Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students use debating to communicate ideas about the best way to replace coal produced electricity with alternatives. Students can use the a research learning tool to help organise their ideas. 

Learning goals for this activity include:

  • Obtain and communicate supporting evidence for the best way to replace coal fired power stations with better alternatives.
  • Decide whether debating is a good method for finding solutions. 
  • Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively to research and compile information on issues.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively to communicate lessons from research through class-wide debate.
  • Communicate effectively in fair and considered class-wide discussion on issues.
  • Demonstrate ability to work independently to express personal opinions on the issue with thought and clarity (extension).

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions: 

Year 7 Science

  • Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management (ACSHE121)

Year 7 English

  • Interpret the stated and implied meanings in spoken texts, and use evidence to support or challenge different perspectives (ACELY1730)
  • Reflect on ideas and opinions about characters, settings and events in literary texts, identifying areas of agreement and difference with others and justifying a point of view (ACELT1620)

Year 8 Science

  • Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management (ACSHE136)

Year 8 English

  • Listen to spoken texts constructed for different purposes, for example to entertain and to persuade, and analyse how language features of these texts position listeners to respond in particular ways (ACELY1740)
  • Recognise and explain differing viewpoints about the world, cultures, individual people and concerns represented in texts (ACELT1807)

Syllabus Outcomes: SC4-13ES, EN4-1A, EN4-2A, EN4-8D, EN5-1A. 

Module: Energy

Year levels: 7 and 8

Indoor or outdoor activity: Indoor

Time required: 15 mins initially to explain, 45 mins for research, 45 mins for debate and discussion.

Learning areas addressed: English, Geography, Science.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Oversee debate, engage students in concluding discussion.

Resources required: Internet and library access, writing materials.

Homework and extension opportunities: Parts of this activity can be set as homework, or undertaken in extra lessons. This activity has opportunities for extension.

Keywords: Energy, coal, renewable resources, non-renewable resources, debate.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Copyright 2016© Cool Australia. You may view, display, printout and copy this material for non-commercial educational purposes provided you retain all acknowledgement associated with this material.

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Teacher preparation

Some countries have been working for decades to reduce their reliance on coal fired power stations. In the future, all countries will need to cut their use of coal. What is the best way to do this?

The Debate

Divide your class into teams of four students. Two teams will be given one of the potential solutions to reducing coal fired power from the list below. One team of four will be the affirmative speakers and the other will be the negative speakers. There are specific rounds that alternate between affirmative and negative speakers. The rule for procedure of presentations is that the affirmative debaters speaks first, for eight minutes. Then the negative speakers present for eight minutes. Then each team can be cross-questioned by the audience at the end.

The potential solutions to reducing coal fired power stations are:

1. Have a carbon tax that allows alternative energy to compete with coal fired power stations and use the money from the tax to give everyo

...
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Student Worksheet

Two teams will be given one of the potential solutions to reducing coal fired power from the list below. One team of four will be the affirmative speakers and the other will be the negative speakers. There are specific rounds that alternate between affirmative and negative speakers. The rule for procedure of presentations is that the affirmative debaters speaks first, for eight minutes. Then the negative speakers present for eight minutes. Then each team can be cross-questioned by the audience at the end.

Groups are provided with one of the possible solutions to debate. They need to find supporting evidence to formulate convincing arguments. They can use health, employment, economy and environmental benefits as part of their arguments. You can print a research learning tool to help organise your ideas. 

Some potential debating points about coal fired power stations are:

1. Have a carbon tax that allows alternative energy to compete with coal fired power stations and use the money fr

...
View Download / Print

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