Visual tools for teaching college readiness writing standards

Visual Tools for Teaching College- and Career-Readiness Standards

Language Arts Standards Math Standards

Edwin Ellis, Ph.D. Professor, Special Education, The University of Alabama [email protected] (205) 394-5512

Craig Henden, BAMath Teacher Oakman Middle School

Elizabeth Long, MARTI Coordinator Hartselle High School

© 2013 Edwin S. Ellis All Rights Reserved [email protected] www.GraphicOrganizers.com

For information about how to access Smart Visual software featured in this presentation or professional development for your school, please contact Dr. Edwin Ellis

Visual Tools for Teaching College- and Career-Readiness Standards

Edwin Ellis, Ph.D. Professor, Special Education The University of Alabama [email protected] (205) 394-5512

Craig Henden, BAMath Teacher Oakman Middle School

PART 2: Writing Standards

Elizabeth Long, MARTI Coordinator Hartselle High School

All about… applying principles of strategic instruction when using visual tools

All about… embedded prompts that cue what /how to think about essential info

All about… visual tools that target specific NCCS standards

We’ve developed specific high-engagement instructional routines for using visual tools….

* BEFORE the lesson to activate & assess background knowledge, pre-teach vocabulary & create anticipation for learning.

* DURING the lesson to both teach the NCCSS language arts literacy skills AND teach subject-matter

* AFTER the lesson to facilitate reflective reviews and use of “essential questions” about the tools students are learning to use and the relevance of the subject-matter they have been learning

Text-to-notes routines

Notes-to-writing routines

Project-based learning routines


Text Type & Purposes

Express an opinion and/or preference; explain reasons

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

Write informative/explanatory/descriptive texts

Narrate a sequence of events; explain reactions) to the events

Production & Distribution

Research to build & present knowledge

Write text that matches task, purpose and audience

Employ the writing process

Use technology

Research information, collect evidence, & report findings & conclusions

Use multiple info sources of information, assess credibility & accuracy of information

Paraphrase data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism; employ appropriate citations

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

LANGUAGE ARTS WRITING





Be sure to notice how the visual tools are designed for scaffolding complexityLOOK!

Students initially learn how to use simple versions of visual tools

…then gradually learn how to apply increasingly more sophisticated versions of the visual tools


Expository Writing









Max the Cat

run

2

hopcat toys

Max likes to run and hop.He plays with cat toys.

1


Max the CatMax likes to run and hop. He plays with cat toys.



fishing

swim

beach We went to the beach. 1

Summer Vacation

Dad took us to ride Go-carts.

Go-carts 4

We went swimming in the pool.

2

I caught my first fish!3

XXX© 2013 Edwin S. Ellis All Rights Reserved [email protected] www.GraphicOrganizers.com

Summer VacationWe went to the beach. We went swimming in the pool. I caught my first fish! Dad took us to ride Go-carts. Our vacation was cool.


Sleeping outside in the back yardCamping out

Order Ideas

Get tent out – put it up1

Dark and Scary

Rained

Hotdogs2

3

4

Build a fire

Chips

Predictwords

Listideas

Assignorder

Notesentences

Searcherrors & fix

PLANS writing strategy

camp outtent

hot dogs light

rain

dark

scary

fire


Camping Out Bill and I wanted to camp out. Dad put a tent up in the back yard. He made a campfire. We put our sleeping bags inside. We cooked hotdogs and marshmallows. We ate chips too. It got real dark. The light stopped working. Then it rained. We got wet. Camping out is fun.


