LAT – The Caring Domain

Concern about a social topic

Step 1: Learn about it

The topic:

“Winter is better than summer.”

View the following resources to learn about the topic:
Winter is better than summer.

Resources to review.

Resource 1: “7 Surprising Benefits of Summer”
https://www.apu.edu/articles/7-surprising-benefits-of-summer-classes/

Resource 2: “Nature in the winter is good for your mental health”
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/nature_is_good_for_your_mental_health

You can find your own additional resources to build your argument, show your knowledge, and persuade anyone who may not agree with you at the beginning of the week. Go for it!

Click here and take a look at the rubric to familiarize yourself with success measures.

Step 2: Advocate/Debate it

The Group Configurations Explained…

We will work in 3 groups.

Your team (or group) will be assigned a stance to debate. You may not actually agree with it, nevertheless, you will either support or refute it for the sake of the activity.

Here are the breakdowns of the group.

Group 1 – You are “for” the topic. You will advocate, and educate to the affirmative. Collaborate to craft your argument supporting your [assigned] position. In the context of this activity, you agree with the topic statement. Tell ’em, Team!

Group 2 – You’re against the topic. You are going to refute or argue against it. In other words, you disagree with the topic statement and work with your team to come up with reasons the topic is false hogwash and poppycock.

Group 3 – You are the judging team. Later, you will use a rubric to score how each team performed. You’ll also gauge whether or not you were swayed or you cared more about the topic in general.

To see your team, scroll to the bottom of the page.

Each group can select one person to post for the team.

Be sure to introduce the members on your team so we can be reminded who is arguing which position about cold vs warm weather.

The Order of Our Debate…

Each group presents its case (Group 1 goes first).

NOTE:
Typically, a debate has several rounds.
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However, due to our online format, different time zones, and other complexities we will only have one full round.

Clarifying questions may be asked by anyone at any time.

Our Format at-a-Glance:

I. Group 1 – Argue Affirmative (start as early in the week as you can)

II. Group 2 – Argue Negative

III. Group 1 – Offer Rebuttal

IV. Group 2 – Answer the Rebuttal (by FRIDAY night at 10 pm MST.)

IV. Judges complete the rubric. Email to Teri.

V. We all leave as friends and a little more enlightened about an important subject

Note: present to persuade, inform and garner advocates for your position. Make them care about the issue.

Additional Tips and Ideas

Planning Tips: create an email group in Canvas or meet via Teams or Zoom – whatever works best.

Each group may assign a team captain, but all members must engage in discussions throughout the week, share resources, and collaborate in crafting and defending the argument.

Be creative! You can use either video or written format. You can sing! You can rap! Just inform and persuade!

Also, feel free to give your group a fun name, if you wish. 🙂

A word to the debate Judges

Remember, you are Group 3.

You may have pre-conceived opinions, but as much as you can, erase them. Enter the debate process with a blank mental slate.

At the end of the week, as judges, you will use the rubric to score the teams’ performances.

Instead of posting your rubric to the thread, you will email it to Teri Brooks in Canvas. She will post them for you so you will remain anonymous. Send it by 10 p.m. MST, please.

When you see the rubrics posted Sunday, feel free to share anything you’d like about the topic, the process, and the arguments.

Step 3: Reflect on it

Let’s ALL talk about it! A conversation thread will be posted for us all to explore our feelings about the topic, the debate process, and how it felt for the groups to defend something they might not have agreed with.

Ground Rules: