The Great Debate

Welcome to Unearth It! The Great Debate

The Great Debate is the first project in the series and uses the context of horticulture to pose a real-life question to students that they will then research, develop, present, and debate. During the project, high school students mentor middle school students to enhance the learning experience. This curriculum–based program was piloted with Patton Middle School of the Unionville–Chadds Ford School District.

Why bring The Great Debate to your school?

• It provides a new way to meet curriculum standards within your classroom.
• It promotes developing and enhancing students’ research, inquiry, and problem-solving skills using a real-life context.
• It improves Social Emotional Learning through teamwork, presentation skills, and engages high school mentors to guide middle school students through the process.
• The winning teams from the regional competition receive a monetary prize to put their ideas into place in their own school environment, further developing students’ leadership skills.

Project Overview

By taking part in this project, you are inspiring your 6th–8th graders to think about plants and the world in which they live. Throughout the project, students will answer a question and come up with a creative solution by researching, preparing, sharing, presenting, mentoring, refining, and achieving. The skills students gain using teamwork, collaboration, and their own self-confidence will enable them to feel empowered to act and make a difference in the world. Hear more about the program from our staff in the video below.