Devil Advocate Cards Devil's Advocate Cards
Middle School Debate Series // Level: Expert Skeptic
"Your mission is to argue AGAINST the statement on your card, even if you personally agree with it. Look for the flaws, the costs, and the alternative perspectives."
Card 01
The Claim:
"Social media apps should have a strict age minimum of 16 years old to protect students' mental health."
Devil's Advice:
Think about community building, digital literacy, and how kids might find other ways to connect.
Card 02
The Claim:
"Middle schools should replace all physical textbooks with high-end laptops for every student."
Devil's Advice:
Consider the distractions, the cost of repairs, and the health effects of screen time.
Card 03
The Claim:
"Standardized testing is the only fair way to measure how much a student has learned during the school year."
Devil's Advice:
Think about different learning styles, test anxiety, and cultural biases in testing.
Card 04
The Claim:
"To combat climate change, all school cafeterias should serve only vegetarian meals five days a week."
Devil's Advice:
Think about nutritional requirements, student choice, and the cultural importance of food.
Card 05
The Claim:
"All sports teams, including professional leagues, should be co-ed (boys and girls playing on the same teams)."
Devil's Advice:
Think about physical safety, fairness in competition, and the history of Title IX.
Card 06
The Claim:
"Homework should be abolished because it takes away from students' rest and extracurricular activities."
Devil's Advice:
Think about reinforcement of skills, time management, and teacher assessment.
Card 07
The Claim:
"Every middle school student should be required to learn a second language to graduate."
Devil's Advice:
Think about scheduling conflicts, students with learning disabilities, and the value of other electives.
Card 08
The Claim:
"Participation trophies in youth sports are good because they build self-esteem and encourage kids to keep playing."
Devil's Advice:
Think about the value of competition, learning from failure, and what it means to 'earn' something.
Flip the Script Organizer Flip the Script
The Devil's Advocate Planning Sheet
Name:
Date:
Step 1: The Target
Original Claim (from your card):
Step 2: The Reversal
Your Counter-Claim (The "Opposing View"):
Step 3: Skeptical Evidence
1
Reason / Evidence Against:
2
Reason / Evidence Against:
3
Reason / Evidence Against:
Step 4: The Zinger
Final Powerful Rebuttal (Leave them speechless):
Rebuttal Teacher Guide The Art of Rebuttal
Teacher Facilitation Guide
Overview
In this activity, students practice "Devil's Advocacy"—the art of arguing against a claim even if they personally agree with it. This technique is essential for developing strong counter-arguments in persuasive writing and public speaking. By anticipating the opposition's points, students can build more robust and resilient arguments.
Learning Objectives
Identify the core claim and underlying assumptions of a statement.
Generate logical counter-arguments and supporting evidence.
Practice articulating complex perspectives to strengthen overall persuasion.
Lesson Essentials
Time
45-60 Minutes
Materials
• Devil Advocate Cards
Grouping
Triads or Quads
Instructional Procedure
01
Hook: The Secret Skeptic (5 mins)
Explain that a "Devil's Advocate" is someone who takes an opposing view for the sake of argument. Tell students that today, their "agreeable" brains are taking a nap—everyone is a professional skeptic.
02
Small Group Duel (20 mins)
Distribute one card to each small group. Groups have 5 minutes to brainstorm as many counter-arguments as possible using the "Devil's Advice" hint. Rotate cards after each round so groups tackle at least three different claims.
03
Individual Deep Dive (20 mins)
Each student chooses the card they found most challenging or interesting. They use the Flip the Script Organizer to structure a formal rebuttal, focusing on finding specific evidence or logical fallacies in the original claim.
04
The "Showdown" (10 mins)
Invite a few students to share their "Zinger"—the strongest sentence from their rebuttal. Classmates can vote on the most "devilishly clever" counter-argument.
Facilitation & Discussion
Discussion Prompts
"Which card was the hardest to argue against? Why? Does that mean the original claim is perfect, or just that the counter-evidence is harder to find?"
"How did playing the devil's advocate change your personal opinion on the topic? Did you notice any flaws in your own thinking?"
"If you were writing an essay *for* the original claim, why would you still want to know what the 'devil' thinks?"
Differentiation Tips
Support: Provide a "Bank of Skepticism"—a list of common counter-argument categories (Cost, Choice, Time, Fairness, Safety) to help students get started.
Rebuttal Intro Slides The Art of Rebuttal
Becoming the Devil's Advocate
What is it?
A Devil's Advocate is someone who takes an opposing position for the sake of argument.
Even if you agree with the statement, your job is to find the holes, the flaws, and the reasons why it might be wrong.
Why use this strategy?
Spot Weakness
If you can argue against yourself, you know exactly where your own argument needs more work.
Master Defense
You can't win a debate if you aren't prepared for what the other side is going to say.
Practice Round
The Statement:
"All schools should start at 10:00 AM to give students more sleep."
"What happens to parents' work schedules?"
"When would sports and clubs finish?"
The Challenge
01
Get your Devil Advocate Card .
02
Ignore your personal feelings. Attack the claim .
03
Use the Flip the Script Organizer to plan your zinger.
Unleash the Zinger
"He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that."
— John Stuart Mill
