A Big Oil and Gas company wants to build a multi–billion dollar refinery just outside of town. This refinery will bring a lot of money and jobs to the town, but will also release pollutants into the air. The citizens are concerned and have all kinds of questions and ideas about the issue. Your job is to take the role of either the Oil Company or the Concerned Citizens and present your side of the issue to the community at a Town Hall Meeting.

A Town Hall Meeting is a way to have an organized discussion about a topic that may be controversial or affect many people in different ways. It doesn’t try to determine who is right or wrong, who is the winner or the loser, it is simply a way to lay out the facts about two different points of view.


A panel of experts – people representing each side of the issue. They present their side of the argument or debate to the members of the audience. They can use maps, props and other tools to help them get their point across.

Moderator – is in charge of the meeting. S/he introduces the members of the panel and calls on them to speak or answer questions.

Timekeeper – keeps track of the amount of time that each person speaks and signals the Moderator when the time is up.

Audience – listens to the experts ideas. They are invited to ask questions of the experts or make comments after both sides have presented their side.


Define Your Project

With your whole group (one half of your class) you will need to examine your side of the issue. Use the Define Your Project page to guide your project. It will help you to stay focused and be specific about what you have to do.

Divide into relatively equal teams and take on one position to research. You will be responsible for finding the facts to support this position.

List three supporting facts for your position. Use quotes from people and refer to the source as proof of your point. Anything that you say without providing evidence is an opinion, not a fact.

List your resources – websites, pamphlets etc

Create some questions that audience members could ask after the panel discussion. Include the answer. The questions can be for either side.

Research
Use the Define Your Project Planning Sheet to guide your research.

Use the following websites to help you find the information that you need.

www.capp.ca search the category ‘Stewardship’
www.casahome.org
www.eub.gov.ab.ca
www.davidsuzuki.org
www.sierraclub.org

Take a minute to think about all the hard work you’ve done so far. Check that you have done all of the things that have been outlined so far. Use the Checklist to help you.

Take a minute to do a self evaluation on the Collaborative Workskills Student Self-Assessment. Be honest. This will make up part of your mark.

Check out the Assessment Rubric. This will let you know exactly how you will be marked for this project. If you think that you want to change something so that you can get a better mark – now is the time to do it!

In your team, write out the things that you want to say in defense of your position. Remember to use quotes from websites or other media and give them credit for their ideas. Remember, if you can’t back the statement up with evidence, it is an opinion, not a fact. Stick to the facts!

Choose one person who is confident about the position that you researched and is willing to act as an expert to present the group’s findings to the town. The other people from your team will be members of the community who ask questions near the end of the meeting. Make sure that everyone on your team has a chance to speak.

Practice the speech in front of the group a few times so that you are comfortable with the topic and answers to possible questions.
Share the questions and answers that you created about your position with the opposing side so that they will know which questions you will be asking them, and what issues you will be presenting. They will need to be prepared for the questions you will be asking.

Get together with the other people who are on your side of the issue. You will now have three positions with supporting facts to present your side of the argument. Discuss a logical order for presenting the facts and practice your speeches again in front of your side. Practice asking and answering the questions again so that you may not have to read your answers during the actual Town Hall Meeting.



Choose a room in which to set up the discussion. Arrange a table and chairs and name plates for each side of the discussion, a chair for the Moderator and one for the Timekeeper off to the side. You will need microphone stands at the front of the audience for people to ask their questions into.

You may also want to have a backdrop or sign to make the meeting look more formal.


The actual Town Hall Meeting will be video taped as a special news program on our network. You will want to present yourself favorably as the news Special will be seen by thousands of viewers. Bathe. Wear nice clothing. Smile. Be sensible. Enjoy your moment of fame!