START HERE: TEACHING

MIDDLE SCHOOL
PUBLIC FORUM

LESSON 3: COMPONENTS OF AN ARGUMENT

TOPIC: MATERIALS/RESOURCES:
• Pen or pencil
Components of
an Argument • Worksheet copies (included)
• Your choice of printed articles that present two
sides to one issue. The example included on the
Essential Question accompanying worksheet is from ProCon.org.
+ Objectives • Coin for flipping sides (electronic flips are okay, if permitted
in your classroom)
How do I construct an • PF Textbook
effective argument?
• DirecTV commercial
1. Students will be
• Access to Parts of an Argument Google Slides
able to identify and
categorize the various • 2013 MS final round video
parts of an argument.

Insight:
Before students start writing cases on their own, they need to
first be able to identify parts of an effective argument. Practicing
with short spar debates lets them gain experience with little
pressure or prework. All performers improve with practice.
This may prove to be a challenging assignment at first, which
is why group work is encouraged, but this assignment could
be recreated with any debate resolution that you find suitable
for your classroom. For ideas, you can find a list of current and
former topics on the NSDA website.

This day’s lesson could be completed on their own paper or in

Google Classroom, and the worksheets could be used with each
new topic students research to further develop the skill.

NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION • www.speechanddebate.org • LESSON 3: Components of an Argument | 7

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LESSON 3: Components of an Argument MIDDLE SCHOOL
PUBLIC FORUM

TWO-DAY LESSON

DAY ONE

HOOK 5-10 minutes

Before you begin today’s task, ask for students to independently make a preliminary decision on
today’s debate—Resolved: Students should be required to wear school uniforms.

Then, ask students to write down three reasons why they affirm or negate (on their own paper
or electronically, if resources allow).

BODY 30-40 minutes

Prior to starting today’s lesson, project slide 8 of the lesson 1 slideshow with definitions of the
four parts of an argument.

Distribute the worksheets (included). If it is suitable for your classroom space, allow students to
work in small groups. Provide a detailed website address to the article about school uniforms on
ProCon.org: school-uniforms.procon.org

Allow adequate time (approximately 20 minutes) for students to read the article and the full list
of pro/con arguments. There’s an additional link to background information on the topic, which
you can also assign students to read, if time allows: https://school-uniforms.procon.org /
history-of-school-uniforms/.

Each group will then work together to identify parts of an argument by analyzing claims provided
by the website as they complete the worksheet. They will use the evidence in the article to
identify the components of the arguments: claim, data, warrants, and impacts. Allow groups to
choose if they will work with pro arguments or con arguments, and instruct them to complete
the columns on the worksheet for at least five out of the 13 claims, provided in the article.

Once students have had adequate time to complete the boxes, ask for volunteers to present
their findings as a mini-spar debate.

Conduct the coin flip, just as they learned how to yesterday. The winner of the flip can choose to
be the first or second speaking team, OR they can choose to be affirmative or negative.

Let groups take turns giving reasons why the rest of the class should support or negate their
claims.

After each side presents their “case,” allow a two-minute questioning period. Although these
case presentations are much shorter than what they will read in an actual debate round, this can

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LESSON 3: Components of an Argument MIDDLE SCHOOL
PUBLIC FORUM
help them become accustomed to the rhythm of questioning and answering. The first speaking
team always asks the first question; second speaking team then answers and immediately asks a
question of their own. The questioning and answering will exchange back and forth until time
runs out.

Let groups take turns, following the same order of speeches as the first two groups, giving
reasons why the rest of the class should support or negate their claims.

HOMEWORK: Assign students to read chapter 3 of the PF Textbook (pages 13-20).

CLOSURE 5 minutes

Ask students to reflect on today’s assignment and quietly decide if they changed their mind
now that they have had time to research the topic. Using the same paper that they wrote on at
the beginning of class, write a brief paragraph/reflection, stating if they changed their mind, and
which arguments they read had the biggest impact on their decision.

DAY T WO

HOOK 5 minutes

Begin by showing the DirecTV commercial. After the students have watched it, ask them
to identify the purpose of the commercial. Then ask them to discuss how likely it is to have
your cable go out and end up in the predicament that the subject of the commercial (cable
subscriber) is in?

BODY 40-50 minutes

Work through the Google slideshow, stopping at the last slide to show an entire round. Ask
students to take notes as they watch, and make sure you stop the video before the last few
seconds reveal that year’s national champions

CLOSURE 5 minutes

For today’s exit slip, ask students to write down which team they believe should win and why,
based solely on the arguments.

NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION • www.speechanddebate.org • LESSON 3: Components of an Argument | 9

 NAME:

IDENTIFYING PARTS OF AN ARGUMENT ACTIVITY

RESOLUTION: Students should be required to wear school uniforms.

As you read the excerpt from ProCon.org, find examples of the parts of an argument. The first one has been done for you.

DATA
CLAIM WARRANT IMPACT
(facts, statistics, reasons)

“...reports of assault and battery in the

district’s schools decreased by 34%,
assault with a deadly weapon dropped
“A peer-reviewed study found that
by 50%, fighting incidents went down
schools with uniform policies had 12%
School uniforms by 51%, sex offenses were cut by 74%,
fewer firearm-related incidents and
deter crime and robbery dropped by 65%, possession Increased student
15% fewer drug-related incidents than
increase student of weapons (or weapon “look-alikes”) safety
schools without uniforms. [69]”
safety. decreased by 52%, possession of drugs
went down by 69%, and vandalism was (answers could vary’ multiple examples
lowered by 18%. [64]” are provided)
(answers could vary; multiple examples
are provided)

NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION • www.speechanddebate.org Identifying Parts of an Argument Activity
 DATA
CLAIM WARRANT IMPACT
(facts, statistics, reasons)

ProCon.org, “School Uniforms.” ProCon.org. 3 May 2021, school-uniforms.procon.org

NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION • www.speechanddebate.org