The PLANS writing strategy

Preview Preview the PATH

Purpose – get people to protect eaglesAudience – kids my age

Topic – eagle problems

Hook – baby eagles

Writing Essential Understandings Smart Visuals© 2013 Edwin Ellis MakesSenseStrategies.com

TM TM



What would be some good words to use when I write about Bald Eagles? Bald Eagles nest majestic in danger fly National Bird DDT white heads


Predict Predict the PATH Predict words to use

baby eagles

TM TM




List main ideas & details on a think-sheet

TM TM


Bald Eagles

Interesting things about our National Bird

List key information

Writer lists topic and “Is about” statement

PLANS


Bald Eagles


Eagles in danger

Baby Bald Eagles

What they eat


Writer lists main idea to be discussed

PLANS


Bald Eagles


Eagles in danger

Baby Bald Eagles

What they eat

Farmers put DDT on crops to kill bugs

Fish eat bugs that washed into water

Eagle eats fish & DDT gets into them

DDT makes egg shells thin, so they break


Writer lists details about each main idea

PLANS

Bald Eagles


Eagles in danger

Baby Bald Eagles

What they eat

Takes 6-8 weeks for eggs to hatch

Lay only 2-3 eggs

White w/blue spots

If baby falls out of nest, it dies

Babies have brown heads, not white





Mostly eat fish & dead animals

Steal food from other birds

Poor hunters

Bald Eagles


Eagles in danger

Baby Bald Eagles

What they eat


Lay only 2-3 eggs

White w/blue spots









Poor hunters

Next time you see a picture of a Bald Eagle, think about how they are in danger


Writer notes a “So what?” statement

PLANS


Assign numbers to indicate orderDecide on the order for presenting each of the main ideas.Order the details of each of the main ideas.

© 2002 Edwin S. Ellis Masterminds Publishing graphicorganizers.com

TM TM


Bald Eagles


Eagles in danger

Baby Bald Eagles

What they eat


Lay only 2-3 eggs

White w/blue spots









Poor hunters


1 23

Assign order

Writer assigns numbers to indicate order

PLANS


Bald Eagles


Eagles in danger

Baby Bald Eagles

What they eat


Lay only 2-3 eggs

White w/blue spots









Poor hunters


1 23

2

1

4

3

Assign order

Writer orders details into desired sequence

PLAN


Bald Eagles


Eagles in danger

Baby Bald Eagles

What they eat


Lay only 2-3 eggs

White w/blue spots









Poor hunters


1 23

1

2

3

4

2

1

4

3

2

3

1



Note ideas in sentences by following your plan.

TM TM



Note sentences


PLANS

Opening paragraph introduces the topic

You probably know that the Bald Eagle is our national bird, and you have seen it on U.S. symbols and money. There are many interesting things about Bald Eagles.


Note sentences


PLANS

Next paragraph introduces 1st main idea


Bald Eagles don’t have many babies.


Note sentences


PLANS

Next paragraph introduces 1st main idea


Bald Eagles don’t have many babies.


Note sentences


PLANS

…and the authors writes a minimum of 1 sentence per idea on Smart Visual


Bald Eagles don’t have many babies. They usually lay only 2 or 3 eggs at a time. The eggs are white with blue spots. It takes about 6-8 weeks for them to hatch. Baby Bald Eagles have brown heads when they hatch. If the baby falls out of the nest, it dies.



Bald Eagles don’t have many babies. They usually lay only 2 or 3 eggs at a time. The eggs are white with blue spots. It takes about 6-8 weeks for them to hatch. Baby Bald Eagles have brown heads when they hatch. If the baby falls out of the nest, it dies.

Although they may seem mighty, Bald Eagles are actually poor hunters. They get a lot of their food by stealing from other birds. They eat fish and dead animals. Not many people know that our National Bird is actually a thief!

Bald Eagles are in danger. Farmer put a chemical called DDT on their crops to kill insects. Fish eat the dead bugs when they wash into the water. When Bald Eagles eat the fish, the DDT gets in them too. The DDT causes the egg shells to be too thin so they break easily. Baby cannot hatch from the few eggs they lay. So the next time you see a picture of a Bald Eagle, remember that it is a thief in danger!


Opinion / Theme Writing

Opinion Writing starts with stating simple preferences & why

…then gradually evolves into more detailed explanations

…then gradually evolves into discipline-specific opinion-writing like

* opinion about message or theme of a story* opinion about a new policy or law





What I liked about this topic…

TOPIC

Draw a picture

My new pajamas

TOPIC

Draw a picture

What I liked about this topic

pink

flowers on them yellow and white

softBirthday present from Granny


STORY In A People House by Theo. LeSieg and Roy McKie

This story was about…

The mouse invites Mr. Bird in to see what a ‘PeopleHouse’ looks like.

