic language objectives that make an effective argument: understand the concept of a thesis statement, the significance of writing an argument with an audience in mind, and the...
Lesson Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Arguments in Action: Mini Debates

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This PDF lesson plan provides students the opportunity to practice the use of logic within a debate structure. Students are given controversial debatable topics, prepare for the debate, and hold mini-debates.
Website
Other

Debate Central

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a good starting point for debaters focusing on the National Forensic League's annual topic. Includes a wealth of links to resources, a student message center for debaters, and an Ask an Expert feature.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Monster Meals!

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about Tyrannosaurus Rex. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Should Girls Be Allowed to Play High School Football?" by Josh Bean

For Students 5th - 6th
A learning module that begins with "Should Girls Be Allowed to Play High School Football?" by Josh Bean, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or...