Animal Farm Group Debate

Instructions:

Each team is assigned a question below and instructed as to what their position on the answer will be. You will have three classes to formulate your argument and prepare for the debate. In each group one person should introduce the arguments, one person should conclude them, and the remainder of the group should present the main arguments. Each person should speak for one and a half to three minutes. Somewhere in this range would be fine. When each side has presented their arguments we will open the question up for discussion. The class and myself may direct questions towards the debaters. This will happen in an orderly fashion; people will not be able to speak unless they put up their hand.

Evaluation:

Evaluation will be done by your peers. This is an opportunity for you to have an active part in evaluation. Every person will have to give each group member a mark out of twenty, and then the marks will be averaged out. There are four criteria by which to mark, each being worth five marks. They are as follows: participation in presentation, soundness of argument/s, effort, and participation in actual debate.

Question:

Could the animals have done anything to prevent Napoleon from taking over the farm?

Group A will argue yes.
Group B will argue no.

Question:

Were the animals better off under Jones' leadership, or under Napoleon's leadership?

Group C will argue that they were better off under Jones' leadership.
Group D will argue that they were better off under Napoleon's leadership.

Question:

Would Orwell's allegory be more effective if it were told with humans rather than animals?

Group E will argue in favor of Orwell using animals.
Group F will argue in favor of Orwell using humans