What I liked about this story…

The story is funny, and the pictures are silly.

Draw a picture

STORY

This story was about

They make a mess.

The people kick them out.

What I liked about this story

I like it when they crash.


Notice how scaffolding is used as students progress through the Smart Visuals…

1st Smart Visual focuses on non-academic applications (students personal knowledge or experience)

Then the 2nd Smart Visual used the same basic format, but focused on literature STORY

The story was about…

What I liked about the story…

This illustrates the scaffolding principle of building new knowledge and skills based on students background knowledge / experience

Start with familiar (non-academic) phase into unfamiliar (academic)

Notice how scaffolding is used as students progress through the Smart Visuals…

Also notice how the 2nd Smart Visual added a component to make the tool slightly more complex that the 1st one

This illustrates the scaffolding principle of gradually increasing the complexity of the task

Simple Complex

The story was about…

Reason why I liked this topic… Another reason why I liked this topic…

TOPIC

Draw a picture

Because pizza means party time!

I like to eat pizza with my friends

Pizza

It is my favorite foodcheese meatmushrooms

peppersonions

TOPIC

Draw a pictureReason

why I like this topic

Another reason why I like this topic

Pizza I LOVE PIZZA! It is my favorite food. Pizzas can have lots of stuff on them like cheese, meat, peppers, mushrooms, and onions. I like plain old cheese pizza the best.

I also love pizza because it turns a plain meal into part time! My friends also want to eat pizza when they are hanging with me.

STORY Hansel and Gretel

I liked the kid tricking the witch with a stick

Hansel had more time to think of a way to escape.

The witch wants Hansel to stick his finger out so she can see if he’s getting any fatter. She can’t see too well so Hansel sticks out a bone instead. She thinks the bone is his finger.

What happened BEFORE your favorite part of the story?

Hansel and Gretel get lost while walking through the woods. The see a Gingerbread house and start eating it. A witch captures them and puts them in a cage.

What happened DURING your favorite part of the story?

Reason WHY this was your favorite part? Another reason WHY this was your favorite part?

STORY

What happened BEFORE

your favorite part of the story?

What happened DURING

your favorite part of the story?

Another reason why this was your favorite part?Reason why

this was your favorite part?


Another reason why I liked this…Reason why I liked this…

gg

Details Details

TOPIC

Draw a picture

I got to go out on the bay in a big boat.

Shrimping At the Beach

We pulled up lots of shrimp & other sea life.

I got to pick through the net and throw back fish.

The squids were the coolest.

My Uncle David has a boat and a shrimp net.

I got to take long boat rides.


Shrimping At the Beach One of my favorite things to do at the beach is go shrimping. I got to go out on the bay in my Uncle David’s big shrimp boat. It is like a long boat ride while the net is being pulled.

The best part is when the net is pulled in. There’s tons of sea life in it. I got to pull lots of shrimp from the net. We throw little fish back into the bay. The squids were the coolest.


What I like about What I like about the story

Favorite part of story (2 reasons)

Use to write mini-essay (expository)What I like about (2 reasons + details)

What I like about (2 reasons)







STORY 1

STORY 2

ConclusionWhat did you like most /least about the story? Would you recommend others read it? Why?

How realistic was the plot? Was the plot about something that could easily happen in real life?

How critical was the setting? Could the plot have happened in a different setting?

Was the plot easy to follow?Was the plot convoluted or confusing?

How interesting was the plot?Did the plot contain a lot of interesting surprises, twists, & turns?

































Many stories reflect one of a series of common topics, patterns, set of actions or events. These are called “archetypes.” Below is a list of some of the most common archetype story-patterns. Decide whether the story you read reflects one of these patterns and why you think so.

