Oxford Style Debate Fishbowl Discussion Guide

1. Oxford Style DebateFishbowl Discussion Guide Jim Cameron Executive Director Michigan Council for History Education cameronj@saline.k12.mi.us

2. Oxford Style DebateFishbowl Discussion Guide Jim Cameron Executive Director Michigan Council for History Education cameronj@saline.k12.mi.us

3. Oxford Style Debate 1. Choose a topic Usually in “Should…” form Each side has possible points to argue Then vs. Now- POV 2. Formulate and utilize questions that stimulate investigations of the past 3. Develop and implement a common language for investigating the past

4. Teaching United States History as a MysteryDavid Gerwin and Jack Zevin “…teachers introduce a sense of mystery… by raising thought-provoking questions, ones that demand answers supported by reasons, by evidence…”

5. Linda Levstik and Keith Barton, Doing History: Investigating with Children in Elementary and Middle Schools “The point of questions… is to provide direction and motivation for the rigorous work of doing history.”

6. “What Leads to the Fall of a Great Empire? Using Central Questions to Design Issues-based History Units,” Edward Caron Six criteria for effective questions to guide historical inquiry: • Does the question represent an important issue to historical and contemporary times? • Is the question debatable? • Does the question represent a reasonable amount of content? • Will the question hold the sustained interest of middle or high school students? • Is the question appropriate given the materials available? • Is the question challenging for the students you are teaching?

7. “Challenging History: Essential Questions in the Social Studies Classroom” by Heather Lattimer Essential Questions 1. Get at the heart of the discipline. 2. Have more than one reasonable answer. 3. Connect the past to the present. 4. Enable students to construct their own understanding of the past. 5. Reveal history as a developing narrative. 6. Challenge students to examine their own beliefs.

8. Oxford Style DebateFishbowl Discussion 2. Determine the two sides A. Let students choose a side B. Assign students who don’t have a strong interest 3. Research your side A. Five parts of the Discussion Guide B. Choose 3-4 Debaters for each side

9. Oxford Style DebateFishbowl Discussion 4. THE DEBATE A. Debaters 1. State your position + 1 support point 2. Listen & respond to both sides 3. Cite a CDV-apply it to the issue 4. Refute opposing points 5. Summarize your position (may re-state intro+) Use or create maps, globes, graphs, charts, databases and models

10. Oxford Style DebateFishbowl Discussion 4. THE DISCUSSION (Continued) B. Peanut Gallery 1. DO NOT TALK DURING DEBATE 2. Complete quantitative analysis with notes 3. You may pass notes to your debaters 4. Write an essay due “tomorrow” using points from the debate

11. Oxford Style DebateFishbowl Discussion 5. Debrief the Discussion A. Self Evaluation B. Peer Evaluation Constructive criticism C. Teacher comments D. Informally address the topic

12. Oxford Style DebateFishbowl Discussion 6. Other Suggestions A. Use poker chips for discussion B. Poker chip for “teacher expert” C. Use subtopics for each debater D. Levels of debate- formal to trash talking E. Remember “wait time” F. Be unobtrusive during the debate

13. Why use Oxford Style Debates/Fishbowl Discussions in Connecticut?

14. CONTENT STANDARD 1: Historical Thinking Grades K-4 will assure that students: gather historical data from multiple sources; Grades 5-8 will assure that students: formulate historical questions based on primary and secondary sources, including documents, eyewitness accounts, letters and diaries, artifacts, real or simulated historical sites, charts, graphs, diagrams and written texts;

15. CONTENT STANDARD 1: Historical Thinking Grades 9-12 will assure that students: formulate historical questions and hypotheses from multiple perspectives, using multiple sources; gather, analyze and reconcile historical information, including contradictory data, from primary and secondary sources to support or reject hypotheses;

16. CONTENT STANDARD 6: Rights And Responsibilities Of Citizens Grades 5-8 will assure that students; research an issue of interest and be able to take and defend a position on that issue; Grades 9-12 will assure that students: take a position on a current policy issue and attempt to influence its formation, development and implementation.

17. CONTENT STANDARD 5: United States Constitution And Government K-12 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Grades K-4 will assure that students: explain the purposes of laws and the ideas and principles that make just laws; Grades 5-8 will assure that students: demonstrate an understanding of the historical background of the Declaration of Independence;

18. CONTENT STANDARD 5: United States Constitution And Government K-12 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Grades 9-12 will assure that students: apply an understanding of historical and contemporary conflicts over Constitutional principles;

19. CCSS Match to CT English Language Arts 1. CC.8.SL.1.c : Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions: Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

20. History Habits of the Mind 1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PAST: understand the significance of the past to their own lives, both private and public and to their society. 2. WHAT’S IMPORTANT AND WHAT’S NOT: distinguish between the important and the inconsequential, to develop the “discriminating memory” needed for discerning judgment in public and personal life. 13. EVALUATING EVIDENCE: read widely and critically in order to recognize the difference between fact and conjecture, between evidence and assertion, and thereby to frame useful questions.

21. Is the South responsible for causing the Civil War? 1. Write a complete statement agreeing or disagreeing with the above issue** 2. List and explain three reasons that support your position 3.List and explain one core democratic value that pertains to this issue 4. List and explain two reasons that oppose your position 5. Refute the two opposing reasons (These need to relate to #4 above.)

22. Questions? Handouts Let’s Get Started!