RESOURCES REQUIRED

‘Official’ letter and willing conspirator to deliver it

Debate role cards

Plastic Facts and Opinions sheet

Top Tips for Debating

Suggested debate format

Probing question sheet

An audience (ideally made up of school staff, alternatively task some of the students with this role)

A3 paper for groups to record their thoughts and develop their perspective

A method of time keeping

A bell (optional)

ADULT SUPPORT

Adults to circulate and offer support where needed.

Model and encourage carefully considered counter arguments rather than unrelated responses

Probe for greater depth of debate using the probing question sheet

USEFUL LINKS

Government Proposal for plastic free schools

The Noisy Classroom

DURATION

90 minutes

SUBJECT FOCUS

English - debate

AGE GROUP

Key Stage 2

Lesson plan:

The Great Plastic Debate

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Articulate and justify arguments to convey opinions.

Learning outcomes (differentiated)

KEYWORDS

DEMOCRACY

MINORITY

MAJORITY

BALLOT

STAKEHOLDER

PERSUASION

SINGLE-USE

COUNTER-ARGUMENT

MOTION

MUST Recognise the importance of seeing issues from different perspectives

SHOULD Talk about their opinions (in role), and explain views, on issues that affect individuals and society

COULD Offer counter arguments to those offered by opposing stakeholders and/or take on a key responsibility within the debate such as chairperson or timekeeper

STARTER

Arrange for an adult to arrive ‘unannounced’ with an ‘official’ letter, and share with class. Are they familiar with the government proposal for plastic free schools (schools are being urged to stop using single-use plastic items and consider environmentally-friendly alternatives by 2022.)? If unfamiliar, take some time to review what this means for your school and who it may impact (both within and outside the school community). Introduce the term ‘stakeholder.’ Explain that children will be participating in a debate today, and allocated the roles of different stakeholders. Some characters will support the motion, others will oppose.

Motion: Should the concept of plastic free schools be disregarded until 2042?

Small groups can represent each character; some roles are more challenging (e.g. local MP) and may be suitable for more able learners. Alternatively, consider mixed ability groups. Why not give students the opportunity to give characters a back story, name and accent to add interest?

ACTIVITY 1 – The Preparation

Before the debate begins, discuss the features of persuasive writing/speaking – emotive adjectives, hyperbole, imagery and use of facts/statistics to support an argument. Allow time for groups to build their argument (in role). If time for research is limited, accompanying this resource are some useful statistics, opinions and facts the students could work through, carefully selecting the most appropriate for their perspective. Prompt more able students to anticipate counter arguments and prepare their responses.

Each group will need between 7 and 9 prepared arguments. If they have more, encourage them to:

Merge similar arguments

Dismiss insignificant ones

Dismiss ones for which they do not have strong reasons or evidence

If your class is unfamiliar with debating, it may prove useful to watch one in advance, many are available online (e.g. The Noisy Classroom)

ACTIVITY 2 – The Debate

Share the resource: ‘Top Tips for Debating’ and display for reference during the remainder of the lesson. Focus on anything unfamiliar and give the students the chance to ask questions and clarify understanding especially regarding protocol.

If possible invite older children/other teachers/respected adults to act as a judging panel.

Set up the classroom like a debating chamber. Timekeeper and chairperson to take their positions.

Some children may just state their arguments, but suggest that a more powerful debater responds to what the last speaker has said and offers a counter-argument.

Debate! Finally, conduct a ballot or audience vote to determine which argument was the most persuasive.

PLENARY

During the debate, how did they feel if the decision didn’t go their way or if they were not listened to? What were the biggest challenges (e.g. representing a character whose perspective they did not share). Introduce the terms ‘majority’ and ‘minority.’ Can the class agree upon a definition? Is democracy always fair and how can the views of minorities be valued?

Moving forwards, what do they themselves feel about plastic free schools? Can they start to take action towards achieving this accolade.

FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES

Explore the other plastic focused lessons created by Surfers Against Sewage. This lesson particularly lends itself to our ‘Talking Rubbish’ lesson.

Now you’re feeling fired up, participate in Surfers Against Sewage’s ‘Plastic Free Schools’ programme.

Put debating skills to good practice by organising another: a windfarm debate perhaps?

Feeling empowered? Shout loud and lead a protest in your local community.

CURRICULUM LINKS

Spoken language

Articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions

Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others

Speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English

Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play/improvisations and debates

Gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)

Select and use appropriate registers for effective communication

Science

Living things and habitats

Recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things

Citizenship

Participate (for example, in the school’s decision-making process, relating it to democratic structures and processes such as councils, parliaments, government and voting)

Make real choices and decisions, for example how to spend money

Consider social and moral dilemmas that they come across in life

Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life below water