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BELL RINGER / EXIT TICKET

Pro and Con Debate

Grade:

6-8, 9-12

Uses:

Preview and Engage

/ Current Events Connection

Materials:

Pro and Con Debate handout, writing utensils

Description

Students engage in structured partner debates, developing pro and con arguments with supportive reasoning for a given motion.

Preparation

Select a debate motion that connects to your learning objective, theme, or unit of study. Consider choosing a topic related to current events, such as from Britannica School In the News, or from literature, history, or science. The selected topic should have clear pro and con perspectives.

Implementation

Display the Pro and Con Debate handout, or copy the contents onto the board. Announce the debate motion, and randomly assign each student a partner. One partner will argue the pro side, and the other will argue the con side. Explain that students will work with their partner to develop arguments for their assigned position. Remind students to use specific examples, personal experiences, or facts to support their arguments.

Give student pairs approximately 7–10 minutes to complete the activity:

•2–3 minutes: Each student brainstorms two or three strong arguments and supporting reasons for their assigned side.

•4–5 minutes: Students present and discuss arguments with their partner, practicing active listening and respectful exchange.

•1–2 minutes: Students record their partner’s arguments on the handout.

Afterward, bring the class together to share standout arguments. Encourage students to identify the strongest reasoning or most compelling evidence used across pairs.

Example:

Motion: Schools should ban homework.

Pro argument: Homework increases student stress and reduces time for family, exercise, and rest.

•Reasoning: Students with after-school jobs or extracurricular activities may have to sacrifice family time or sleep to complete assignments.

Con argument: Homework reinforces classroom learning and builds independent study skills needed for college and careers.

•Reasoning: Regular practice helps students retain information, and limited class time often prevents teachers from providing enough in-class reinforcement.

Teaching Tips

Model the full activity as a class before students work in pairs, to clarify expectations.
Prompt students to use clear transitions or sentence starters (e.g., “One reason is…” or “However…”) to strengthen the flow of their arguments.
Encourage students to listen actively and respond thoughtfully, even when they disagree.

Supporting All Learners

For students needing additional support: Provide sentence starters (e.g., “One reason is…,” “This is important because…,” “Evidence shows…”) to scaffold argument construction. Offer a word bank of debate-related terms (e.g., therefore, however, for example, in contrast).

For advanced learners: Challenge students to argue the opposite side after completing the initial debate, or require them to include counterarguments and rebuttals in their reasoning.

For multilingual learners: Pair students with supportive partners, and provide visual aids or graphic organizers to structure their thinking. Allow extra brainstorming time, and consider permitting students to take brief notes in their home languages before translating their ideas to English.

Note: Provide accommodations and modifications based on your learners’ needs to ensure full participation.

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