Motions that matter
I can design my own motion to debate an important topic.
Motions that matter
I can design my own motion to debate an important topic.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The motion is the name for the belief or proposal that is being debated.
- The motion in a debate always starts with the words 'This house ...'.
- There are different types of motion: beliefs ('This house believes that ...') and proposals ('This house would ...').
- A debate motion is most effective when it is relevant to the lives of the people in the debate and the audience.
- An effective debate motion will encourage critical thinking and mature discussion.
Keywords
Motion - the name for the belief or proposal that is being debated
Proposal - the action of proposing a plan or suggestion
Belief - a firmly held opinion about something
Common misconception
Pupils may find it challenging to come up with suitable motions.
Pupils could work in small groups for this task. As a class, come up with some ideas of what you might change or discuss related to the different aspects and have these visible for children when coming up with their motions.
To help you plan your year 6 english lesson on: Motions that matter, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 6 english lesson on: Motions that matter, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 english lessons from the Debating important topics unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
the name for the belief or proposal that is being debated
the action of proposing a plan or suggestion
a firmly held opinion about something