Student Binder · Source pages 85–118
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UNIT COVER
Unit dashboard. Fill after Arms Room: your role, deadline, debate question, and reading target. Whatever role you draw, this is the sheet you start with.
START HERE
Your role, from prep to reflection
Read your role page before filling in its worksheet. Bring both to the Forge. Everyone also completes Bench Prep.
1 / Start with the exact question
Copy the formal debate question and the two positions from your unit materials. Affirmative supports the stated claim; Negative challenges it. If the prompt is a question rather than a claim, have the mentor confirm which position goes with each label.
2 / Prepare your own thinking
Read the text yourself. Quote it accurately, record its location, and explain what the evidence supports. Your own explanation is the work; a quotation alone is not an argument.
3 / Know what goes where
| Preparation | Submit or bring |
|---|---|
| Jury Evidence Map + questions | Send copies to the Text Coach; keep yours for class. |
| Researcher packet | To the debaters and Text Coach; keep your working copy. |
| Bench Prep (everyone) | Copy to the Text Coach with your role prep; bring your copy. |
| Debater Prep / Moderator Run Sheet | Bring completed prep; follow your unit's submission directions. |
4 / Use the agreed route
Send prep through the course channel on your Scholar Agreement, or arrange a paper handoff with the Text Coach before the deadline. Keep a copy you can use in class. Ask the mentor if the channel or deadline has not been filled in.
Unit 1 prep is due to the Text Coach, Sunday, September 27, at 10:00 a.m. Later units use their published prep deadline. If you miss it, still attend and arrange a private catch-up plan with the mentor.
Find your page: Moderator 2 / Debater 3 / Researcher 4 / Jury 5 / Bench 6. In the binder, these guides sit immediately before the first set of role worksheets.
MODERATOR
Help everyone do their job
You run a fair, clear debate. Use the Moderator Run Sheet and private Vote Tally while you work.
Before class / prepare
- Read the exact question and understand both positions. Confirm the side and speaking-seat assignments with the Forge Coach.
- Prepare a 60-second introduction: the question and why it matters. Keep your own opinion out of it.
- Bring the Run Sheet, Vote Tally, ballots, and a working timer. Confirm the timing with the Forge Coach. Ask privately whether the debaters have submitted their prep.
During the debate / call the sequence
- Silent pre-vote, then your introduction. Let jurors record their own positions without discussion.
- Openings: Affirmative 1, Negative 1, Affirmative 2, Negative 2. Two minutes each.
- Rebuttals: Negative 2, then Affirmative 2. Two minutes each.
- Closings: Negative 1, then Affirmative 1. One minute each.
- Jury questions: invite questions for both sides. Keep questions brief and answers to 30 seconds; use the unit plan for the total question window.
- Silent post-vote: ask jurors to explain why they changed or kept their position. Collect ballots privately. Compare each juror's two votes on the tally sheet, count the changes, and announce only that number.
After / hand off the record
Give the private tally to the Weaver. Keep your Run Sheet and write your Forge Reflection. The mentor leads any reflection reading; do not read a student's private vote aloud.
Call a juror by name and allow thinking time (a pause is fine). If talk gets personal, pause and reread the exact question. Ask the Forge Coach for help if someone is absent or you are unsure what to do next.
DEBATER
Build a case the jury can examine
Use the Debater Prep Sheet and Speak Twice page. Your assigned side may differ from your personal opinion.
Before class / prepare
- Confirm your side and seat: Affirmative or Negative, speaker 1 or 2. Ask the mentor if either assignment is missing.
- Gather evidence: for September 29, find two direct quotations supporting your side. From Unit 2 onward, find three. The general playbook also asks for one credible external source; follow your unit's directions. Record where each passage appears and explain how it supports your claim.
- Write a three-sentence opening: claim, evidence, impact. The impact explains why the evidence matters to the debate question.
- Prepare for two strong counterarguments. Write how you would answer each using evidence. Coordinate with your partner so your openings add to one another.
