Nuclear Energy Debates Collaboration of Science and Language

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Nuclear Energy DebatesCollaboration of Science
and Language

• Jim Litz
• Tamra Hatch

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Combining Language and Science

• Science Fair
• Creating books
• Newspapers in class
• Local newspaper education page
• Persuasive speeches
• Combined field trips with language and science
  components
  
• Debates

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• 4U in the
• Missoulian

• Bird Books

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Beginning the Debate Process

• Language
• Research skills
• Guided research
• Impromptu speeches
• Persuasive writing
• Debate practice

• Science
• Background knowledge
• Power Points
• Labs
• Field trips
• Research

Dear Parents, For the next few weeks in science
and language the students will be researching
energy issues facing our world today. The
culmination of this research will be a debate
between homerooms. The students will be resear
ching issues centered on fossil fuel, alternative
energy, and nuclear energy. They will prepare
arguments for both sides of the issue
, and at the end will be told which side of the
issue they will debate.
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The advantages of debates

• Debating Teaches Many Essential Skills
• Using debates in the classroom can help students
  grasp many essential critical thinking and
  presentation skills. Among the skills classroom
  debates can foster are
• abstract thinking analytical thinking
  citizenship/ethics/etiquette clarity
  cross-examination/questioning point of view
  distinguishing fact from opinion identifying
  bias language usage organization personal
  vs. political values persuasion public
  speaking research teamwork/cooperation many
  more! students love debating
• http//www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/less
  on304.shtml

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Title of this years debate

• Considering population growth, the increasing
  energy demand world wide, and the environmental
  degradation that occurs with power production,
  should some of the additional energy demands be
  derived by bringing more nuclear power plants on
  line?

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Major research topics for the energy debates

• Nuclear physics and radiation
• Waste disposal
• Transportation
• Fuel supply, mining, and processing
• Safety
• Environmental footprint
• Fuel reprocessing
• Nuclear proliferation
• Containment
• Location
• Issues involved in fossil fuel development - such
  as global warming, acid rain, particulates,
  nonrenewable resources
  
• Issues involved in alternative energy
  development
  

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Research Internet and libraryBe aware of bias
and incorrect information, especially from the
Internet.

• A SMALL SAMPLE OF POSSIBLE RESEARCH SITES
• ABC's of Nuclear Science http//www.lbl.gov/abc/
• http//www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/train.htmk-12
  
  
• Environmental Protection Agency
  http//www.epa.gov/
  
• The Nuclear Energy Institute http//www.nei.org/
  
• U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  http//www.nrc.gov/
  
• Yucca Mountain Project www.ymp.gov/
• State of Nevada www.silver.state.nv.us/
• Idaho National Laboratory http//www.inl.gov/
• http//www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm
• http//www3.iptv.org/exploremore/energy/Teacher_Re
  sources/webquests.cfm
  
• http//www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/
  nuclear
  
• http//www.wagingpeace.org/menu/issues/nuclear-ene
  rgy--waste/start/fact-sheet_new.htm
  
• http//www.sustainabilityinstitute.org/dhm_archive
  /index.php
  
• www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/issues/fossil_fuel
  s/index.html - 16k -
  
• http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reac
  tion/
  
• http//www.ieer.org/pubs/highlvl1.html
  High-Level Dollars, Low-Level Sense
  
• http//www.sierraclub.org/nuclearwaste/yucca_facts
  heet.asp

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Designing a debate unit
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Tasks to be completed while teams
are doing research

• Assign sides
• Select captains
• Assign subtopics
• Develop persuasive writing skills
• Continue research
• Pull together main points
• Create posters and/or PowerPoints
• Fine tune public speaking
• Provide debate format
• Practice debating skills

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Debate Rubrichttp//www.educationworld.com/a_less
on/03/lp304-01.shtml
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Lincoln/Douglas Debate Format (Team format lower
on page) 1AC (first Affirmative Constructive) 7
minutesA good introduction that attracts the
audiences attention and interest in the
topicClearly state the resolutionClearly state
each of your contentions    Support with reason
and evidenceConclude effectively
Cross Ex of the Aff by the Neg 3 minutesYou
ask questions have a strategy or at the very
least a direction to your questioningBe
courteousFace the audience 1NC (first Negative C
onstructive) 8 minutesA good introduction that
attracts the audiences attention and interest in
the topicClearly state the Negatives position
on the topicClearly state the Negatives
Observations    Support with reason and
evidenceAttack and question the Affirmatives
Contentions/evidenceConclude effectively
Cross Ex of the Neg by the Aff 3 minutes   You
ask questions have a strategy or at the very
least a direction to your questioningBe
courteousFace the audience  
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Rebuttal Speeches No new arguments are allowed
new evidence, analysis is ok
 1AR (first Affirmative Rebuttal) - 4
minutesRespond to the Neg Observations show
how they are not as strong/relevant as the Aff
ContentionsRebuild the Aff case
 NR (Negative Rebuttal) 7 minutesRespond to
latest Affirmative argumentsMake your final case
to the audience that the Neg position is superior
to the AffTry and convince the audience the Aff
has failed to carry the burden of proofSummarize
the debate and conclude effectively and ask for
the audience to agree with the Neg position
 2AR (second Affirmative Rebuttal) 4
minutesRespond to final Negative
argumentsSummarize the debate and show the
audience how the Aff position is superior and
the Aff has     carried the burden of
proofConclude effectively.                    
                                                  
                                                  
                                                  
                               
                                  
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Debates
Debates Please join us on Tuesday, December 20t
h from 630-800 P.M. for our debate over curren
t energy issues. Friends and family are welcome!
The debate will be held in the multipurpose
room at Target Range School. ------------------
--------------------------------------------------
----------- Please let us know if you can provide
cookies or punch for the evening. Thank you.
We are looking forward to seeing you Tuesday
evening! Ms. Hatch and Mr. Litz I will bring c
ookies. I will provide punch.
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Last Minute Details

• Judges
• Location
• Dress code
• Sound system
• Programs
• Refreshments
• Judging forms
• Enjoy the process and results

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Lets try our debating skills

• Topic 1
• Should spent nuclear fuel be reprocessed?
• Topic 2
• Nuclear waste disposal