Cross the Line Activity

Used in conjunction with the Arab Spring Level III Synthesis question: Was the Arab Spring successful? 1. On the board write YES (agree) and NO (disagree) on either end with a line down the center 2. If a student believes that the Arab Spring was successful, stand on the side with YES. If he/she believes it was not successful, stand on the side with NO. For some questions, students will be allowed to take a middle (on the line) position; this is one of those questions. 3. Once on their sides, students will be given the opportunity to engage in a dialogue of why they chose their particular stance. Make sure the expectations are clear for this portion of the activity: You may disagree with another students opinion, but do so cordially. You are disagreeing with their opinion, not them as a person. Personal attacks are not an acceptable form of disagreement. Listen respectfully to your peers. Respond appropriately; dont just say Your opinion is wrong because its stupid. You need to be able to explain why you feel a certain way using appropriate language.