MIDDLE SCHOOL PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE JUDGING

91 to 99 is for kids that are supportive and inclusive, use great documented arguments, do their speaker duties REALLY well, make and respond to questions very effectively, have great delivery, and speak for the full speaking time in their speeches.

61 to 69 is for kids that need to be more supportive and less rude, need to use documented arguments more and more strongly, need to do their speaker duties, use question and answer more effectively, be more clear in their delivery, and need to speak more than 1 to 3 minutes long.

Scores from 70 to 89 are most common and are for debating between the two above.

6. Tell kids who won and why. Tell each kid one complement, one improvement.

Say “The Con won because (list out specific winning arguments the winning team made and why the opponent responses/arguments did not defeat them).”

Say “1^st Prop you did ____ really well. You need to work on ________.” (etc. for each speaker)

7. Have each kid redo 1 to 2 minutes of their speech.

Remind each student what you want them to improve on and which part of the speech to do the redo with improvement. Give them a few minutes to prepare and then have each kid present again. Help students including giving examples of what they should do. Recognize improvement “Great—that’s the way to do that.”

(skip step 7 on the last day of class and during tournaments)

8. Type Online Ballot Comments

9. FOR LAST DAY OF CLASS ONLY Type Recognitions for Each Kid

(and announce these in the Recognitions-Awards Assembly immediately at the end of class IN THE MAIN ZOOM MEETING ROOM)

Share speeches/files with students
Climb Share It! for Debating

Debate Speaking Times

When the rooms get posted in Zoom, then debaters go to their debates and begin immediately.

Beginning of the Debate: Debaters are required to share in Zoom chat their google drive/dropbox/one drive for sharing evidence. Shared evidence may not be used in debates by the team receiving the evidence.

Each debater gives 2 speeches and engages in 1 crossfire plus the grand crossfire.

· 1 Pro Constructive: 4 minutes, present pro case

· 1 Con Constructive: 4 minutes, present con case

· Crossfire (questions) 3 minutes between 1 Pro and 1 Con

· 2 Pro Rebuttal: 4 minutes, refute con case

· 2 Con Rebuttal: 4 minutes, refute pro case

· Crossfire (questions) 3 minutes between 2 Pro and 2 Con

· 1 Pro Summary: 3 minutes, defend pro case and/or address key points of clash

· 1 Con Summary: 3 minutes, defend pro case and/or address key points of clash

· Grand Crossfire (questions) 3 minutes among all debaters

· 2 Pro Final Focus: 3 minutes, give reasons to vote for pro

· 2 Con Final Focus: 3 minutes, give reasons to vote for con

4 min. prep. during the debate for each team to use as they choose before their speeches or before crossfire.

No prep time prior to the debate.

Debating Rules

· Pro teams of two debaters (1Pro debater and 2Pro debater) defend the topic. Con teams reject the topic. Con teams of two debaters (1Con debater and 2Con debater) reject the topic.

· Con teams cannot run counterplans; they must discuss the topic/the current policies.

· Speaker Duties:
1Case Speeches: Present Case. Do not respond to opponent’s case in this speech except minimally.
2Rebuttal Speeches: Respond to your Opponent’s Case. Do not respond to responses to your case except minimally.
1Summary Speeches: Defend Your Case/Crystalize. Do not respond to your opponent’s case except minimally.
2FinalFocus Speeches: Address Key Arguments and Weigh.
WE DO NOT WANT PF DEBATERS SPREADING TO HIT BOTH CASES IN THEIR SPEECHES—SO DO NOT DO THAT. ONLY THE FINAL FOCUS DIRECTLY ADDRESSES BOTH CASES IN THEIR SPEECH.

· Debaters use prepared materials in their debates. Debaters may/should use printed materials and/or laptops during the debate.

· You may also access the internet including during the debate (but you CANNOT communicate with any person including a coach or parent unless it is an emergency).

· No POIs, No heckling. No Coin tosses.

· Debaters may speak to teammates who are speaking BRIEFLY AND RARELY and can pass notes or text messages/chat. Remember, interrupting your debate partner can hurt their debating—do it at most once or twice during an entire speech and only in urgent situations.

· Use your own flow paper.

· Coaching help prior to the debate is fine but the debate starts on time. No coaching during the debate.