Debating Topics for Middle/High School: Happiness

Get your middle/high school students debating topics that are both relevant and important to them while building their critical thinking skills. Students will be encouraged to develop their communication and debating skills, while opening their minds to different viewpoints.

Each debate package covers and reinforces the five basic steps of the debating process: gathering information, exploring all sides of an issue, forming an initial opinion, defending the position in a debate and finally, refining your opinion through knowledge gained in the debate.

What’s included:

• 20 debate topics on the subject of happiness
• 2 pages of teaching instructions (4 different debate formats outlined)
• 3 pages of useful expressions and transitions for debating (Encouraging students to use and record a variety of useful expressions and transitional phrases to create an effective debate)
• 6 worksheets for students to record their research findings, formulate their argument, and track down any changes they may have in opinion throughout the debate
• A checklist for writing a persuasive essay (Encouraging students to use and record a variety of useful expressions and transitional phrases to create an effective persuasive essay)
• A checklist of useful transition words for writing a successful essay (Encouraging students to use and record a variety of useful expressions and transitional phrases to create an effective discussion)
• Essay writing pages (Lined pages should the teacher decide to use the discussion questions or quotes as writing prompts)
• 4 posters for the ‘Four Corners Debate’ (to print/laminate)
• A student evaluation form for students to fill in after discussion (3-page detailed student reflection/evaluation form)
• A teacher evaluation form for teachers to fill in after discussion (2-page detailed teacher reflection/evaluation form)
• A colored version (to use digitally or to print)
• A printer-friendly black-and-white version
• Badges to print/laminate
• Teacher information and tips on how to incorporate into your lesson

We truly hope you find this resource both engaging and educational. We would love to hear back from you with your thoughts and feedback.

Thank you!