What is Policy Debate?

Policy Debate is a two person activity which typically focuses on questions of governmental action. Policy debaters can think of themselves as legislators actually debating critical national, or international, issues. Policy topics tend to be rather broad and policy debaters keep the same topic all year. In the past few years, policy debates have become "more critical," which means that policy debaters are debating underlying assumptions made by peoples and governments in addition to debating what sort of actions the US federal government might take. In the Beginning Policy class students not only learn how to do policy debate, but also learn about the topic, and about the many other ideas connected to the topic. In the Advanced Policy class students continue to develop their skills to speak, write, listen and think critically. Please note that in 2019-2020 Lexington is implementing a Six Day Cycle instead of a Weekly schedule. For now, I have listed both, but will delete the "Week" labels as the year progresses.
--------------------- Please Note: All class activities below this line are from 2018-2019. I will update as appropriate. ---------------------

First Quarter

Week 1/Cycle 1 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Course Expectations/Schedules/Required Forms
Icebreakers
Article Based Mini-Debates

Week 2/Cycle 1 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Introduction to the Immigration Topic
Discussion of What it Means to be Affirmative
CX of the Affirmative Case
Ethos/Logos/Pathos Activity

Week 3/Cycle 2 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Flowing Presentation and Flowing Exercises
Set Up Impact Calc Tournament
Prepare for the Impact Calc Tournament (Including Practicing CX)

Week 4/Cycle 2 and 3 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Kahoot Review
Impact Calc Tournament

Week 5/Cycle 3 and 4 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Finish the Impact Calc Tournament
Introduction to the Stock Issues
​Review How the Affirmative Works

Week 6/Cycle 4 and 5 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Discuss Our Specific Affirmative Case
Cross-Examination Activity
Small Quiz/Hand Back Impact Calc Flows
Partnership Conferences
Highlighting Instructions/Distribution of Affirmative Cases
How the Negative Works

Week 7/Cycle 5 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Introduction to Disadvantages/Mini Disad Debates
Discussion of Counterplans, Disads and How They Work Together
Distribution of a Counterplan and a Disad (With Highlighting Instructions)
Practice With the Counterplan and the Disad

Week 8/Cycle 5 and 6 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Prepare for CP and Disad Mini Debates
Flowing Drill
​Do CP and Disad Mini Debates
Debrief the Scrimmage
Rebuttal Redos

Week 9/Cycle 6 and 7 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Continue Highlighting
Answering CP and Disad Drill
How To Make a Round Map
Intro to Tabroom.com
Q&A Before Manchester

Week 10/Cycle 7 and 8 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Debriefing Manchester
How to Divide the Neg Block
Work in Groups on the Neg Block
Severance and How to Do the 1AR

Week 11/Cycle 8 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Introduction to Topicality
Finish Rebuttal Redos (Some Done Online)

Second Quarter

Week 12/Cycle 8 and 9 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Learning about the Capitalism K
Little Lex Prep
How to Answer Unfamiliar Arguments
​Tournament Etiquette

Week 13/Cycle 9 and 10 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Debrief Little Lex
Talk About Potential Partner Changes and PF
Hand Out Cap K
Skill-Building Stations Activity

Week 14/Cycle 10 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Answering New Affs Activity
Flowing Exercises
Briefing on Potential Mamaroneck Cases
Mamaroneck Prep

Week 15/Cycle 10 and 11 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Debrief Mamaroneck
Start Introducing K Affirmatives
Debating Framework
Cap K vs K Affs
Q & A on Any Issue/Highlight New Files

Week 16/Cycle 11 and 12 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Debrief Ridge
Speaking Exercises
Answering Arguments -- Speech by Speech Things to Think About

Week 17/Cycle 12 and 13 -- Beginning Policy Debate

2A Hustle -- Instruction and Drills
Speaking Drills for Other Speakers
Introduction to Using Computers in Debate Rounds
Presentation on the Base DA

Week 18/Cycle 13 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Go Over New Materials Needed for Newark
Q&A With a TA

