Overview

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Week 4 will introduce students to the concept of debating an issue. Students will continue to extend their learning and understanding of personal responsibility, and will strengthen their growing civic voice through the medium of debate.  They will learn debate structure, make connections to the political realm, and will understand who represents them provincially and nationally.  They will understand their individual rights under the Charter, and will consider whether trees have rights.  Students will determine their individual points of view, positions to be debated, and will work in groups to develop their positions.  The week will finish up with two days of debate.  

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Essential Question 

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On a global level (National/International), in what ways can we contribute to more sustainable and responsible existence on Earth? 

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Day 1

• Student will consider: Do trees have rights? How to apply what they have learned about democratic rights to the land, as a living thing.

  • Teacher will read out loud “The Lorax” while a digital copy is displayed on the whiteboard for students to follow along.  If multiple copies can be obtained, students can have a hard copy and may choose to take a turn reading out loud.

    • pair and share thoughts

    • students will write 3-4 sentences about how they feel about the rights of a tree

• Introduction to debate structure for the classroom: "Should Trees have rights?"

  • ​Students in teams of four: opening statement, two rebuttals, closing remarks, alternating with opposing side, same roles, also in teams of four

  • Students will be prepared to take either pro or con position, coin toss on the day of the debate will determine sides

• Teacher introduces the Legislature and the debate process to tie into classroom debates

  • Activity: Alberta Map of Ridings: students will locate school/home ridings

  • Research teams: Who is our MLA? How do we contact him/her?

Day 2

• What Provincial Ministry(ies) oversee our forests?

  • Activity: Brainstorming, based on Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest learnings: what would we like to see changed or improved, to protect trees and forests in Alberta?

  • Students will learn who to contact and where to send their letters

  • Make a plan to send letters written in Week 2, and post News Articles written in Week 3.

• ​Create a Bill of Rights for Trees.

  • Students will use their learnings from the previous lesson to brainstorm a ‘Bill of Rights’ for trees.

  • Students will use the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as a guide to what rights they would give to trees and the environment. 

• Continue Debate Planning: an opening statement, gathering supporting facts for rebuttal, crafting the conclusion template.

Day 3

• Students will know their audience: be objective, respectful and cognizant of their limited speaking time. Students write and refine opening statements and conclusion templates, and organize facts for rebuttal, practice speaking in their groups.

• Continuation of Day 2 activities in relation to Bill of Rights

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Day 4

• First round: class debate.

• Continue self and peer feedback for written pieces.

• Review Jumpingpound activities and materials ad hold a sharing circle. 

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Day 5

• Second round: class debate.

• Self-Reflect on the debate process

  • Exit slip - 3 things learned; 1 thing you wonder 

• Students will review the teachings of the Medicine Wheel, specifically the North quadrant.  

• Students will summarize how they can contribute to living more responsibly on a global scale.

  • These points of summary will be written in their second Medicine Wheel.

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Assessment

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Formative:

• Teacher observation of student activities and participation in class discussion.

• Exit slips

• Group work self assessment following debate

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Summative:

• Students will hand in their 3-4 sentences about how they feel about the rights of trees.   

• Students will hand in speaking notes from their debates.

• Jumpingpound materials handed in when completed

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