Open and read every source you cite. Mark the passage you plan to use so you can find it when someone asks about it.
Submit and bring
Follow the unit's prep-submission directions. Bring your completed two-page prep, the text or marked passages, researcher evidence, and your Bench Prep. Keep a copy of anything you submit.
During / you speak twice
Everyone: a two-minute opening. Speaker 2: a two-minute rebuttal answering the opposing side's strongest point. Speaker 1: a one-minute closing explaining what your side established. Listen and take notes between turns. Answer jury questions with evidence; say when you do not know.
After / reflect
Keep your notes and write your Forge Reflection: the other side’s strongest claim, the best counter to that claim from the text, and whether your mind changed. You can defend an assigned side during the round and still reconsider your own opinion afterward.
RESEARCHER
Make the evidence useful to both sides
Use both pages of the Researcher Evidence Packet. Give the debaters evidence you have checked, with enough context to use it accurately.
Before class / prepare
- Read the exact question and both positions. Find four pieces of evidence: two for each side.
- Record the quotation or finding and where you found it: page, chapter, or section. For an external source, include the author, date, publication, and link. Open and read the source yourself.
- For each piece, write a short paragraph explaining what it says, why it matters, and which position it supports. Say what you could not verify or what the evidence leaves unanswered.
- Send the balanced packet to the debaters and Text Coach by the prep deadline. Confirm who receives it; keep your own copy for the round.
Send your packet to all four debaters and the Text Coach through the course channel on your Scholar Agreement. Start with the debater pair you were given, then check that the other pair and the Text Coach have it too.
Bring / keep it searchable
Bring the packet, source text or accessible sources, a pen, and your Bench Prep. Mark the passages so you can find them quickly. A useful note includes the claim being checked and an exact citation.
During / support without interrupting
Listen for claims that need checking. Pass a short note with a citation: "The passage says ___ at ___." Tell the Text Coach if a speaker misquotes a passage or makes a claim that conflicts with it. Researchers do not have a scheduled speaking turn.
After / follow the evidence
Keep the packet and note which evidence was used, challenged, or left unanswered. Write your Forge Reflection. If you discover a source problem, tell the Text Coach so the record can be corrected.
If you cannot find credible support for a claim, record that limitation. Do not invent evidence or cite a source you have not read.
JURY
Prepare to be a fair judge
You work out what could support each side so you can listen thoughtfully. Your Evidence Map is preparation for judging, not a speech to present.
Before class / complete these parts
- Evidence Map (worksheet front): find two quotations for Affirmative and two for Negative. Record the page or location of each.
- Why it matters: write one sentence per quotation explaining the connection: "This supports ___ because ___." Use your own reasoning; you do not need the debaters' arguments first.
- Starting position: write "I think ___ because ___." You may lean one way and still take the other side seriously.
- Questions (worksheet back): prepare one specific, text-based question for each side. Leave the observation grid and post-vote blank until the debate.
Submit / send your map and questions
Send the Text Coach a copy of the completed front and your two questions by the prep deadline. Keep a copy for class. The coach checks that your quotes are accurate, your explanations connect them to the question, and your questions give both sides something to answer. Your opinion is yours.
For example: "You say the character had no other choice. What about the alternative described in this passage?" Use this only if your text supports it, and name the passage. Write a question each side needs to answer; you can adjust it after hearing their arguments.
During / listen, question, vote
Record your silent pre-vote. Use the observation grid to note each side's strongest evidence and biggest gap. When called on, ask a question in about 20 seconds. Afterward, vote again and explain "What moved me was..." or "What they still needed to prove was..."
After / keep the reasoning
Submit your ballot privately as directed by the moderator. Keep your worksheet and write your Forge Reflection. Whether you change your mind or keep your position, explain which evidence led you there.
Separate task: everyone also writes Bench openings for both sides. Those are backup speeches; the Evidence Map is your jury work.
BENCH
Everyone prepares a backup
Bench Prep is everyone's responsibility each unit. It is not a separate assigned seat or a penalty for missing preparation.
