Off the Coast  of Thailand Summer 2018

What is Public Forum Debate?

Public Forum is the newest form of debate we do at Lexington. It is a two person activity which is specifically designed for the lay audience. When it was first created, Public Forum could only be judged by high school teachers and people with no previous connection to debate. Even thought today college students and others with previous debate experience do judge public forum, its essential character has not changed. Public Forum has a Sept-Oct topic, a Nov-Dec topic and then changes topics every month, starting in January and running through the rest of the year. Students are expected to present their evidence and arguments slowly and persuasively. The speeches are short and in the end, must focus on a limited number of issues. Parents are encouraged to be trained and then to volunteer to judge Public Forum. Starting in the 2019-2020 school year, we will be offering both Beginning and Advanced Public Forum (or PF) classes, which focus on the argument construction and presentation skills specific to Public Forum and which will include time for frequent in class practice debates to allow all students to improve their speaking, writing, listening and critical thinking skills. 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. Since 2019-20 is the first year for our Novice PF class, I will just start with the Cycles for Novice PF.

First Quarter

Cycle 1 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 2 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 3 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 4 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 5 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 6 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 7 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 8 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Second Quarter

Cycle 9 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 10 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 11 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 12 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 13 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 14 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 15 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Third Quarter

Cycle 16 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 17 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 18 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 19 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 20 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 21 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 22 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Fourth Quarter

Cycle 23 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 24 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 25 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 26 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 27 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 28 -- Novice Public Forum Class

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Cycle 29 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Cycle 30 -- Novice Public Forum Class

New Curriculum

Off the Coast of Thailand Summer 2018                                                                      

--------------------- Please Note: All class activities below this line are from LAST year. I will update as appropriate. ---------------------

First Quarter

Week 1/Cycle 1 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Course Expectations/Schedules/Required Forms
Reminder About the Rules
​Discuss the Law of the Seas Topic

Week 2/Cycle 1 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Review the Process for Properly Cutting Cards
Law of the Seas Argument Construction Workshop
Flowing Instruction and Flowing Drills

Week 3/Cycle 2 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Discuss Arguments People are Actually Running
Peer Editing for Yale Teams
Review of Blocks and Contentions
Individual Time to Write Cases

Week 4/Cycle 2 and 3 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Debrief Yale
Rethink the Arguments People are Currently Running
In Class Debates #1 and #2 -- Everyone Else Flows and Makes Lists of Important Arguments

Week 5/Cycle 3 and 4 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

In Class Debates #3, #4, #5 and #6
Everyone Else Flows and Makes Lists of Important Arguments on a Speech by Speech Basis

Week 6/Cycle 4 and 5 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

In Class Debates #7 and #8
Everyone Else Flows and Makes Lists of Important Arguments on a Speech by Speech Basis
Discuss November-Topic Topic And Develop List of Research Topics
​Make Sure Old Cases Uploaded -- Work on New Card Assignments

Week 7/Cycle 5 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Collect Data (Argument Lists) from Sept-Oct In Class Debates
Analyze the Data in Small Groups
Work on Card Assignments and November-December Cases

Week 8/Cycle 5 and 6 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Go Over Logistics and Deadlines
Discuss November-December Topic a Bit More
Work on November-December Card Assignment
Present Results from Small Group Data Analyses
Discuss Backwards Planning a Bit More Comprehensively

Week 9/Cycle 6 and 7 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Work on Card Assignment and Cases
Introduce the Tournament Data Form
Watch and Flow the Sample PF Debate
Write Quality Ballots for the Video Debate
Do Cross Fire Drills for Manchester Teams

Week 10/Cycle 7 and 8 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Debrief Manchester
Present November-December Shared Cards
Discuss Potential Pro and Con Case Arguments
​Work on November-December Cases

Week 11/Cycle 8 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Work on November-December Cases
​Practice Debates for Scarsdale

Second Quarter

Week 12/Cycle 8 and 9 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Debrief Scarsdale
Plan for Rest of November-December Debates
Work on November-December Cases/Blocks
Little Lex Prep
November-December Debate #3

Week 13/Cycle 9 and 10 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

November-December Debates #4 and #5

Week 14/Cycle 10 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

November-December Debates #6 and #7
Make Sure Cases and Blocks are in Dropbox

Week 15/Cycle 10 and 11 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

November-December Debate #8
Debrief Princeton -- Talk About Bringing Rounds Home
Analysis of the January Topic -- Free Ranging Research
Prepare for Lincoln-Sudbury
Start Thinking About the January Topic Independently

