Name:
Date:
Debate topic:
How to use this worksheet. You already did your research in Worksheet 1 — now you will turn it into strong reasons and get ready to answer the other side. Take it one part at a time.
- Fill in the blanks first. Then use the sentence starters and the blue plan boxes to build your full sentences.
- Every part has a Clarify hint. Try the part on your own first; read the hint only if you get stuck. It gives you a strategy, never the answer.
- There is no single right answer here. Just explain your thinking with the word because.
PART 1
Reviewing My Research & Main Reasons
The job of this part is to name your side and your top reasons from your research.
1.My Debate Topic:
2.My Side (YES or NO):
3.From your research, what are your top 2–3 best reasons (your Main Points)?
📝 Main Reason 1
My reason:
I believe that…
This is important because…
One fact I found to support this is:
📝 Main Reason 2
My reason:
One reason is…
Also, this helps with…
One fact I found to support this is:
📝 Main Reason 3 (Optional)
My reason:
Another good point is…
This matters because…
One fact I found to support this is:
Clarify — Pick your strongest reasons, not every reason. Two or three solid points win a debate better than many weak ones. Each reason should have a fact behind it — that is what makes people believe you.
PART 2
Thinking About The Other Side
The job of this part is to guess what the other side will say — before they say it.
4.What do you think the other side might say? (their main idea against your side)
The other side might say:
5.Why might they say this?
They might think this because:
Clarify — Try to think like the other team for a minute. What is their best point? Knowing it ahead of time means you will not be surprised — you will be ready with an answer.
PART 3
My Answer to The Other Side (My Rebuttal)
The job of a rebuttal is to answer their point, then come back to why your side is still strong.
6.Their Argument:
7.My Rebuttal (my answer):
I can say:
Even though they think that, my side is still good because:
Clarify — A good rebuttal does two things: first it answers their point calmly, then it turns back to your strongest reason. Stay polite — you are answering the idea, not the person.
PART 4
Planning My Opening Statement
The job of the opening is to tell everyone your side and your reasons, right at the start.
📝 My Opening Statement Plan — fill in the blanks with your side and your reasons.
Start with your side: "I believe that (my side of the topic) because…"
Main Reason 1:
Main Reason 2:
(Optional) Main Reason 3:
End strong: "For these reasons, I support (my side)."
Clarify — Your opening is like a map: it tells the audience where you are going before you get there. Say your side clearly, then list your reasons in the same order you will explain them.
PART 5
Planning My Closing Statement
The job of the closing is to remind everyone of your best reason and finish strong.
📝 My Closing Statement Plan — remind the audience of your strongest reason.
Start: "To sum up, the most important reason for my side is…"
State your strongest reason again:
End: "That's why I believe (my side) is the best idea."
Clarify — The closing is not the place for new reasons. Pick the one point you think is strongest and say it again. The last thing you say is the thing people remember most.
PART 6
The Moderator's Role
The job of this part is to understand who the moderator is and what they do in a debate.
Check the boxes that show a moderator's job:
- Tells us when to speak and when to listen
- Makes sure everyone follows the rules
- Asks questions to keep the debate going
- Decides who wins the debate
- Helps us stay respectful
Clarify — A moderator's job is to keep things fair, respectful, and on-track. A moderator usually does not decide who wins — that is a judge's job. Read each box again and think: is this really the moderator's job?
💡 Tips for You: How to Sound Sure of Your Side
- Back it with a fact. A reason is stronger when a fact stands behind it. "My side is good because…" plus a fact is very hard to argue with.
- The "because" rule. Never just say "I am right." Always explain why. (e.g., "My side is best because it keeps people safe.")
- Practice out loud. Read your opening and closing aloud. If you stumble on a sentence, it probably needs a small fix.
Reflection
Which of your reasons feels the strongest? What is one thing the other side might say that you feel ready to answer now?
FOR MENTOR USE — STUDY THIS TOGETHER
Mentor Guide
How to build arguments and rebuttals with your student
1. What this worksheet builds
It turns research into a debate case. The student names main reasons (each backed by a fact), practices anticipating the other side, writes a rebuttal that answers their point and returns to their own strength, and drafts opening and closing plans. The goal is an organized, confident case — not perfect wording.
2. Run it with gradual release: I do → we do → you do
- I do: Read Part 1 aloud and think out loud as you shape one main reason and pair it with a fact.
- We do: Do Part 2 together — you play the other side, they guess your best point, then answer it in Part 3.
- You do: Let them plan the opening and closing (Parts 4–5) on their own, stepping in only when they reach for a Clarify hint.
3. Using the Clarify hints
Let the student attempt each part first; read the Clarify box only if they stall. The hints coach strategy ("pick your strongest reasons," "answer the idea, not the person"), never the content. In Part 6, the Clarify gently corrects a common mix-up — the moderator keeps things fair, but a judge decides who wins.
4. Supporting the work
- Each reason needs a fact. If a blank has a reason but no fact, send them back to Worksheet 1 to find one — that is what makes an argument believable.
- Coach the rebuttal shape: first answer their point, then return to your own strongest reason. Both halves matter.
- Accept an oral answer first, then have them write it — speaking removes the blank-page freeze.
5. Reviewing it together & what comes next
- Start with a specific strength ("Your rebuttal answered them and came back to your point"), then pick one thing to sharpen.
- Have them read the opening and closing aloud — the ear catches bumps the eye misses.
- What comes next: Worksheet 3 is live practice — the student uses these reasons and rebuttals in a real spoken debate round.