Age: 9-10 years

Duration: 60 min

Objectives

• Participate in a timed classroom debate with assigned speaker roles.
• Follow forum rules: resolution, timer, audience notes, respectful cross-talk.
• Debrief argument quality using a simple rubric (claim, evidence, rebuttal).

Vocab

• forum / resolution: "The resolution is the statement we debate."
• speaker / timer / audience: Forum roles and procedures.

Warm-up (5min)

Role cards preview — opener, rebuttal, closer, timekeeper — students read role duty in one sentence.

Main Activity (45min): "Debate Practice"

"G4 Classroom Forum" — Resolution (prepared across debate units): e.g., "Schools should have longer recess." Assign teams Pro/Con; roles: opener (2 min), builder (2 min), rebuttal (2 min), closer (1 min); timekeeper signals. Audience graphic organizer: claim / evidence / rebuttal heard — one row per speaker. Forum round — strict frame use; teacher facilitator only. Audience question slot: one clarifying question per side (optional). Debrief circle: rubric vote — strongest evidence? best rebuttal? missed counter? Written reflection: "Our team succeeded at ___ ; next time we need ___ ." Celebrate participation — no public ranking of students. Record forum notes for Lesson 18 portfolio reflection.

Wrap-up (5min)

Popcorn share: one forum skill I improved today is ___ .

Teacher Tips

• Capstone debate lesson — reuse frames from 01, 04, 08; same resolution optional for arc.
• Timer anxiety: practice once with low stakes before graded observation day.
• Forum structure previews G5 argumentative essay and formal presentation norms.