Debate topic wheel
Twenty-four motions with good arguments on both sides and nothing too heated for school. Spin a topic, assign sides, and start the debate.
SpacespinCtrl+Enterspin while typingFfull screen
One entry per line. Add *3 after a name to give it three times the chance.
Winners show up here, newest first.
Colors
Ready-made list. Edit it to make it yours: changes stay on this device, and Reset brings the original back.Open in the main spinner →
A 30-minute class debate
- Spin the motion in full screen. Split the class in two with the team generator, then use the coin flip to decide which side argues for. Students argue the side they’re given, not their own opinion.
- Ten minutes of preparation: each side lists three arguments and predicts the other side’s best point.
- Speeches: one minute of opening per side, then three 30-second rebuttals each, alternating. Every student speaks at least once.
- One two-minute closing per side. Then the class votes, followed by a short talk about which argument changed minds.
Formats for different grades
- Grades 5–6, four corners: read the motion; students move to corners labeled strongly agree, agree, disagree and strongly disagree, and each corner gives one reason.
- Grades 6–8, pair debate: pairs spin their own motion, argue 90 seconds per side, then switch sides and go again.
- Grades 8–9, team debate: three speakers per side, four minutes each, with short questions from the other side allowed after the first minute of a speech.
Keep it respectful
Set the rules before the first spin: argue the idea, not the person; no interrupting; evidence over volume. A student who disagrees with their assigned side can still argue it well, and that is a skill worth practicing.
The motions are chosen to be balanced and suitable for most schools. Still, read them against your community and remove any that could single out a student, such as uniforms where some families would struggle with the cost. Add motions from your own units, like a character’s choice in a class novel.
Questions and answers
How do I keep a debate from getting heated?
Assign sides by chance so nobody is defending a personal view, and time every speech. If tempers rise, pause and ask each side to restate the other side’s best argument before continuing.
What exactly is a motion?
The statement being debated, worded so one side can agree and the other disagree. Good motions are short and specific: “Homework should be optional” works; “Homework” does not.
Which topics work best for a first debate?
Ones students know firsthand: later start times, uniforms, phones at school, homework. They have experience to draw on and need no research.