Week 16/Cycle 11 and 12 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Put Arguments on January Topic  Research List/Choose Topics
Research Chosen Arguments
Share Preliminary Findings and Continue Research
Finish and Upload Shared Cards

Week 17/Cycle 12 and 13 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Present the Cards from Individual January Card Projects
Discuss Potential Contentions
Choose Sides and Start Writing Cases

Week 18/Cycle 13 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Review January Topic and Set Schedule for January In-Class Debates
Really Finish January Cases

Week 19/Cycle 13 and 14 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

In-Class Debate in Preparation for Newton South
Everyone Else Flows and Writes Advice for Teams Attending Newton South

Week 20/Cycle 14 and 15 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

In-Class Debates on the January Topic for Everyone Else
​Everyone Else Flows and Writes Advice for Teams Debating at a Place Like Newton South

Week 21/Cycle 15 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Discuss the February Topic
Brainstorm a List of Potential Arguments on the February Topic
Work in Pairs to Research and Write an Argument from the List
Start Researching and Writing February Cases

Third Quarter

Week 22/Cycle 15 and 16 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Work on February Cases
Pennsbury Practice Debate
Last Change to Work on February Cases

Week 23/Cycle 16 and 17 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Practice Debates for U Penn
​Everyone Else Flows and Writes Advice for Debating in Front of U Penn Judges
Other February Practice Debate (With MA Specific Advice from the Flowing Observers)

Week 24/Cycle 17 and 18 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Discuss the March Topic (Work on March Cases for Homework)
Finish the February Practice Debates
Everyone Else Flows and Writes Advice for Debating in MA

Week 25/Cycle 18 and 19 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Discuss the March Schedule
Work on March Cases
Practice Debates for Shrewsbury
​Everyone Else Flows and Writes Advice for Debating at Shrewsbury

Week 26/Cycle 19 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

More Debates on the March Topic
​​Everyone Else Flows and Writes Advice for Debating at Brandeis or Needham
Finish/Improve March Cases (for Homework)

Week 27/Cycle 20 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Debrief Brandeis
Finalize March Cases and Blocks
Practice Debates for Needham/State
Everyone Who is Not Debating Flows and Advice for Debating Better at Needham and/or State

Week 28/Cycle 20 and 21 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Debrief Needham and Discuss State
Really Finalize March Cases and Blocks
Briefly Discuss the UN Topic
Do a Demo Reading and Crossfire Drills
Complete the Investigate the UN Activity

Week 29/Cycle 21 and 22 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Everyone Who is Not Debating Flows and Advice for Debating Better at Needham and/or State
Finish the Investigate the UN Activity
Review Plans for State
State Practice Debates
​Everyone Who is Not Debating Flows and Advice for Debating Better at State
Work Individually With Kids Whose Partners for State Were Missing

Week 30/Cycle 22 and 23 -- Varsity Public Forum Class

Discuss the UN Topic in More Detail
Work on the UN Card Cutting Assignment
Full Class Review of Cut Cards
Individual Work on Analysis of Cut Cards Assignment

Fourth Quarter

Week 31/Cycle 23 -- Public Forum Class

Produce Evidence for NDCA Topic
Work on Evidence Analysis Assignment

Week 32/Cycle 24 -- Public Forum Class

Finish Evidence Analysis Assignment
Write Ballot Based On NDCA Flow
​Start Looking Into NCFL Topic

Week 33/Cycle 24 and 25 -- Public Forum Class

Work on First Contention of NCFL Topic Cases
Peer Editing of NCFL First Contentions
Improve First Contention and Continue Writing Cases

Week 34/Cycle 25 and 26 -- Public Forum Class

Finish NCFL Cases
Peer Edit Full Cases
Make Final Case Improvements

Week 35/Cycle 26 and 27 -- Public Forum Class

Review Full NCFL Cases Together In Class
Demonstrate Case Reading and Crossfire
Do Reading and Crossfire Exercise
​Really Finish Full Case Peer Editing

Week 36/Cycle 27 and 28 -- Public Forum Class

Finish Reading and Crossfire Exercise
Senior Recognition
Spring Planning Form
Pick Topics for Congress Resolutions

Week 37/Cycle 28 -- Public Forum Class

​Write Congress Resolutions/Prepare Speeches
Start Congress

Week 38/Cycle 28 and 29 -- Public Forum Class

Continue Congress

Week 39/Cycle 29 and 30 -- Public Forum Class

Do Fall Evidence and Schedule Planning
Discuss New VPF Mentoring and Novice Mentoring
Develop Integrated Plan for Novice and Varsity PF Classes

Week 40/Cycle 30 and 31 -- Public Forum Class

Kaz At NSDA