Mood:
celebratory
What you need to do for your 2 – 3 minute presentation:
- Share your issue, your argument on the issue and the points you use to develop your argument
- Share compelling evidence they use to support ONE of your points
- Read your opening or closing
- Answer questions your 7th grade peers have about the issue or argument
The Rest of the class will be doing the following:
- Listening for the
o Issue
o Argument on the issue
o The Points used
Potential Question Ideas
- What other evidence the speaker used to prove his point?
- What was the counterargument?
- How the counterargument was rebutted?
- What is the Call to Action?
- What other information did the speaker find on the issue?
Mr. Diaz’s presentation Notes:
The issue I am focusing on is 1 hour 45 minute block periods versus 50 minute traditional periods. Students can’t focus their attention for such a long time and students’ academic performance is negatively affected by the length of the period.
Middle school students struggle to finish 1 hour and 45 minutes of a block period lesson, so why make them try? In a study done by the Los Angeles Board of Education, it was reported that students in the 50 minute period system did better on tests based on the lesson material studied over their friends who had classes that were 1 hour and 45 minutes long. The difference was a 15% better score on average. 15 percent! Even an adult attention span has trouble staying focused for a class nearly two hours long, and with material like PSPs, other video games, and TV shows that change very quickly, an average student should not be expected to stay on task for more than 40 – 50 minutes in a lesson at school.
Block periods should be removed and then 50 minute traditional periods should take their place. I mean, if a system isn’t broken, why try to fix it? I recommend you as students and even some teachers from ISLC get together and sign some petitions so you can change your school system. Many students take an active role in their education, and you can do the same thing if you get up and start trying to help yourself be a better achiever by making your class periods shorter and more beneficial to you.