Everything teachers need to know about Generate Debate — how it works, what it creates, and how to use it in class.
Yes, completely free. There are no accounts, subscriptions, or paywalls. You fill out the form, and the tool generates your files and gives you the links directly.
No. You do not need a Google account, an email verification, or any kind of login to generate a unit. You just fill out the form and get your files.
Usually 15 to 30 seconds. The tool is creating and customizing six separate Google files at once, so it takes a moment. You'll see a loading indicator — don't close the tab until the links appear.
Any subject where students can make a claim, evaluate evidence, and respond to an opposing argument. The tool has been used for social studies, English, math, science, health, advisory, and electives. See the sample units page for subject-specific examples.
Yes. Once you have the generated file links, you can post them directly to Google Classroom as material links. Students click the link, open the file, and make a copy to complete their work.
Yes. All generated files are set to "anyone with the link can view," which means no Google account or email sharing is required. The links work on managed school domains including @schools.nyc.gov and similar restricted networks. Teachers and students can open the files directly from any browser.
Yes. Open any generated file and choose File → Make a copy in Google Drive. The copy will be saved to your own Drive account, where you can edit it freely. The original view-only link stays intact in case you want to re-share it later.
The files are created in a Google Drive folder managed by Generate Debate. They are shared with you as view-only links. To keep a permanent editable copy, use File → Make a copy in Google Drive.
The Slides deck includes daily agenda slides, motivation prompts, task directions for research and writing, role preparation slides, debate-day structure, and reflection prompts. Everything is labeled by day and customized with your topic and focus questions.
The Teacher Guide (also called the Daily Playbook) includes setup steps, daily watch-fors, checks for understanding, and adjustment notes for each day of the unit. It's written for teachers who are running this unit for the first time and want to know what to look for as the class progresses.
The Daily Rubrics include criteria for research quality, claim writing, use of evidence, collaboration, professionalism, clarity, questioning, and responding to opposing arguments. They are designed to be used throughout the unit, not just on debate day.
Yes. Each submission creates a completely separate set of files. You can generate as many units as you want with different topics, questions, and settings.
Three options:
All three lengths include the same six files, scaled to the number of days.
No. Starting resources are optional. If you leave that section blank, the unit will still generate with placeholder text. If you add articles, the links and titles will appear in the generated files so students know where to start their research.
The unit still works. You can adjust the language in the generated files so teams represent different positions, solutions, interpretations, or priorities rather than a strict pro/con split. The focus questions are the best place to signal this — write them to highlight multiple perspectives rather than two opposing sides.
Strong debate questions have more than one reasonable side. They are usually specific enough for students to research but open enough for genuine disagreement. Questions that begin with "Should," "Which," "Is," or "To what extent" tend to work well.
Avoid questions with a clear factual answer, questions where one side is obviously right, or questions that are so broad students can't find evidence for them.
The generated files are currently in English, but you can make a copy of any file and translate it using Google Translate or your own editing. The structure and format stay the same — only the language would need to change.
No. The generated materials break the process into research, writing, role preparation, practice, and debate. Students who have never debated before can follow the sequence. The role sheets and daily slides are written to guide students who are new to the format.
Use the 3-day unit option and run it across three class periods, or use the teacher guide to identify which days can be shortened or combined. The advisory page also has a 1-day mini debate format for very limited time.
The role structure naturally supports differentiation. Students who need more support can take roles focused on notes, research summaries, or written reflection rather than speaking. Students who are ready for more challenge can prepare extended opening cases or take on crossfire roles. Make a copy of the Student Worksheet and adjust the scaffolding as needed.
Yes. Teachers often use the Slides and the Student Worksheet without running a formal debate, using the research and claim-writing portion as a standalone writing activity. The Lesson Plan includes daily plans that can be picked from individually.
Yes. The generated links are "anyone with the link" view-only, which means any student who receives the link can open the file without a Google account. To complete their own work, students should open the file and choose File → Make a copy.
Fill out the form, pick your unit length, and Generate Debate will create six customized classroom files in minutes.
Generate My Debate Unit