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English 12

Hetch Hetchy Debate Preparation

LT 1: I can read and comprehend a variety of increasingly complex literature and literary
non-fiction.
LT 2: I can evaluate complex information, ideas, and arguments orally and in writing.
LT 3: I can summarize text, identify claims, themes, or central ideas of a text, and analyze how
the claims, themes or ideas develop throughout texts.
LT 4: I can accurately cite strong evidence from texts to support my reading response and/or
written analysis.
LT 5: I can conduct short and long -term research on substantive topics, develop clear
arguments, and support arguments with reasoning and evidence.

Preservation (John Muir) vs Conservation (Gifford Pinchot)

The year is 1913. The warring parties are John Muir and Gifford Pinchot. They're
sparring over the fate of the Hetch Hetchy Valley in California's Yosemite National Park.
Your group has been given primary sources from two of the most important
environmental advocates of the Progressive Era. You have been assigned to fill the role
of one of these two men. As a class, we are going to model the Congressional Debates
over whether we should damn the Hetch Hetchy River or whether the valley should be
preserved. Your task as a group is to play your part in ensuring that your side (either the
Conservationists led by Pinchot or the Preservationists led by Muir) will successfully
convince Congress of the correctness of your position.

Tasks:
1. Before you begin, read the summaries of each men aloud as a group or to yourself.
These are the marked sections before each of the primary sources in the readings you
have been given. It is really important that you know who these men are in order to
successfully argue for and against their positions.

2. The class has been divided in half. For the purpose of preparation each half of the class
 needs to be divided into three different groups:

a. Speech-Writers: The first group (2-4 people) should be the speech writers. Each side
of the debate will present an Opening Statements speech that defends their side's
overall positions. The speech writers will be responsible for preparing these Opening
Statements. I would suggest that two people write the speech while the other gathers
information from the other two groups. Speeches should include some structure
(attention getter, intro, body and conclusion), evidence to support their position, and at
least 3 quotes from the primary sources as defense for this position. Write the speech
and defend your position as if you were Muir or Pinchot. Select a person to read the
speech from this group.

b.Advocate Researchers: The second group (3-5 people) should read through the
primary source provided to find evidence to support the arguments for your group's
assigned progressive thinker. If your group was assigned Muir, these researches should
read the Muir primary source and develop a solid list of arguments for why Muir
believed the way he did about the damning of the Hetch Hetchy valley. This group
should also be responsible for finding the information and quotes to help the
speech-writers defend their side. This group will also be very crucial in the debate itself
when it is necessary to clarify and defend your assigned role.

c. Opponent Researchers: The third group (3-5 people) should read through the
primary source provided for the opposing side. This group should brainstorm a
list of arguments they believe the opposing side will make in defense of their role
and should have questions and arguments prepared to refute the opposing side's
position. You must have a list of questions prepared for your opponents for the
debate!

3​​. ​Debate!