Discuss the definition and purpose of debate. It is recognized as a formal method to discuss a controversial topic in front of an audience or public gathering. Tell your students that the purpose of debate is to allow other people to hear and evaluate multiple sides of an issue.
Break your class up in to three groups. Create two groups of two students with the rest of the class as the third group. Ask one student in the third group to act as a moderator. Assign your class a controversial issue, and give the affirmative side of the issue to one group and the negative side to another group.
Pick one student to be a presenter on each side. This student will discuss the opening argument or topic telling the audience and the opposite side the benefits of his position on the issue. Choose another two students to cross-examine or ask questions about each side's argument. Pick another student to be a moderator to keep the debate in check, and let the rest of the students act as a panel of judges to determine the outcome or decision on the issue.
Ask the students in each team to do research on the issue given. The students on each team should research different points to make their case as plausible as possible. They need to provide enough research so that the student who gives the opening speech can discuss the matter for several minutes.
Place two desks on separate halves of the room to divide the two teams. Place the moderator at the center of the room. Arrange the remaining desks behind the moderator for the rest of the student judges.
Let the affirmative side begin and make their constructive or opening speech. The speech should last no more than 5 or 6 minutes. When finished, the cross-examiner from the negative side should stand up and ask the speech maker questions. The purpose of the the cross-examiner is to take the speech apart, and find out what points do not make sense. Allow the speech maker to answer the questions by giving a rebuttal speech.
Ask the moderator to keep track of time and help the debate move along by avoiding redundant questions or answers.
Repeat the process on the negative side. When both sides have given their speeches and have cross-examined each other, give the student judges a few minutes to deliberate what side they think presents the best argument. Allow other students to have a chance at making speeches and debating by rotating the teams.