Week 19/Cycle 13 and 14 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Debrief Newark and Review Upcoming Events
Discuss Theory and Run Demo Theory Debates With Flowing by Everyone
Discuss New Partnerships and Dropbox
More Demo Theory Debates With Flowing by Everyone

Week 20/Cycle 14 and 15 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Introduction to New Counterplans
Discussion of Framing Against Soft Left Affs
More Discussion of Frameworks (Especially Utilitarianism)
Flowing and Speaking Activity

Week 21/Cycle 15 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Intro to Philosophy Projects
Intro to the Use of Computers in Debate Rounds
Quiz on the Use of Computers in Debate Rounds

Third Quarter

Week 22/Cycle 15 and 16 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Work on Essays for Kritik Project
Flowing and Speech Doc Creation Activity
Instruction and Practice of Proper "Spreading"
Start Watching a College Debate and Flowing It

Week 23/Cycle 16 and 17 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Debrief Pennsbury -- Discuss Gender Identity Arguments
Continue the NDT Video (Everyone Tries to Flow)
Work on Philosopher Essays

Week 24/Cycle 17 and 18 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Debrief the BDL Tournament and U Penn
Continue the NDT Video (Everyone Tries to Flow)
Discuss the NDT VIdeo

Week 25/Cycle 18 and 19 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Discuss Lakeland, Needham, State and Next Year
Work on Arguments for Lakeland

Week 26/Cycle 19 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Debrief Lakeland
Introduction to the Philosophy Presentations
Work on the Philosophy Presentations

Week 27/Cycle 20 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Clash Drill and Flowing/Argument Exercise
Work on Philosophy Presentations
Prepare for Needham

Week 28/Cycle 20 and 21 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Philosophy Presentations
​Everyone Else Takes Notes

Week 29/Cycle 21 and 22 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Philosophy Presentations
​Everyone Else Takes Notes

Week 30/Cycle 22 and 23 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Philosophy Presentations
​Everyone Else Takes Notes
Review for Philosophy Presentation Quiz
Philosophy Presentation Quiz

Fourth Quarter

Week 31/Cycle 23 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Introduction to the New Topic
Assign Investigation Groups to Explore the New Topic
Introduction to Properly Cutting Cards
Introduction to the Evidence Production Project

Week 32/Cycle 24 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Practice Cutting Cards
Get Official Assignments for Evidence Production Project
Work on the Evidence Production Project

Week 33/Cycle 24 and 25 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Work on Evidence Production Project

Week 34/Cycle 25 and 26 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Work on Evidence Production Project
Split the Class -- Introduction to PF or Advanced Policy Concepts

Week 35/Cycle 26 and 27 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Work on Evidence Production Project
Continue Introduction to PF With Future PFers and People Leaving Debate
Do CX Demo and Exercises With Future Varsity Policy Debaters

Week 36/Cycle 27 and 28 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Finish Evidence Projection Projects
Senior Recognition and Final Q&A With TAs
Introduction to World Schools Format/Assign Topics
Prepare for World Schools Debates

Week 37/Cycle 28 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Finish World Schools Prep/Teach Flowing Format
Start World Schools Debates
Everyone Flows -- The Individuals Not Debating Also Complete Ballots

Week 38/Cycle 28 and 29 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Finish World Schools Debates
Everyone Flows -- The Individuals Not Debating Also Complete Ballots
Discuss Schedules, Evidence Processes and Mentoring

Week 39/Cycle 29 and 30 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Discuss Class Activities for Next Year
Do Impromptu Speeches

Week 40/Cycle 30 and 31 -- Beginning Policy Debate

Discuss Schedule for Next Year

Picture
--------------------- Please Note: All class activities below this line are from 2018-2019. I will update as appropriate. ---------------------

First Quarter

Week 1/Cycle 1 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Course Expectations/Schedules/Required Forms
Review of the Rules
Presentation on Evidence Procedures

