"Take a Stand" is a teaching activity that helps students share their opinions and positions of agreement or disagreement in relation to specific issues.

Adapted from Facing History’s Barometer: Taking a Stand on Controversial Issues, this activity is useful when you have varying opinions in the classroom. This is an excellent way for students to practice drafting their Claim, Evidence, Reasoning, and Counterargument, as it allows them to make decisions and hear from peers. It can be used with any ThinKCERCA article that poses a debatable question. 

Time: 30 - 60 minutes

Materials: Blank paper, marker, tape, question that provokes differing opinions

Procedure:

1. Make two posters (8.5x11) that say, “Strongly Agree” and “Strongly Disagree”.  Place them on opposite ends of the classroom. Clear an open space between the two signs for students to stand.

2. Share a relatively debatable question. Example: If students will be reading about the First Amendment, ask, “Should school officials be allowed to censor students' writing in school newspapers?”

3. Define and give examples of important vocabulary words that are critical to understanding the question that you have posed.

4. Model the different positions on the question with personal background knowledge as your evidence.

5. Ask students to "Take a Stand" where they identify - physically with their bodies - their position on the continuum from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree.

6. Invite students to state their claim, or position, on the question. Ask students to share their evidence and any other examples relevant to their claim/ position, .

7. Provide students with an opportunity to move after they have heard from a few classmates.

8. As a whole class, chart out beliefs. Repeat this activity after students have engaged in more research or reading on the topic and see how beliefs may have changed.
   
   

Variations

• After each discussion, allow participants to reassess their placement and move if they choose.

• Ask students to reflect in personal journals before and after to chart their own changing in beliefs.

• Give students an anonymous survey along with the activity before and after you engage in direct instruction and reading/research on the topic to see if they how overall class beliefs may shift.