Christmas Science | Scientific Debate Set | Middle / High School Xmas

Studying Christmas science in middle and high school is a fun and meaningful way to explore real scientific ideas such as reindeer adaptations, festive chemistry, artificial snow, lights, energy use, and the environmental impact of holiday traditions, while keeping students engaged during a busy time of year. A structured Christmas science debate resource lets students examine real world questions about sustainability, technology, consumerism, and climate in a focused, evidence based way. With clear general debate guidelines and a suggested schedule, targeted subject specific debate questions, one page primers to support different readiness levels, a key vocabulary sheet, short evidence cards with sources, debate roles explained, sentence starters, graphic organizer templates, and a reflection sheet for after the debate, this Christmas science pack turns seasonal curiosity into rigorous learning.

It helps build critical thinking, science literacy, and communication skills, while giving teachers a ready to use, highly engaging resource that fits neatly into a December science unit for both middle school and high school classes.

This Christmas science debate set provides the perfect supportive and fully comprehensive resource set that can help your students learn all about Christmas science through the method of debate. If you have never run a debate for your students before, there is MORE than enough material to help you learn how to do so. You will be able to guide your students through debate on Christmas science and provide as much or as little material as they might need, this resource delivers everything you could possibly need for a clear and effective debate to enhance student learning.

THIS CHRISTMAS SCIENCE DEBATE SET CAN BE USED IN SO MANY WAYS:

• To extend students
• To increase scientific literacy and scientific argumentation (science related speechcraft + logical reasoning) in your class
• A entry point to a unit on this topic
• Great as a lesson filler when class goes too fast
• An exit point to a unit on this topic - for effective review
• Use a sub-topic to focus on a specific part of the unit you are covering

WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS CHRISTMAS SCIENCE DEBATE SET:

• 1 Set of 15 page Google Slides, Powerpoint & PDF format of materials which contains:
  • General debate guidelines + suggested schedule
  • 15 proposed subject specific debate questions (on Christmas trees & the environment, Lights, energy use & light pollution, Artificial snow & winter attractions, Reindeer, biology & animal welfare, Christmas consumption & climate)
  • 4 one page primers (neutral in tone) on Real vs Artificial Christmas Tress, Christmas Lights, Energy Use & Light Pollution, Artificial Snow & Winter Attractions, Reindeer Biology & Christmas Traditions).
  • 1 page general neutral tone primer on this broader topic
  • Key vocabulary with student friendly definitions
  • A set of 12 short evidence cards for potential student use (1 fact + source)
  • Explanation of debate roles
  • Sentence starters for effective debate language
  • 3 graphic organizers (T-chart (for vs. against), Stakeholders (benefits / risks) & Claim-Evidence-Reasoning template
  • 1 page reflection sheet for after the debate

• The 3 graphic organizers in Google Doc & Microsoft Word format with fillable text books for digital use (T-chart (for vs. against), Stakeholders (benefits / risks) & Claim-Evidence-Reasoning template. These Doc versions are images with editable text boxes overlayed on top and this is the most effective way to keep things sleek and well-designed.
• 12 slide evidence cards for printing in Google Slides, Powerpoint, PDF format
• A 24 point rubric for assessment and to support marking and feedback on this activity