Week 2/Cycle 1 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Evaluation of Summer Projects -- Where We Are and Where We Need to Be
Meet in Summer Groups to Review Progress
Read and Cross-Examine 1ACs, Starting with the Ohio Valley Teams
Ohio Valley Support/Work on Novice Files and Other New Assignments

Week 3/Cycle 2 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief Ohio Valley
Re-Conceptualize Yale on the Affirmative and Negative
Finish Reading and Cross-Examining Affirmative Cases
File Support for Yale Yale/Work on All Other File Assignments 

Week 4/Cycle 2 and 3 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief Yale
Rethink Our Existing Files/Improve Files
Discussion of Drills/ Do Drills
Discuss Strategic Concepts
Plan With Long Term Groups/Plan Clash Drill Day

Week 5/Cycle 3 and 4 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Talk About Debate Bad Arguments as a Full Class
Clash Drills -- Everyone Judges Once and Debates Once
Schedule New File Assignments
Introduce the Assignment Tied to the Debate Through I-Block/Do That Assignment
Work on Long Term and Short Term Projects and Case Negs

Week 6/Cycle 4 and 5 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Collect Debate Through I-Block Assignments
Review Existing Case Negs
Hand Back Clash Drill Assignments
Collect Self Reports On Summer and Early School Year File Projects
Small Group Meetings on the K Toolbox
Work on Old Assignments/New Trier Support

Week 7/Cycle 5 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief New Trier
Create a New List of Files We Need
Create Speech Docs Against Sample Cases with Different Types of Judges (Working With Partners)
Discussion of Bronx Science Prefs
Assign a New Group of Case Negs and Work on Them
​Provide Support for Teams at the Bronx

Week 8/Cycle 5 and 6 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief Big Bronx -- Discuss Common Arguments
Review Current Assignments and Potential Needs
Student Lecture -- Cap vs K Affs
Analyze Clash Points in a Debate Through I-Block
Student Lecture -- Debating Framework

Week 9/Cycle 6 and 7 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief Wake Forest
Work on Michigan (and Manchester Novice) Assignments
Update File Production Reports

Week 10/Cycle 7 and 8 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief Michigan
Evaluate Evidence Support Process
Discuss Reset November
Small Group Discussions -- What Evidence We Need and What Lectures We Want
​Small Group Discussion -- What Can We Do to Produce Better Files

Week 11/Cycle 8 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Make November Case Neg and Other Assignments
Discuss Politics in Light of Mid-Terms
Work on New Assignments

Second Quarter

Week 12/Cycle 8 and 9 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Presentation on Quality Case Negs for Policy Cases and K Affs
Work on November Assignments
Reminders About Little Lex Responsibilities/Do Little Lex Prep

Week 13/Cycle 9 and 10 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Assign New Files/Talk About the Grading of Files
​Work on File Assignments

Week 14/Cycle 10 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Mamaroneck Teams Talk About Strategies With Non-Mamaroneck Competitors
Student Lecture -- The Base DA
Partnership Work for December Tournaments
Work on Mamaroneck Prefs
Work on New Files Assignments/Team Support at Mamaroneck

Week 15/Cycle 10 and 11 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief Mamaroneck
Six Off Drill -- Days 1 and 2
Prep for Blake and Ridge Support

Week 16/Cycle 11 and 12 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Review Undone Forms and Needed Blake Work
Work on Blake Prefs
Finish Blake Projects/Blake Support

Week 17/Cycle 12 and 13 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Blake Debrief in Small Groups
Written Assignment -- How Do You Attack Increased Immigration Without Sounding Racist?
Full Class Discussion of Arguments We Have and Arguments We Need

Week 18/Cycle 13 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Review of Upcoming Events
Assign Emory/Pennsbury/U Penn Work
Use Class Time to Clarify and Work on Projects

Week 19/Cycle 13 and 14 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief Newark
Work on File Assignments
Debate From Class to After School
Discuss Arguments