Before class / write two short openings
- Affirmative: write three sentences supporting that position: claim, evidence, impact.
- Negative: write three sentences supporting the opposing position using the same structure.
- Use specific text evidence and a location you can find again. Work through both positions even if one is not your own opinion.
- Submit a copy to the Text Coach with your role prep by the unit deadline. Keep your completed Bench Prep sheet and bring it to the Forge.
Claim: "The stronger position is ___ because ___."
Evidence: "At [location], the text shows ___."
Impact: "This matters to the question because ___."
Use this structure once for each side, with your own evidence and reasoning.
If you are called to replace a debater
The Forge Coach confirms your side and speaking seat. Give a two-minute opening using your prepared claim, evidence, and explanation. Follow the Debater Playbook for your second turn: speaker 2 rebuts for two minutes; speaker 1 closes for one minute.
If you are not called
Do your assigned role. You do not deliver the Bench openings during an ordinary jury or researcher turn. The preparation still helps you recognize the strongest case for both sides.
After / keep what you learned
Keep the sheet in your Forge Journal and write your Forge Reflection about the role you performed. Note any evidence that made one of your prepared openings stronger or weaker.
If two or more debaters are absent, the mentor may use the handbook's Socratic discussion format. Follow the moderator's directions for sharing your preparation.
MODERATOR RUN SHEET
You run the room. You do not argue. You are the clock and the guardrails. Tick each step. The Weaver runs the Reveal; you announce only how many minds changed.
- Pre-vote, silent ballot ☐
- Read question + stakes ☐
- Openings, Aff1 → Neg1 → Aff2 → Neg2 ☐
- Rebuttals, Neg2 → Aff2 ☐
- Closings, Neg1 → Aff1 ☐
- Jury questions, one per side ☐
- Post-vote, silent ballot ☐
- Hand tally to Weaver ☐
- The Reveal – Weaver reads one anonymized reflection line ☐
- Announce the shift, “___ minds changed” ☐
| If this happens… | I will do this |
|---|---|
| Timer breaks | |
| It gets personal / heated | |
| The jury goes silent |
Moderator · run sheet 1 of 2 – Vote Tally overleaf
VOTE TALLY
Private. Record each juror’s pre- and post-vote. Announce only the number that moved, then hand this to the Weaver.
| Name | Pre (F/A/U) | Post (F/A/U) | Δ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ |
Moderator · run sheet 2 of 2
DEBATER PREP
Build → break → land. You speak exactly twice, opening, then rebuttal or closing. Do not improvise your claim.
| # | Quote or evidence | Location | Why it proves my claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 |
Debater · 1 of 2 – speak twice overleaf
Debater · your two turns + their counters. Attack their strongest point first, weak-first looks scared.
| Their counter | My one-sentence response |
|---|---|
Debater · 2 of 2
RESEARCHER EVIDENCE PACKET
Ammunition for both sides. Four verified pieces, 2 Affirmative, 2 Negative. You do not argue; you arm both rooms equally. Send to debaters by the prep deadline.
Researcher · 1 of 2 – Negative evidence overleaf
Researcher · Negative evidence. Same standard: one author, one date, one publication you can name. Arm the Negative room as well as you armed Affirmative.
Researcher · 2 of 2
JURY WORKSHEET
Prepare both sides to judge fairly. Complete this map, your pre-vote, and the two questions overleaf before class. Submit a copy; keep yours. See the Jury Practical Playbook for the steps.
Jury · 1 of 2 – observation grid overleaf
Before class: write the two questions below. During the debate: fill the observation grid and post-vote. Explain what moved you or what remained unproved.
| What I watched for | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Strongest evidence | ||
| Biggest gap |
Jury · 2 of 2
BENCH PREP
The debate never cancels. Everyone preps both sides every unit. If called in, expand what you already wrote: 2 minutes, claim → evidence → impact.
FORGE REFLECTION
Keep this page. Your mentor will mark one part of your answer. At the Tavern, use that feedback to improve one sentence in the space below. Leave your first answer as it is. Include the chapter for your counter.
