Debate Topics for Middle and High School Students
These 24 debate topics for middle and high school are sorted by subject. Each has one argument for and one against to get students started, and the plan at the end runs a full debate in one 40-minute class.
Where the topics come from
Every topic below is from the Random Topic Generator. Set Mode to Debate and For to Students, and the list has 78 topics: 30 easy, 26 medium and 22 hard. Easy topics suit middle school. Medium and hard ones suit high school, or a middle school class that has debated before.
We left out the few topics that touch elections and public policy, so a teacher can use this page without checking every line. The arguments for and against are ours, written for this page as starting points. Students should find better ones.
Science and nature
| Topic | One argument for | One argument against |
|---|---|---|
| Space exploration is worth the cost. (Medium) | Space research can lead to inventions that help on Earth. | The same money could fix problems on Earth right now. |
| Schools should have gardens. (Medium) | Students learn science by growing food themselves. | Gardens need care over summer break, when nobody is there. |
| Aquariums help protect ocean animals. (Medium) | Visitors who see animals up close may care more about protecting them. | Animals in tanks live very differently from animals in the ocean. |
| People should be allowed to live on Mars. (Hard) | A second home planet makes humans less fragile. | We should solve how to live well on Earth first. |
Technology
| Topic | One argument for | One argument against |
|---|---|---|
| Every student should learn to code. (Medium) | Coding teaches step-by-step problem solving. | Class time is limited, and not everyone needs it. |
| Students should be allowed to use tablets in every class. (Medium) | Tablets put every textbook and tool in one place. | Tablets make it easy to drift off task. |
| Reading on paper is better than reading on a screen. (Medium) | Paper has no notifications pulling you away. | Screens let you search, zoom and carry a whole library. |
| Technology makes us smarter. (Hard) | We can look up and learn almost anything in seconds. | We may remember less when we know we can look it up. |
English and the arts
| Topic | One argument for | One argument against |
|---|---|---|
| Books are better than movies. (Easy) | A book lets you imagine the world yourself. | A movie can tell a story to people who cannot read it. |
| Every student should learn a musical instrument. (Medium) | Practice builds patience and focus. | Instruments cost money that some families do not have. |
| Art class is as important as math class. (Medium) | Creativity is a skill every job needs. | Math is needed for more school subjects. |
| Everyone should learn a second language. (Medium) | It opens up friendships, travel and jobs. | Time spent on it could go to subjects students struggle with. |
History and social studies
| Topic | One argument for | One argument against |
|---|---|---|
| History is the most important subject. (Hard) | Knowing the past helps us avoid repeating mistakes. | Reading and math are needed to learn history at all. |
| It is better to be a leader than a follower. (Hard) | Leaders can change things they think are wrong. | Every good team needs people who follow well. |
| Famous people should be role models. (Hard) | Their choices reach millions of young people. | Being good at one thing does not make someone a model for everything. |
| Cities should have more parks than parking lots. (Medium) | Parks make cities healthier and calmer. | People still need to park to get to work and shops. |
Health and PE
| Topic | One argument for | One argument against |
|---|---|---|
| Sports should be played every day. (Easy) | Daily exercise can help students focus in class. | Some students would rather spend that time on other activities. |
| Chess should be an Olympic sport. (Medium) | It takes training, skill and competition, like any sport. | Sports should be about physical effort. |
| Competition is good for kids. (Medium) | It teaches how to win and lose well. | It can make kids afraid to try things they might fail at. |
| Every student should learn to cook. (Easy) | Cooking is a life skill everyone uses. | Families can teach it better at home. |
School life
| Topic | One argument for | One argument against |
|---|---|---|
| Cell phones should stay in lockers during class. (Easy) | Fewer distractions mean more learning. | Phones can be useful tools for research. |
| Homework teaches responsibility. (Hard) | Managing work at home builds good habits. | Responsibility can be taught without extra hours of work. |
| Tests should be open-book. (Medium) | Real life rarely asks us to work from memory alone. | Some facts are worth knowing by heart. |
| Group projects are better than solo projects. (Easy) | Most jobs involve working with others. | One person often ends up doing most of the work. |
A debate in 40 minutes
This format fits a single class period. Two teams of three or four argue, and the rest of the class are the judges.
| Minutes | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0 to 3 | Draw a topic with the generator. Flip a coin to decide which team argues for it. |
| 3 to 13 | Teams prepare: three reasons, one example for each, and the strongest point the other side will make. |
| 13 to 17 | Opening speeches, 2 minutes per team, for side first. |
| 17 to 23 | Questions: each team asks the other two questions, with short answers. |
| 23 to 29 | Rebuttals, 3 minutes per team, against side first. |
| 29 to 31 | Closing statements, 1 minute per team. |
| 31 to 36 | The judges vote and give one reason each for their vote. |
| 36 to 40 | Everyone writes which argument on the other side was hardest to answer. |
Use the Coin Flip for sides, in front of the class. Students argue the side the coin gives them, not the one they agree with. That rule is the point of the exercise: it teaches them to understand an opinion before answering it.
Roles for the rest of the class
- Judges score each team on reasons, examples and answers to questions, not on which side they agree with.
- Timekeeper times each part, using the generator's 2 min timer for the opening speeches, and holds up a hand at 30 seconds left.
- Note taker writes down every argument on the board as it is made, so the rebuttals can point to them.
Separate an argument from a verified fact
Ask students to label each claim they make as an opinion, a prediction or a statement of fact. Statements of fact need a source. The short arguments in the tables above are prompts for discussion, not evidence.
A two-minute check before the opening speeches helps: each team writes down its strongest claim, the evidence that would support it and one fair objection to it.
Making it work
- Start easy. A first debate on "Books are better than movies" teaches the format without anyone getting upset.
- Ban "you are wrong". Students attack arguments, never people. "That reason does not hold because..." is the sentence to practice.
- Swap and repeat. Run the same topic again next week with the sides switched. It shows students how strong the other case can be.
FAQ
What are good debate topics for middle school?
Easy topics with a clear choice, like "Cell phones should stay in lockers during class" or "Group projects are better than solo projects". Set the generator to Debate, For: Students, Easy.
How do I choose sides fairly?
Flip a coin in front of the class before teams prepare. Arguing the side you did not choose is good practice.
Does the generator include political topics?
A few Students topics touch civic questions, like the voting age. Press Next topic if one does not suit your class. The 24 on this page are all school-friendly.