STORY

Quest for securityDecay Finding meaning in life

Rite of passageDecent to the Underworld

Quest for identityThe Feud Coming of age

Quest for global good

Quest for self-assurance

Loss of Pride Searching for self

Being tested / trialsConfronting moral evil

Absurdity of lifeQuest formaterial wealth

Birth, death & rebirth

Preserving Innocence

Loss of Innocence

Emotional or physical journey

Annihilation Finding acceptance

Rejecting / accepting authority

Expulsion / Rejection

Quest for kinThe Epic Learning something about self

The InitiationFalling from grace

Rejecting / bondingwith parents

1st Reason why I think the story utilizes the archetype(s) I selected…

2nd Reason why I think the story utilizes the archetype(s) I selected…

3rd Reason why I think the story utilizes the archetype(s) I selected…

Literature ArchetypesPLOT Gist & Details

STORY

The Outsiders By: S. E. Hinton

Many stories reflect one of a series of common topics, patterns, set of

actions or events. These are called “archetypes.” Below is a list of some of the

most common archetype story-patterns. Decide whether the story you read reflects

one of these patterns and why you think so.

X

X

X

1st Reason why I think the story utilizes the archetype(s) I selected…

Coming of Age – Ponyboy (15) and Johnny (16) struggle with social issues such as neighborhood gangs, relationships with girls, academic issues and absent (dead or deadbeat) parents. Both boys are seeking acceptance in their “gang” while trying to improve their lives and stay true to the “Greasers”.

2nd Reason why I think the story utilizes the archetype(s) I selected…

Loss of Innocence – Bob's murder was necessary to save Ponyboy and Johnny’s lives but it robbed them of their naive view of the world. The investigation, trial and resulting deaths of Dallas and Johnny also took away their youth and pushed them toward the harsh realities of the world.

3rd Reason why I think the story utilizes the archetype(s) I selected…

Finding meaning in life – All of the boys in the “Greasers” and the “Socs” are seeking status, possessions, money, or a feeling of superiority to make them feel as if they belong. Randy even mentions that Bob was wanting someone to tell him no, to make him responsible and hold him to higher standards. © 2013 Edwin S. Ellis All Rights Reserved [email protected] www.GraphicOrganizers.com

AbandonmentAccomplishmentAffirmationAlienationAmbitionAmerican DreamAnger Beauty Betrayal Birth/ChildhoodComing of AgeCommercialism

CommunityCompromiseCourage CrueltyCuriosityDeathDeterminationDiscovering TalentDiscovering selfDiversityDuty (filial piety)Education

EthicsFamilyFateFear FreedomFriendshipFutilityGenderGriefGuiltHappiness Heroism

RegretRejectionReligionResponsibilityScience & TechnologySex/SensualitySinceritySocial ClassSanity SpiritualityStages of Life

LoveLoyalty MemoryNationalismNatureOppressionParenthoodPatiencePerseverance Prejudice PrideRace

HonestyHopeIdentityIllnessImaginationIndividual & SocietyInnocence & ExperienceIsolationJealousy JusticeLoneliness

Common Topics Addressed in Themes

SuccessSufferingSurvivalTeamworkThings not as they seemTraditionTruth ViolenceWarWelfare of othersWork

The Watsons Go to Birmingham Christopher Paul CurtisSTORY AUTHOR

The subject of a story is the topic about which an author has chosen to write. A theme is the author’s unstated opinion about that topic and is usually a message about life.

Choose one of the theme topics (or make up your own) and write a statement that shows what you think the theme (or author’s opinion about the topic) of the story is about.

TOPIC: THEME of STORY (author’s opinion about topic)

Coming of Age

A big part of coming of age is reflecting on who you are and changing your opinions and actions accordingly.

Explain why you think this is the story theme

Evidence of theme in the story

After Byron kills a bird, he feels sorry, cries, and gives it a proper burial. Kenny recognizes that this is very different than when Byron makes fun of the other kids at school, including Kenny himself. Found on pages 82-85.



