Getting better at competitive debate is not just about speaking as much as possible. Sometimes, the most effective way to get better is by reading educational content, or by learning relevant concepts through test-format worksheets. As a result, I developed a 30-page introductory comic book on how to make arguments, as well as current events/debate concept worksheets, to help engage students in their journey to becoming more compelling public speakers. My comic book and worksheets helped my students at The Space Friends learn and can help other debate-related educators or ambitious self-taught debaters learn, too.
Comic Book
Growing up, I loved Bill Watterson's comic series, Calvin and Hobbes. Something about the comic book format appealed deeply to me, perhaps because of its easy-to-digest formatting and the attention-grabbing nature of its illustrations. So, to help younger students new to formal argumentation engage with an otherwise seemingly boring topic, I developed an educational comic book on how to make formal arguments and get involved in competitive debate. Enjoy!
Educational Worksheets
I developed three worksheets to help test students' knowledge of concepts that are useful for improving their debate and argumentation skills. Each of my worksheets centers on a conceptual theme (e.g., criminal justice, healthcare, environment) and has three sections—concept mix-and-match questions, applied debate skill multiple-choice problems, and a case-building exercise at the end. Feel free to copy and/or redistribute these worksheets for your own classes or learning purposes!