STORY LAYER
Write about: ☐ myself ☐ someone I invent. Both count the same. Rules and an example: this unit’s page in the Story tab. Start 5 years from now · start on a day when it’s already working · skip how they got there · show what it costs · leave out the trait’s name.
Story Layer · 1 of 2
Story Layer · finish the story, then write your line. Reread your last line first. Sharing requires your checked consent.
Story Layer · 2 of 2
ACTOR NIGHTLY LOG
ACTOR · add nights as the reading block runs long
UNIT COVER
Unit dashboard. Fill after Arms Room: your role, deadline, debate question, and reading target. Whatever role you draw, this is the sheet you start with.
MODERATOR RUN SHEET
You run the room. You do not argue. You are the clock and the guardrails. Tick each step. The Weaver runs the Reveal; you announce only how many minds changed.
- Pre-vote, silent ballot ☐
- Read question + stakes ☐
- Openings, Aff1 → Neg1 → Aff2 → Neg2 ☐
- Rebuttals, Neg2 → Aff2 ☐
- Closings, Neg1 → Aff1 ☐
- Jury questions, one per side ☐
- Post-vote, silent ballot ☐
- Hand tally to Weaver ☐
- The Reveal – Weaver reads one anonymized reflection line ☐
- Announce the shift, “___ minds changed” ☐
| If this happens… | I will do this |
|---|---|
| Timer breaks | |
| It gets personal / heated | |
| The jury goes silent |
Moderator · run sheet 1 of 2 – Vote Tally overleaf
VOTE TALLY
Private. Record each juror’s pre- and post-vote. Announce only the number that moved, then hand this to the Weaver.
| Name | Pre (F/A/U) | Post (F/A/U) | Δ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ |
Moderator · run sheet 2 of 2
DEBATER PREP
Build → break → land. You speak exactly twice, opening, then rebuttal or closing. Do not improvise your claim.
| # | Quote or evidence | Location | Why it proves my claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 |
Debater · 1 of 2 – speak twice overleaf
Debater · your two turns + their counters. Attack their strongest point first, weak-first looks scared.
| Their counter | My one-sentence response |
|---|---|
Debater · 2 of 2
RESEARCHER EVIDENCE PACKET
Ammunition for both sides. Four verified pieces, 2 Affirmative, 2 Negative. You do not argue; you arm both rooms equally. Send to debaters by the prep deadline.
Researcher · 1 of 2 – Negative evidence overleaf
Researcher · Negative evidence. Same standard: one author, one date, one publication you can name. Arm the Negative room as well as you armed Affirmative.
Researcher · 2 of 2
JURY WORKSHEET
Prepare both sides to judge fairly. Complete this map, your pre-vote, and the two questions overleaf before class. Submit a copy; keep yours. See the Jury Practical Playbook for the steps.
Jury · 1 of 2 – observation grid overleaf
Before class: write the two questions below. During the debate: fill the observation grid and post-vote. Explain what moved you or what remained unproved.
| What I watched for | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Strongest evidence | ||
| Biggest gap |
Jury · 2 of 2
BENCH PREP
The debate never cancels. Everyone preps both sides every unit. If called in, expand what you already wrote: 2 minutes, claim → evidence → impact.
FORGE REFLECTION
Keep this page. Your mentor will mark one part of your answer. At the Tavern, use that feedback to improve one sentence in the space below. Leave your first answer as it is. Include the chapter for your counter.
STORY LAYER
Write about: ☐ myself ☐ someone I invent. Both count the same. Rules and an example: this unit’s page in the Story tab. Start 5 years from now · start on a day when it’s already working · skip how they got there · show what it costs · leave out the trait’s name.
Story Layer · 1 of 2
Story Layer · finish the story, then write your line. Reread your last line first. Sharing requires your checked consent.
Story Layer · 2 of 2
ACTOR NIGHTLY LOG
ACTOR · add nights as the reading block runs long