Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 4
What is a debate?
I can define a 'debate' and an 'opinion'.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- A debate is a structured argument between two teams.
- An opinion is a view or belief that a person has.
- An important aspect of debating is justifying opinions.
- It is important to speak in a loud, clear voice, make eye contact with the audience and stand up straight.
Keywords
Debate - a structured argument between two teams
Opinion - a view or belief that a person has
Reasoning - explaining why a person has a certain opinion
Justify - giving clear reasoning for an opinion
Common misconception
Pupils may think that an opinion has to include 'my' or 'I'.
Explain to pupils that an opinion is a view or belief that a person has. 'Tennis is the best sport' is an opinion because it is not a fact. Someone else may think differently.
To help you plan your year 4 English lesson on: What is a debate?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 4 English lesson on: What is a debate?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the Getting ready to debate unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.An opinion is ...
Q2.Which of the following are opinions?
Q3.What does it mean to make 'eye contact' with someone?
Q4.Which of the following sentences is written in the first person?
Q5.What is an audience?
Q6.Which of the following is a subordinating conjunction?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following are facts?
Q2.Which of the following help you to be a successful speaker?
Q3.Which of the following are reasons why someone might debate?
Q4.Match the opinion to the justification.
because it is a fun form of exercise.
because children are tired after school.
because they are loyal to their owner.