Student Binder · Source pages 12–16
2 · The Weekly Rhythm
Arms Room → Forge → Tavern, step by step
The Forge · Student HandbookRhythm
Tab 03 / 12 · THE WEEKLY RHYTHM
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Arms Room, Forge, Tavern: the three-session loop your year runs on.
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12 tabs · you are here
STARTPROMISERHYTHMROLESREADINGDOC STUDYSTORYANVILCALENDARFAQGUIDEDICT
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RhythmWhat to Bring
Your standing kit · check it every session
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. Finish the book by the Forge. |
| 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 | Contains all U1–U8 document-study readings plus the full U8 trio texts (O'Connor · Tolstoy · Bonhoeffer). 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. |
By session type
Arms Room: book + reading guide + pen. Forge: book + prepped role sheet + Forge Journal. Tavern: Forge Journal + this unit’s Story Layer draft. Workshops: bring your Forge Journal + prior Story Layers (see §7).
Mentors supplyTimers, ballots (index cards), laminated role-card sets, evidence map + vote tally templates (also bound in §9). If a timer breaks, ask the Forge Coach before the debate starts.
RHYTHM · SOURCE: Handbook §2 “What to bring” (Arms Room / Forge / Tavern) + Materials Manifest
RHYTHM · 11b
RhythmThe Three Sessions
Every unit, three weeks, same order
THE WEEKLY RHYTHM
Every unit uses three session types, in order. Between units: reading at home, every night.
ARMS ROOM → FORGE → TAVERN
Week 1 · prepare, Week 2 · debate, Week 3 · reflect
The Arms Room – “find your ammunition”
You arrive having read part of the book. You mine quotes, build arguments, and the Forge Coach assigns your role. This is where you build the debate.
| Block | Time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival | 5 min | Stand if you’ve read through the assigned chapters. A signal, not a penalty. |
| Hook | 15 min | The Forge Coach sets the question on fire. You write one sentence. No discussion yet. |
| Evidence Forge | 25 min | Quote mining, argument construction – your blade, your shield, your range. |
| Argument Sharpen | 20 min | Pair check. Does your impact follow from your evidence? |
| Role Assignment | 15 min | The Forge Coach assigns your role. You find out what you’re doing. |
| Prep Deadline | 5 min | This unit’s deadline is stated. From Unit 4 on it is a hard 48-hour deadline. |
The Forge – “the fire”
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.
The Tavern – “recovery and skill”
No debate. Reflection, one taught skill, your Story Layer, and a celebration. One name called out loud, with a reason, never zero.
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RhythmThe Oxford Debate
Read this before your first Forge
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.
Who is in the room
| 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. |
Room layout – top view
FIG. 03 – ROOM LAYOUT · MODERATOR FRONT, TEAMS FACING, JURY JUDGING
Plain meaning
Affirmative = the side that says yes, this claim is true. Negative = the side that says no, it isn’t. The Moderator hands you your side and your seat – you don’t choose either.
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The Oxford DebateRhythm
The order – start to finish · ~35 minutes
- 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.
Who speaks when – the two-turn map
| 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.
If you remember one thing
Openings build your case. Rebuttals break theirs. Closings tell the jury what just happened.
BUILD → BREAK → LAND
SECTION_02 · SOURCE: Student Handbook §2 → The Forge
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