Why Not and Refutation Chain

Encourage to think critically and present logical arguments during both the supporting and rebuttal stages.

Group activity

Gather a group of participants and form a circle.
Start with a statement or claim related to a specific topic or motion. For example: "The use of smartphones should be banned in schools."
Pass a ball or any object to one participant in the circle, who will provide a reason supporting the statement.
Instead of asking "Why?" as in the original exercise, the next participant who receives the ball should provide a counter-argument or a rebuttal, starting with "Why not."
After presenting the rebuttal, this participant passes the ball to the next person, who then supports the initial statement with a new reason.
The exercise continues, alternating between reasons supporting the statement and rebuttals challenging it, forming a "rebuttal chain."

Example:

Participant A (holding the ball): "The use of smartphones should be banned in schools because they distract students from their studies."
Participant B (receiving the ball): "Why not allow the use of smartphones in schools, as they can be educational tools that enhance learning?"
Participant B (passes the ball): "The use of smartphones should be banned in schools because they can be used for cyberbullying."
Participant C (receiving the ball): "Why not educate students about responsible smartphone usage and address cyberbullying issues separately, rather than banning smartphones altogether?"
Participant C (passes the ball): "The use of smartphones should be banned in schools because they can disrupt classroom dynamics."
Participant D (receiving the ball): "Why not establish clear guidelines and policies to ensure smartphones are used responsibly, minimizing disruptions while still harnessing their potential benefits?"
(The exercise continues, alternating between reasons supporting and rebuttals challenging the initial statement.)