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Tug of War Thinking Routine: Teaching Middle & High Schoolers to Navigate Complex Dilemmas
A Project Zero Visible Thinking Routine |
Let’s be honest: our middle and high school students are growing up in a world where everything feels black and white. Social media algorithms feed them content that reinforces their existing beliefs, and nuanced thinking often takes a back seat to hot takes and snap judgments. But here’s the thing—the real world is messy, complex, and full of dilemmas that don’t have easy answers.
Enter the Tug of War thinking routine, a brilliantly simple strategy from Harvard’s Project Zero that teaches students to wrestle with complexity rather than run from it.
What Exactly Is the Tug of War Thinking Routine?
Think of your students’ favourite childhood game—tug of war. Two teams, one rope, everyone pulling. Now imagine using that same concept to explore the forces that “pull” at different sides of a fairness dilemma or controversial issue.
The Purpose: This routine helps students understand that complex issues have legitimate arguments on multiple sides. It encourages them to reason carefully about various factors, appreciate deeper complexity, and—most importantly—think before they pick a side.
Developed by researchers at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education as part of their Visible Thinking project, Tug of War isn’t about winning a debate. It’s about developing the intellectual ability to see that fairness dilemmas rarely have simple solutions.
Why Middle & High School Teachers Need This in Their Toolkit
If you teach students in grades 6-12, you know the drill. Your students have opinions—strong ones. But ask them to explain the other side? That’s where this routine becomes gold.
Here’s what Tug of War does for your classroom:
- Builds critical thinking skills: Students learn to evaluate arguments based on evidence, not emotion
- Develops empathy: Understanding opposing viewpoints creates more compassionate humans
- Enhances evidence-based reasoning: No more “because I said so”—students must back up their thinking
- Prepares for real-world complexity: Life isn’t multiple choice; this routine reflects that reality
- Creates engaging discussions: Students actually want to talk about the issues you raise
How to Use Tug of War: The Step-by-Step Breakdown
Ready to try it? Here’s your game plan:
1 Choose Your Dilemma
Pick a fairness dilemma or controversial statement that has two defensible sides. This could come from your curriculum or everyday life. The key? It should be genuinely debatable—no obvious “right” answer.
Subject-Specific Examples:
- English/Literature: “In The Giver, is a society based on sameness or diversity more ideal?”
- Science: “Should we continue testing medicines on animals?” or “Is genetic engineering of crops beneficial or harmful?”
- History: “Was the New Deal a success or failure?” or “How important was pop culture in ending the Cold War?”
- Current Events: “Should social media platforms censor misinformation?”
- School Life: “Is it fair to add new players to a game after it has started?”
2 Set Up Your Visual
Here’s where it gets tactile and fun. You have options:
- Low-tech: Draw a line on your whiteboard or tape an actual rope across your classroom wall
- Digital: Use Google Slides, Jamboard, or any collaborative platform with a similar visual
- Hybrid: Project a template on your screen while students use sticky notes
Label each end of your “rope” with the two opposing positions. The far ends represent the strongest arguments; the middle is where weaker or more nuanced points live.
3 Generate the “Tugs”
This is where the magic happens. Give students sticky notes (or digital text boxes) and ask them to:
- Identify reasons that support BOTH sides of the dilemma
- Write one reason per sticky note
- Think about evidence, not just opinions
“The conversations students had while writing their sticky notes were phenomenal. They were quoting the text, pulling in personal experiences, discussing what concepts meant… A lot of students found evidence for both sides.” – Middle School Teacher
Pro tip: Require a minimum number of reasons per side (try 3-5) to push students beyond their comfort zone. The goal is to think like a lawyer who can argue both sides of a case.
4 Place the Tugs on the Rope
Now students physically place their sticky notes along the rope based on the strength of each argument. Strongest arguments go at the far ends; weaker or more questionable ones go toward the middle.
This step is crucial—it forces students to evaluate not just what the arguments are, but how compelling they are. Encourage discussion as they place their notes. Why is one argument stronger than another? What makes evidence convincing?
5 Generate “What If…?” Questions
Once the rope is full, step back and ask students to generate “What if…?” questions. These are the factors, concerns, or variables that would need to be explored to actually resolve the dilemma.
Example “What If” Questions:
- “What if we only tested medicine on animals when human trials weren’t possible?”
- “What if there was a way to measure long-term environmental impact?”
- “What if everyone had equal access to resources in the ‘sameness’ society?”
These questions often reveal new complexity and help students see that many dilemmas don’t have simple solutions—they require careful consideration of multiple factors.
6 Reflect and Discuss
Close with reflection. This is where deeper learning happens:
- What new ideas emerged?
- Has your thinking changed? How?
- Do you see this issue differently now?
- What makes this dilemma more complex than it first appeared?
Some students might change their stance entirely. Others might dig in deeper—but with better reasoning. Both outcomes are valuable.
Creative Ways to Use Tug of War Across Content Areas
1. In English Class
Use it when analyzing character decisions, debating whether a book should be banned, or exploring themes of justice in literature. One 8th grade teacher had students use Tug of War with The Giver to debate whether sameness or diversity creates a better society—the discussions were incredible.
2. In Science Class
Perfect for bioethics discussions (cloning, genetic modification, animal testing), environmental debates (renewable energy trade-offs, conservation vs. development), or analyzing scientific controversies.
3. In Social Studies
This routine was practically made for history and civics classes. Debate historical decisions, explore constitutional dilemmas, analyze current events, or discuss policy issues. The visual nature helps students see how historical events had real people tugging in different directions.
4. In SEL Time
Use it to navigate school-based dilemmas: dress codes, phone policies, homework debates, or peer conflict scenarios. It helps students develop emotional intelligence and perspective-taking.
Use It Regularly: The more students practice this routine, the better they get at seeing multiple perspectives naturally.
Time Investment
Plan for 25-45 minutes, depending on the complexity of your dilemma and how deep you want the discussion to go. You can also use modified versions:
- Quick Version (15 min): Use as a warm-up or exit ticket with a simple dilemma
- Deep Dive (full period): Great for introducing major units or culminating discussions
Ready-to-Use Resources (Free Download!)
We’ve created FREE downloadable templates for you:
| Template 1: Basic Tug of War Template – Print and use with any dilemma Template 2: Student Worksheet – Perfect for individual processing before whole-class discussion Both templates include: Visual rope diagram Space for identifying the two sides Sections for generating reasons and “What if” questions Reflection prompts Step-by-step instructions for students |
Additional Resources
- Harvard Project Zero – Complete Thinking Routines Toolbox
- Official Tug of War Documentation (PDF)
- Book: Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners by Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison (pages 199-206)
