LESSON PLAN Subject: English/Language Arts ESL Language Focus: Speaking, Listening, Writing

Class: High School Level: Intermediate/Advanced ELL

Topic: 3 Corner Debate: Persuade Me Time: 40 minutes Materials & Equipment: 3 Posters Labeled: Agree, Disagree, Neutral Agree/Disagree/Neutral written on slips of paper Chosen statement for discussion: Television is a bad influence. Television Fact Sheet Pros/Cons of Television Worksheet/Overhead Sheet Debate Vocabulary Sheet Cornell Notes Sheet Paper and writing utensils Goal: This collaborative strategy requires students to work and think together. It involves writing, inquiry, collaboration and reading. Students will be given a position on a particular topic, and move to one of three corners of the room to collaborate with other students with the similar view. The students in each corner will put together an argument to support their position and persuade other students to join their cause. Students will listen to each other, and have the chance to change their opinion and move to another corner if they are persuaded by another corners argument. Objectives: Students will: Listen to a statement on a controversial topic. Brainstorm together the pros and cons of television and write them down on a worksheet. Be divided among the three groups and work together to record information in support of their position. Present their argument in order to persuade the other group members. Reconsider their stance in light of new information. Fill out Cornell Notes in the group discussions. Write a concise paragraph expressing their opinion about the statement. Procedures: Lesson preparation: Before the lesson, have three posters arranged in the 3 corners of the class with the words, Agree, Disagree, Neutral.* *ELL focus: each poster can have the definition and an example underneath for comprehension and understanding. Ignite the students interest: Read the statement: Television is a bad influence. Then read a short fact sheet with some statistics of 2 Minutes Time:

television. (See attached sheet). Anticipatory Set: Tell the students the activity they will be doing and pass out the Pros/Cons Worksheet (see attached sheet). 1 Minute

Whole group discussion: Have the students brainstorm the pros and 5 Minutes cons of watching television and fill in the worksheet as the teacher fills in the sheet on an overhead or whiteboard. After the class has finished brainstorming, have each student pick a slip of paper from a hat that will have either agree, disagree, or neutral written on it. Students will then go to their respective corners. Small Group Activity: In each corner, appoint a student to be the note taker and a speaker, and give the students time to discuss with the other students in their corner the reasons they agree, disagree, or are neutral*. Have the note-taker write the ideas on the poster. *ELL focus: provide the students with a list of appropriate debate and discussion vocabulary. (See attached sheet). After the discussion period, have the speaker of each group to persuade the class with some of the ideas that they wrote down on the posters. After all three corners have made their argument give the students an opportunity to change corners. Provide more time for students to continue group discussions to fill out Cornell Notes*. (See Attached Sheet). *ELL focus: provide an example of what a completed Cornell Note should look like. Individual Activity: Each student will use their notes to write a paragraph stating his or her position on the issue. Students should include in their paragraphs the four strongest points supporting their position. Close the activity by reviewing the topic statement and orally discuss if their position has changed or stayed the same. 2 Minutes

10 Minutes

5 Minutes

1 Minute 5 Minutes

7 Minutes

2 Minutes

Assessment: Students should have completed the worksheets given. Each group should have a completed poster of supporting detail. Group should be able to provide grammatically correct sentences and oral presentation of ideas. Student paragraphs should follow the proper format and include at least four solid reasons supporting their position on the topic of discussion.

Follow-up/Homework: Have students come up with their own discussion topics. Over a couple of class periods, use the corner strategy to discuss different statements. Then have the students write a position paper on the statement they have the strongest feelings about. Provide time for students to read aloud their papers. Then provide time for peer reaction. First ask students to share only positive comments about their classmates papers; then provide time for students to share only constructive criticism. Have students research television programming to support their position and provide examples. Sources: http://www.eslflow.com/debateanddiscussionlessons.html http://www.inter-lakes.k12.nh.us/ilhs/AVID/4%20Corner%20Debate.pdf http://www.middleschooldebate.com/documents/television.pdf http://www.debate.org/debates/TV-is-a-bad-influence/2/ http://claweb.cla.unipd.it/home/mcanapero/debate.htm http://www.dictionary.com\