Political discussions in social science education often fall into patterns of unstructured opinion-sharing or premature consensus-seeking, rather than fostering analytical and politically qualified deliberation. Previous research suggests that students' classroom discussions frequently resemble informal "pub discussions," where personal opinions dominate over critical examination of political issues. To address this challenge, this study investigates how teachers can simultaneously prepare for the unpredictability of political discussions while guiding students toward more structured and informed engagement. This project explores the effects of a specified planning tool designed to support teachers in structuring and facilitating political discussions in upper secondary social science education. The planning tool aims to help teachers navigate the balance between fostering open-ended discussions and ensuring that conversations remain analytically rigorous and politically meaningful. The study is conducted in collaboration with upper secondary social science teachers and teacher students, utilizing a design-based research approach. Data is collected through teacher workshops and teacher-student workshops, where participants engage with and reflect upon the planning tool in practice. The primary data sources include sound recordings of discussions, written notes from participants, and researcher field notes. These materials are analyzed to identify key factors that contribute to more qualified political discussions in the classroom. The study provides insights into how structured pedagogical interventions can enhance students' ability to engage critically and constructively with political issues, while also equipping teachers with strategies to manage the dynamic and sometimes unpredictable nature of such discussions. The project has received ethical approval (number 2023-04510-01) and adheres to established ethical guidelines for educational research. Ultimately, this research contributes to the broader field of social science education by offering empirically grounded recommendations on how to design and implement teaching practices that foster democratic competencies and political literacy among students.