Week 20/Cycle 14 and 15 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Topic Specific In Class Debating Activity for Everyone
Debrief the In Class Debating Activity
Student Led Presentation on Soft Left Affs vs Framework
Work on Assigned Projects
Big Lex Prep

Week 21/Cycle 15 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Review Future Events
Work on Assigned Files and Finish Them
Emory Support and Prep for the February Tournaments

Third Quarter

Week 22/Cycle 15 and 16 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief Emory
Small Group Discussions of Pennsbury Arguments
Work With Partners to Prep for Upcoming Tournaments
Pennsbury Support While Working on Files for U Penn and Harvard

Week 23/Cycle 16 and 17 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief Pennsbury/Assign Additional Harvard Projects
Work on Harvard Assignments
Discuss NDCA/Camps/Course Recs
Provide Support for Students at U Penn

Week 24/Cycle 17 and 18 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Finish Harvard Assignments
Prep for Harvard/Work on Prefs

Week 25/Cycle 18 and 19 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Go Over March Events and Hold Conferences About Next Year
Work on Projects for Lakeland
Team by Team Discussion of Lakeland Prefs
Support for Students Competing at Lakeland

Week 26/Cycle 19 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Debrief Lakeland and Review Procedures
Guest Lecture by an Alum
Assign Work for NDCA and TOC

Week 27/Cycle 20 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Discuss Overall Plans for Pre-NDCA/TOC Weeks
Reading and CX Exercises
Student Presentation on Answering Anti-Blackness Arguments

Week 28/Cycle 20 and 21 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Work on NDCA/TOC File Assignments
Student Presentation on Disadvantages
More Reading and CX Exercises

Week 29/Cycle 21 and 22 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Finish Wave 1 Pre-Nats Projects
Finish the Reading and CX Exercises Activity
Make Wave 2 Pre-Nats Assignments

Week 30/Cycle 22 and 23 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Check-in on Wave 2 Pre-Nats Projects
Start Tagging and Highlighting Activity
Structured Discussions Between NDCA Teams and Assigned Peers
​Work on Wave 2 Pre-Nats Projects

Fourth Quarter

Week 31/Cycle 23 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Work on NDCA/TOC File Assignments
Prepare for NDCA (Including Discussion of Prefs)
Work on Analysis of Tags and Highlighting Assignment
Provide Support for Teams at NDCA National Tournament

Week 32/Cycle 24 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Finish TOC File Assignments
Prepare for TOC (Including Discussion of Prefs)
Finish Evidence Analysis Assignment
Start Working on Writing New Tags and Doing New Underlining/Highlighting Assignment
Provide Support for Teams at TOC

Week 33/Cycle 24 and 25 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Complete NDCA/TOC Work Report
Complete Spring Planning Survey
Review Observations on File Production Process
Discuss the New Topic

Week 34/Cycle 25 and 26 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Discuss Making the Most of Camp or Getting Prepared When Not Attending Camp
Peer Edit the Tagging and Highlighting/Underlining Assignment
Pick a Part of the New Topic and Prepare Two Minute Presentations

Week 35/Cycle 26 and 27 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Do New Topic Two Minute Presentations
Finish Peer Editing and Old Work

Week 36/Cycle 27 and 28 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Senior Recognition
More Full Class Discussion of the Arms Sales Topic
Choose Topics for Mini-File Assignments
Start Arms Sales Mini-File Assignments

Week 37/Cycle 28 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Work on Arms Sales Mini-Files
Individual Check-Ins on Mini-Files 

Week 38/Cycle 28 and 29 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Finish Mini-Files and Peer Edit Them
Work With Magnets to Start Planning Next Year's Schedule
Plan Preseason Assignments
Discuss Fall Class Schedule and Sophomore Mentoring Program

Week 39/Cycle 29 and 30 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Settle Partnerships and Try to Settle Early Season Tournaments
Finalize Plans for the Best Use of Class Time in the Fall

Week 40/Cycle 30 and 31 -- Advanced Policy Debate

Talk About Start of Year Schedule