Jenn Taylor

I posed this topic to my eighth grade biology students last year.  An understanding of what is or is not alive is central to the study of biology.  To examine this tricky topic, we borrowed a technique called structured controversy, which the students used in their history class.  Each student researched the question and wrote down their main points as homework.  In class, the debate had 3 steps: 

1) Each student was assigned to one side of the debate even if they personally preferred the opposite side of the discussion. The two groups spent 10 minutes forming the arguments for their assigned side.

2) I paired up the students and they argued from their assigned side for 2 minutes.  The students then switched partners and also switched the side of the debate they were arguing.  This gave every student the chance to see both sides of the topic.  We continued switching and discussing in pairs for about 10 minutes.

3) We then entered structured controversy.  The students could now choose the side they most agreed with. One student served as moderator and called on students when it was their turn.  No one could speak for more than 2 minutes at a time, and at least 3 people had to get a turn before one student could speak again.   The students did a great job of encouraging everyone to participate. 

I love this format for science lessons.  It allows students to practice forming and supporting arguments.  They also learned that science in not simply information in a textbook that they have to memorize, but an active area of learning and discussion. 

What do you think?  Are viruses alive?