Debate is among the finest methods to construct highschool college students’ communication and demanding pondering abilities. Highschool debate matters can fluctuate from lighthearted enjoyable (Is a sizzling canine a sandwich?) to downright controversial (Ought to we abolish the loss of life penalty?), however all of them give college students an opportunity to construct real-world expertise in pondering critically, talking clearly, and disagreeing with respect.
Our wide-ranging record of debate matters for highschool college students ranges from lighthearted and enjoyable (good for brand new debaters) to advanced and moral (splendid for college kids with expertise). The themes cowl concepts that basically attraction to college students this age, from college and training points to popular culture and know-how. You’ll additionally discover suggestions for selecting matters, prepping college students for debate, and extra, plus free graphic organizers!
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Instructor Tip: Use our hyperlinks to offer college students a jump-start!
Every considered one of our debate matters for highschool college students features a hyperlink to a trusted, dependable supply that gives professionals and/or cons on the subject, plus proof and knowledge for college kids to contemplate. It will assist even reluctant college students make begin, particularly when paired with our free printables!
College and Training Debate Matters
- It’s higher to be good at teachers than to be good at sports activities.
- Last exams ought to be abolished.
- College students ought to be required to put on college uniforms.
- Non-public faculties are higher than public faculties.
- 12 months-round college is healthier for college kids.
- Standardized checks are efficient.
- Each pupil ought to need to take part in athletics.
- Single-gender faculties are higher for college kids.
- Colleges ought to be allowed to show crucial race idea.
- Math is an important college topic.
- Colleges ought to educate intercourse ed as an alternative of abstinence solely.
- Letter grades ought to be abolished.
- Academics ought to be changed by computer systems.
- Individuals who get higher grades at school can be extra profitable in life.
- Generally it’s OK to cheat on homework or a check.
- College students who fail a check ought to be given the prospect to take it once more.
- Outside recess is vital at each grade stage.
- College students ought to be allowed to grade academics.
- Everybody ought to have the ability to carry their pets to high school.
- Shorter college days are higher for college kids.
- Colleges ought to get rid of gown codes.
- Everybody ought to be required to go to varsity.
- Faculty ought to be free for everybody who needs to attend.
- Colleges ought to set up secure rooms in case of mass shootings or pure disasters.
- Colleges ought to be allowed to ban some books from their libraries.
- Guide smarts are higher than road smarts.
- Colleges ought to educate life abilities like cooking and private finance.
- College vouchers profit college students and faculties.
- Faith has no place in faculties.
- In-person college is healthier than on-line college.
- Conventional college is healthier than homeschooling.
- Constitution faculties ought to obtain public college funds.
Authorities and Civics Debate Matters
- The voting age ought to be lowered to 16.
- Democracy is the very best type of authorities.
- All People ought to be required to vote.
- The driving age ought to be raised to 18.
- The consuming age ought to be lowered to 18.
- Supreme Courtroom judges ought to be appointed for mounted phrases.
- Dad and mom ought to be punished for his or her kids’s crimes.
- A progressive revenue tax is healthier than a flat tax.
- All college students ought to be required to volunteer of their neighborhood.
- America isn’t prepared to just accept a girl president but.
- Police funding ought to be redirected to social companies.
- America ought to implement a common primary revenue.
- We must always require individuals of all genders to register for the draft.
- Gun security legal guidelines infringe on the Second Modification.
- Anybody over 12 ought to be tried as an grownup in court docket.
- We must always require individuals to take drug checks earlier than receiving authorities help like welfare.
- The federal government ought to present funding for public artwork packages.
- There are cheap limits to freedom of speech.
Science and Expertise Debate Matters
- Plastic bottles ought to be banned.
- It’s vital to spend cash exploring house.
- Creating international locations have to satisfy the identical environmental requirements as extra developed nations.
- GMOs are extra useful than dangerous.
- Human cloning ought to be authorized.
- We must always ban fossil fuels.
- Nuclear weapons ought to be banned worldwide.
- Testing on animals ought to be unlawful.
- Macs are higher than PCs.
- Androids are higher than iPhones.
- We must always change all paper paperwork with digital variations.
- Dad and mom ought to use their youngsters’ cell telephones to trace them.
- There may be clever life on different planets.
- We must always use stem cells from human embryos for scientific analysis.
- Individuals rely an excessive amount of on know-how.
- Web neutrality ought to be necessary for web service suppliers.
- Expanded use of synthetic intelligence can be good for humanity.
- Expertise is creating extra jobs than it eliminates.
- Colleges ought to have surveillance cameras in school rooms and hallways.
- America ought to present free web entry for everybody.
- Cryptocurrencies ought to change money.
- Scientists ought to attempt to develop a manner for everybody to dwell perpetually.
- Pluto ought to nonetheless be thought-about a planet.
- Governments ought to subsidize applied sciences like electrical automobiles and photo voltaic panels for homes.
Well being and Life-style Debate Matters
- People shouldn’t eat animals.
- Cigarette smoking and vaping ought to be banned totally.
- Drug addicts ought to obtain assist as an alternative of punishment.
- Euthanasia ought to be authorized.
- Vaccines ought to be necessary.
- White-collar jobs are higher than blue-collar jobs.
- Abortion rights and different reproductive rights ought to be protected beneath the regulation.
- Marijuana ought to be authorized in every single place.
- Junk meals ought to be banned at school cafeterias.
- Colleges ought to present free psychological well being companies to college students and academics.
- All medicine ought to be legalized, regulated, and taxed, like alcohol.
- Healthcare ought to be common.
- Magnificence pageants are sexist.
- Individuals ought to need to take a parenting class earlier than having a baby.
