Considering Another Side: Battle of the Sexes Debate, Part 1: Debate Day

Purpose

  • To get students to engage in an act often used in government & politics (i.e. the civic arena): debate.
  • To show students that rhetorical techniques work in arenas other than writing.
  • To give students practice considering another side of an argument.
  • To give students practice finding support for an argument in a specific context.
  • To prepare students for the Considering Another Side paper.

Notes to Instructor: This lesson goes with the Considering Another Side Debate Worksheet and Battle of the Sexes Debate, Part 2: Debate Response, both of which are also found on this website. In this debate, the male students are to argue females are smarter and the female students are to argue males are smarter. The class period prior to the debate, students should have been informed which side they will be arguing for. This class period will be run primarily by the students. Be prepared to redirect or intervene if they get off topic. The debate itself does not need to be structured; doing it as a “free for all” where anyone can speak and hands do not need to be raised tends to keep the discussion moving. However, if you would like to be more formal, you may have a more true debate with statements followed by rebuttals. The homework due the day of the debate should be the Debate Worksheet. While the students are debating, take notes on what they say, paying particular attention to any logical fallacies they employ. You will use these fallacy during the follow-up lesson (Debate Part 2).

I. Introducing/Setting Up the Debate

  1. Have the male students sit on one side of the room and the female students sit on the

other side.

  1. Present the question to be answered: Who is smarter, Men or Women?
  2. Explain that the guys’ side will be arguing for women being smarter and the gals’ side for men being smarter.
  3. Flip a coin to see who will go first.

C. If you wish, allow the sides a brief “team meeting” before starting to go over their points and discuss strategy.

II. Open Debate

  1. Students raise points as they wish, using their debate worksheets to help. Allow this to go on for roughly half to seventy-five percent of the class.
  2. If needed, help a side that is floundering or present “devil’s advocate” questions/facts appropriate to what is being discussed to help facilitate the debate. These may include:
  3. The physical makeup of the class as anecdotal evidence that one of the sexes is smarter (point out that there are more males if there are more males or more females if there are more females).
  4. The fact that statistics show more women than men are currently enrolled in college.
  5. Why are there more famous male authors, inventors, artists, etc.?

III. Their Actual Opinions

  1. With a quarter to a half of the class period left, allow students to express and argue for their actual opinions. This is where the “shades of gray”/other sides of the argument will be brought up. As much as possible, allow the students to present these on their own.
  2. Make sure to ask them why they think what they think, as it requires them to use support.
  3. Close class by explaining they will be analyzing what came out of the debate the during the next class period.
  4. If desired, collect their debate worksheets.