Teacher preparation:

Overarching learning goal: Students understand that culling sharks is a highly contentious issue and recognise that there are powerful arguments for and against shark culling. Students also understand that debating can be used to give proponents for both sides of a contentious issue the opportunity to present their case.

Teacher content information: Sharks culling is a very emotive issue: there are those who would rather see them removed from the ocean so as to remove the threat of shark attacks for all humans; and there are those who believe that sharks have a role to play in our environment and because their numbers are declining they need to be protected, not culled.

Teacher content information: Earth Hour is a WWF-Australia initiative, and is the world’s largest community-driven climate change campaign. At the centre of Earth Hour is switching off lights to show a commitment to taking action. Thousands of educators use Earth Hour’s education program to enrich their curriculum and provide pathways for young people to create change in their world.

Download the Earth Hour starter kit for your service: Earth Hour for Schools

Student and classroom organisation:

Step 1.

Begin this activity by asking students to write a statement about their position on shark culling using the student worksheet. The statement should explain why they are for or against shark culling.

Step 2.

Break your class into two groups and ask each group to undertake research in preparation for a debate. The subject of the debate will be:

Culling of Great White Sharks should be allowed in areas where human populations exist.

One group will be representing the position that culling sharks is necessary for protecting human lives, despite the risk to shark populations.

The other group will be representing the position that sharks are a necessary and integral part of our oceans and need to be protected, despite the risk to humans.

Students should spend 25 minutes researching their position and gathering information to support their argument.

Debate guidelines

Each team will have at least 3 speakers.
Each team member should speak for 2 minutes each.
Other non-speaking team members should provide supporting notes and materials to speakers throughout the debate.
The teacher decides which team has won the debate.

Conducting the debate

1. The first team will be arguing for the AFFIRMATIVE. They should:

Define the topic.
Present the affirmative's team line.
Outline briefly what each speaker in their team will talk about.
Present the first half of the affirmative case.

2. The second team will be arguing for the NEGATIVE. They should:

Present the negative team line.
Outline briefly what each of the negative speakers will say.
Rebut a few of the main points of the first affirmative speaker.
Present the first half of the negative team's case.

3. Subsequent team members should reaffirm the team's line, and rebut a few of the main points of the other team.

Reflection

Ask students to answer the reflection questions on the student worksheet. Once complete, students should create a poster that describes and justifies their position. The aim of this poster is to inform the community why this position should be adopted.

Students should create this poster using a desktop publishing program.

Earth Hour - Debate: Are You For or Against Shark Culling?

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