- Medical doctors shouldn’t be allowed to prescribe psychiatric medicine like Ritalin or SSRIs to kids.
- Organ donation ought to be necessary after loss of life.
Social Justice and Ethics Debate Matters
- Women face extra peer stress than boys.
- Giving is healthier than receiving.
- Animals shouldn’t be stored in zoos.
- Happiness is extra vital than success.
- In case you discover cash on the bottom, it’s robotically yours to maintain.
- It’s higher to be variety than to be truthful.
- We must always dispose of gender-specific public bogs.
- Studying about historical past can cease us from repeating previous errors.
- Moral looking and fishing is feasible.
- Males shouldn’t be allowed to make legal guidelines that have an effect on ladies’s our bodies.
- The loss of life penalty ought to be abolished.
- Safety is extra vital than freedom.
- The federal government ought to pay reparations to descendants of enslaved individuals.
- Faith does extra hurt than good.
- We’ll by no means obtain world peace.
- We must always make the trail to American citizenship simpler.
- A powerful center class is important to the economic system.
- Transgender athletes ought to be allowed to compete in sports activities in accordance with their gender id.
- Felony profiling is inherently racist.
- We must always return management of ancestral lands to Indigenous communities.
- The American justice system is inherently racist.
- Ageism is a serious downside in our society.
- Felons ought to be allowed to vote after serving their time in jail.
- The UN ought to require all member international locations to just accept a minimal variety of refugees annually.
Leisure and Expertise Debate Matters
- Actuality tv depicts actual life.
- Colleges ought to permit college students to make use of telephones at school.
- Social media is making us much less social.
- Social media does extra hurt than good.
- Video video games are higher than board video games.
- Video gaming is a sport.
- Studying books is healthier than watching TV.
- The ebook is all the time higher than the film.
- Enjoying video video games makes you smarter.
- Paper books are higher than e-books.
- All museums and zoos ought to be free to everybody.
- Everybody ought to play on the identical sports activities groups, no matter gender.
Enjoyable and Simple Debate Matters
- Canines are higher pets than cats.
- A taco is a sandwich.
- Summer time is healthier than winter.
- Coke is healthier than Pepsi.
- Pepperoni is the very best pizza topping.
- Fruit counts as dessert.
- The quantity 13 shouldn’t be unfortunate.
- Individuals ought to eat to dwell, not dwell to eat.
- Monday is the worst day of the week.
- Clowns are extra scary than humorous.
- Trendy music is healthier than classical music.
- Aliens dwell amongst us right here on Earth.
- It’s OK to place ketchup on a sizzling canine.
- Was Robin Hood a thief or a insurgent hero?
- It might be higher to have the ability to fly than to have the ability to flip invisible.
- It’s higher to be too sizzling than too chilly.
- We must always permit individuals to go barefoot anyplace in the event that they wish to.
- Fiction is healthier than non-fiction.
- Utilizing profanity is nice to your psychological well being.
- Leftover pizza is healthier chilly than reheated.
- It’s OK to put on socks with sandals.
- Being well-known is definitely not all that nice.
- GIF ought to be pronounced “JIFF,” not “GIFF.”
- Individuals shouldn’t need to go to high school or work on their birthdays.
Excessive College Debate Matters FAQs
What educational abilities do highschool college students be taught from debating?
Debates educate college students to analysis their matter, make knowledgeable selections, and argue successfully utilizing info as an alternative of emotion. Collaborating in formal debate actions like teams or golf equipment has been proven to have actual educational advantages. College students who be part of debate groups are 12% extra more likely to graduate highschool. One examine additionally confirmed that debate improved language arts achievement practically 3 times extra successfully than conventional studying interventions.
How can debate educate college students to disagree respectfully?
Some academics shrink back from debate within the classroom, afraid it’s going to develop into too adversarial. However debates educate respectful communication, exhibiting college students the right way to disagree with concepts—not individuals. They observe utilizing crucial pondering to assist their viewpoints with info and proof, and construct listening abilities that encourage empathy and tolerance. Constructive debate helps us trade concepts and factors of view rationally, shifting discussions ahead into progress.
How do I select the precise highschool debate matter for my class?
Contemplate your college students’ pursuits, background data, and ability stage. For brand spanking new debaters, begin out with straightforward matters that may have interaction them proper off the bat—attempt foolish however controversial questions like “Does pineapple belong on a pizza?” As youngsters acquire confidence, dig into matters related to their very own lives, equivalent to “Ought to faculties get rid of gown codes?” Skilled debaters are prepared for superior matters like “Ought to we make the trail to American citizenship simpler?”
What can academics do to assist college students who’re nervous about public talking?
Begin small, and construct confidence steadily. Start with staff debates, the place college students work collectively to arrange and defend their standpoint. Pair youngsters with a accomplice for a debate-style personal dialogue, quite than asking them to carry out in entrance of your complete class. Present them the right way to put together and rehearse their opening statements and key factors, utilizing notes to remain targeted. Congratulate them for his or her efforts, and remind them that every part (even public talking) will get simpler with observe.
How can academics assist put together college students to debate efficiently?
Profitable debaters rely closely on crucial pondering abilities. Begin by educating college students to assume critically, studying to kind truth from opinion. Assist them perceive dependable main sources and the right way to acknowledge bias and misinformation. Then, information them as they construct opening and shutting statements, put together to rebut counterarguments, and discover the precise rhetorical language to sway their viewers. If it looks like quite a bit, don’t fear! Our debate graphic organizers will information college students and academics alongside the best way.
Seize your free Debate Graphic Organizer printables as we speak!
These free organizers are the right option to assist college students as they construct debate abilities! You’ll additionally get a useful record of guidelines to remind debaters of the very best methods to argue an thought and disagree with respect.
