Grade 5 · Writing · Lesson 30

Create a debate speech

A DEBATE SPEECH is a short, spoken argument where you defend a side of a real question — "Should our school allow phones at lunch?", "Should recess be longer?", "Should the voting age drop to sixteen?" A debate is not a fight. It is a fair contest of ideas with rules, a clock, and a respectful audience. To win the audience (and the judge), your speech needs FIVE clear sections in order: a HOOK + position, DEFINITIONS, MAIN ARGUMENTS, REBUTTAL, and CONCLUSION. Each section has its own job, and skipping one weakens the whole speech.

What this lesson teaches

1Name the five sections of a strong debate speech in order
2Open a speech with a hook and a clear position statement
3Pair each section of a debate speech with the purpose it serves
4Close a debate speech with a call to action that leaves listeners thinking

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