Student Binder · Source pages 14–18
2 · The Weekly Rhythm
Arms Room → Forge → Tavern, step by step
Arms Room, Forge, Tavern: the three-session loop your year runs on.
WHAT TO BRING
Your binder holds the worksheets. You bring the book, your journal, and a pen. The Forge Coach hands you a role card at the door. Confirm the kit before you leave home; the room depends on you.
| What | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The book | Every session | Annotated, with the reading guide tucked in. For Unit One, finish all five blocks before the Sept. 22 Arms Room. |
| This binder | Every session | Handbook (§1–§8) + §9 tear-out pads. Keep completed sheets in your Forge Journal. |
| Forge Journal | Every session | Composition book or folder. Where your reflections, story layers, and evidence live. This becomes your Anvil fuel. |
| Something to write with | Every session | Two pens. One breaks. |
| Your reading guide | Arms Room + Forge | Swapped each unit. Bring it filled in. |
| Document Study Reader | At home + Arms Room | Your teacher distributes the required selection locally. If it is missing, ask for the course distribution copy; teachers use the Required Readings and Acquisition Record. Pre-read the current unit before the Arms Room. |
| Role card | Every Forge | Handed to you at the door. Matches your playbook (§3) + your tear-out role sheet (§9). |
| Prepped role sheet | Every Forge | From §9; pull one before the Forge. Everyone also keeps Bench Prep ready. |
THE WEEKLY RHYTHM
Every unit uses three session types, in order. Between units: reading at home, every night.
Week 1 · prepare, Week 2 · debate, Week 3 · reflect
You arrive at the dated reading target. You mine quotes, build arguments, and the Forge Coach assigns your role. This is where you build the debate. Reading readiness is checked privately and never determines your public role.
| Block | Time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival | 5 min | Hand the Forge Coach a private readiness slip or answer in a quiet check-in. No standing, public list, or readiness-coded role. |
| Hook | 15 min | The Forge Coach sets the question on fire. You write one sentence. No discussion yet. |
| Evidence Forge | 25 min | First, independently write one quote → claim → impact → strongest-counter response. Then mine and build further evidence. |
| Argument Sharpen | 20 min | Only after your independent claim is on paper, pair-check whether the impact follows from the evidence. |
| Role Assignment | 15 min | The Forge Coach assigns your role. You find out what you’re doing. |
| Prep Deadline | 5 min | Unit One prep is due Sunday, Sept. 27 at 10:00 AM through the locally declared course channel or paper handoff. |
A live Oxford-style debate: pre-vote, openings, rebuttals, closings, jury questions, post-vote. 35 minutes of fire. The full step-by-step is on the next spread.
No debate. Keep your original. A mentor marks one criterion; you correct it and give the mentor a copy. Complete your chosen Story Layer; sharing requires consent.
THE OXFORD DEBATE,
STEP BY STEP
You have probably never seen an Oxford-style debate. Here is exactly what happens, in order. Nothing here is improvised. Every move has a name, an order, and a clock.
| Seat | Count | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Moderator | 1 | Runs the debate – calls votes, keeps time, decides who speaks next. Does not argue. |
| Affirmative – Aff1, Aff2 | 2 | Argues for the question’s claim. |
| Negative – Neg1, Neg2 | 2 | Argues against the question’s claim. |
| Researcher | 1 | Sits with the debaters, evidence packet open. Passes fact-check notes. Silent in the flow. |
| Jury | rest | Votes before and after; asks one question per side. The jury decides the shift. |
- Pre-vote (silent). The jury writes its starting position. No talking. This is the before number.
- The Moderator reads the question and why it matters, about 60 seconds.
- Openings, 2 min each, in this order: Aff1 → Neg1 → Aff2 → Neg2. Each debater states their case. (8 minutes)
- Rebuttals, 2 min each: Neg2 first, then Aff2. You attack the other side’s strongest point. (Affirmative rebuts last, the last attack.)
- Closings, 1 min each: Neg1 first, then Aff1. No new arguments, tell the jury why the debate shifted, or why it didn’t. (Affirmative closes last, the final word.)
- Jury questions, 30 sec each: one per side. Specific, from the text. Not a speech.
- Post-vote (silent). The jury writes its ending position. This is the after number.
- The Reveal. The Weaver reads one anonymized line aloud from the written Forge Reflections: “Someone changed their mind. That is the point.” No commentary. The line is never named.
- The Moderator announces the shift: “X minds changed. That is the point.” No public scoreboard: only the number that moved.
| Debater | First turn | Second turn |
|---|---|---|
| Aff1 | Opening · 2 min | Closing · 1 min – last voice in the room |
| Neg1 | Opening · 2 min | Closing · 1 min |
| Aff2 | Opening · 2 min | Rebuttal · 2 min – last attack |
| Neg2 | Opening · 2 min | Rebuttal · 2 min |
Every debater speaks exactly twice, never more, never fewer.