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I. Lesson Planning with ProCon.org

  1. Lesson Plan Ideas Using ProCon.org
  2. National Teaching Standards Used by Incorporating ProCon.org Content into Lesson Plans
  3. Benefits of Teaching Controversial Issues
  4. How Schools Are Using ProCon.org

A. Lesson Plan Ideas Using ProCon.org
  1. Role-Play Debate - Have students role play pro or con figures in important social issues and then debate classmates on those issues

    Standards Met: NL-ENG.K-12.3, NL-ENG.K-12.4, NL-ENG.K-12.5, NL-ENG.K-12.6, NL-ENG.K-12.12, NSS-C.9-12.2, NSS-C.9-12.5, NA-T.9-12.2

  2. Group Discussion Web - Have students form small groups to decide their cumulative pro or con perspective on an issue. Then have a small group merge with other small group to form a larger group and cumulatively select their group's pro or con position. Repeat the process until the entire classroom has a single pro or con position.

    Standards Met: NL-ENG.K-12.3, NL-ENG.K-12.4, NL-ENG.K-12.5, NL-ENG.K-12.6, NL-ENG.K-12.12

  3. Lincoln-Douglas Debate - Have student groups formulate pro or con arguments on an important issue using ProCon.org. They would then present a written summary of their arguments and identify areas where the opposing group may find weaknesses in their arguments. Have students perform the debate.

    Standards Met: NL-ENG.K-12.1, NL-ENG.K-12.3, NL-ENG.K-12.4, NL-ENG.K-12.6, NL-ENG.K-12.8, NL-ENG.K-12.11, NL-ENG.K-12.12, NSS-C.9-12.5

  4. Extemperaneous Speech - Have students give speeches espousing either a pro or con position on an important social issue. Students should have minutes to prepare.

    Standards Met: NL-ENG.K-12.3, NL-ENG.K-12.4, NL-ENG.K-12.8, NL-ENG.K-12.11, NL-ENG.K-12.12

  5. Rehearsed Speech - Have students given speech advocating a pro or con position on an important social issue. Students should have days to prepare.

    Standards Met: NL-ENG.K-12.3, NL-ENG.K-12.4, NL-ENG.K-12.8, NL-ENG.K-12.11, NL-ENG.K-12.12

  6. Essay Writing - Have students write essays advocating a pro or con position on an important social issue.

    Standards Met: NCTE 4, NCTE 5, NCTE 7, NCTE 12

For more ideas on lesson plan development, here are five full lesson plans from our “How Schools Are Using ProCon.org” web page: Making Choices: An Exploration of Political Preferences (7th grade), Conflict in Palestine: A Research Guide (high school level), The Technology of Voting (high school level), Dying to Be a Martyr (no grade level specified), and The Write Stuff (college level)

B. National Teaching Standards Used by Incorporating ProCon.org Content into Lesson Plans
  1. NA-T.9-12.2 ACTING BY DEVELOPING, COMMUNICATING AND SUSTAINING CHARACTERS IN IMPROVISATIONS AND FORMAL OR INFORMAL PRODUCTIONS
    Achievement Standard:
    • Students analyze the physical, emotional, and social dimensions of characters found in dramatic texts from various genres and media.
    • Students compare and demonstrate various classical and contemporary acting techniques and methods.
    • Students in an ensemble, create and sustain characters that communicate with audiences.

    Achievement Standard, Advanced:
    • Students demonstrate artistic discipline to achieve an ensemble in rehearsal and performance.
    • Students create consistent characters from classical, contemporary, realistic, and nonrealistic dramatic texts in informal and formal theater, film, television, or electronic media productions.

  2. NCTE 4
    Students adjust their use of spoken, written and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

  3. NCTE 5
    Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

  4. NCTE 7
    Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

  5. NCTE 12
    Students use spoken, written and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion and the exchange of information).

  6. NL-ENG.K-12.1 READING FOR PERSPECTIVE
    Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

  7. NL-ENG.K-12.3 EVALUATION STRATEGIES
    Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

  8. NL-ENG.K-12.4 COMMUNICATION SKILLS
    Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

  9. NL-ENG.K-12.5 COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
    Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

  10. NL-ENG.K-12.6 APPLYING KNOWLEDGE
    Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.

  11. NL-ENG.K-12.8 DEVELOPING RESEARCH SKILLS
    Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

  12. NL-ENG.K-12.11 PARTICIPATING IN SOCIETY
    Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

  13. NL-ENG.K-12.12 APPLYING LANGUAGE SKILLS
    Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information). communities.

  14. NSS-C.9-12.2 FOUNDATIONS OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM
    What are the Foundations of the American Political System?
    • What is the American idea of constitutional government?
    • What are the distinctive characteristics of American society?
    • What is American political culture?
    • What values and principles are basic to American constitutional democracy?

  15. NSS-C.9-12.5 ROLES OF THE CITIZEN
    What are the Roles of the Citizen in American Democracy?
    • What is citizenship?
    • What are the rights of citizens?
    • What are the responsibilities of citizens?
    • What civic dispositions or traits of private and public character are important to the preservation and improvement of American constitutional democracy?
    • How can citizens take part in civic life?