The Great Debaters directed by Denzel Washington (Oklahoma City clip)

Washington, D. (Director). (2007). The great debater debate Oklahoma City- VOST French subtitles. On The great debaters [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcllrqZgxwE

Summary: This clip shows a competition in Oklahoma City debating the issue: Should Blacks be allowed at the same colleges as Whites?  It is a 4:33 min clip.

Review:  This is a great clip to use to teach rebuttal and have students follow argument threads.

Diversity: African American students are the focus and here they are the underdogs.

Suggestions for Teachers: This is a perfect clip for teaching the art of rebuttal. You could have students take notes of the affirmative and negative arguments and draw lines between the two to show when one side has addressed the other's argument.

1. Quantitative: N/A
2. Qualitative: Students could use some background knowledge of the context if you are not going to show the whole film in class, but if you've been teaching debate than all they might need to know if the issue the sides are arguing. Watch it a few times and perhaps model how you would take notes off this debate for students to mirror. Otherwise it is set up perfectly to show rebuttal.

Content Areas: English, Drama

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3
Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Relevant links: Wikipedia

Subjects/Themes: English, Social Studies, segregation, Jim Crow

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A