Clear-cutting of forests can become an issue of jobs versus endangered species. Once one or more topics are chosen, children can be assigned to teams. Each team will prepare a case either for or against a particular topic. Explain to the students that they need not start out with an opinion that agrees with the side for which they are arguing. The point of a debate is to amass evidence and construct a convincing argument for or against a proposition or proposal.
Students can prepare for the debate by gathering evidence in a number of ways.
Conducting the Debate Students from each team can present evidence and arguments for or against the debate question. The winner of each debate can be chosen by class vote. Make sure each student has a chance to contribute to the debate. When the debate is over, ask students about what they learned during the process. By listening to students' ideas and comparing them to their ideas before the activity, the teacher can begin to assess their understanding of the science content of the topic and how those ideas have changed.