Kenny decides to break the rules for the first time in the story and swim in the lake. Byron, on the other hand, goes the way the adults tell him to, following directions for the first time. This shows that both are growing up. Finally, by saving Kenny and not teasing him Byron shows a new level of maturity. Found on pages 170-179.

After having difficulty dealing with the emotional and physical toll of the bombings, Kenny breaks down and comes to Byron to try and understand how and why they happened. Rather than teasing Kenny, Byron helps him to reflect maturely on the bombing and gives support to his younger brother. Found on pages 196-200.

STORY AUTHOR

TOPIC THEME

author’s opinion

about topic

EVIDENCE of theme in story

Common Topics Addressed in Themes

STORY TOPIC

Note connections between key CHARACTERS and the theme to persuade why the theme is correct

Determine story topic

Express author’s opinion about the topic to identify the theme

Find story EVENTS that connect with the theme / use this info to persuade the reader that the theme is correct

Explain how the SETTING relates to the theme to persuade why the theme is correct

Decide on best order for presenting the ideas in your persuasive essayState a conclusion

Important Event in the story…

Connection between this event & the story theme

Setting feature…

Connection between this feature & the story theme

Character's name…

Connection between this character & the story theme



Setting feature…


Character's name…


DEFENDS Literature Theme Connections StrategyPersuasion

The Pardoner’s Tale By: G. Chaucer Death


Determine the story topic

STORY TOPIC









Setting feature…


Character's name…




Setting feature…


Character's name…




Express the author’s opinion about the topic to identify the theme

The theme is that Death comes to us all and can not be defeated.

STORY TOPIC









Setting feature…


Character's name…




Setting feature…


Character's name…





Find story EVENTS that connect with the theme Use

this info to persuade the reader that the theme is correct

Important EVENT in the story…

Connection between this EVENT and the story theme

The 3 “rioters” decide to find and kill Death.

They are overconfident and not clear headed,

The three “rioters” meet an old man and are very rude and abusive to him.Their arrogance is offensive and they

don’t even know that they are taking to Death.

so they will end up dead themselves

STORY TOPIC









Setting feature…


Character's name…




Setting feature…


Character's name…




Explain how the SETTING relates to the theme

SETTING feature…

Connection between this feature and the story theme







The story starts in a bar early in the morning

men are drinking- get riled up, overconfident, in fightin’ mood = foolish decisions.

The gold represents greed and Death is near greed (irony).

The tree had a pile of gold under it and Death was sitting nearby.

STORY TOPIC









Setting feature…


Character's name…




Setting feature…


Character's name…














Note CHARACTER theme connectionsCHARACTER name…

Connection between this character and the theme

Represents himself and is honest about what he offers

Death

The Old Man is really Death in disguise and is mistreated by the three rioters.

The Old Man

STORY TOPIC









Setting feature…


Character's name…




Setting feature…


Character's name…




2 3

4 5

Decide on the best order for presenting the ideas












Death


The Old Man6 7

1

STORY TOPIC









Setting feature…


Character's name…




Setting feature…


Character's name…




Chaucer chose to show how greed and foolishness lead to Death. However, Death also was shown to be an old man so that those who live a long time still face Death eventually.












Death


The Old Man

2 3

4 5

6 7

1

State a conclusion

STORY TOPIC









Setting feature…


Character's name…




Setting feature…


Character's name…
















Death


The Old Man

2 3

4 5

6 7

1

“Pardoner’s Tale”

The theme of Chaucer’s “Pardoner’s Tale” is that death comes to us all and cannot be defeated. We see this in the setting, events, and characters in the story.

The story begins in a bar “long before the morning service bell” or 9am. Bars tend to be dark places where nothing good happens from being there. Dark places are foreboding. Death, too, represents a dark, bad, foreboding place. Later in the story, the setting switches to a tree with the pile of gold under it.. The gold represents greed and Death (in the form an Old Man) is nearby. This setting is a foreshadowing of how greed and Death go hand in hand.

An important event connected to the theme occurs at the beginning of the story. Three “rioters” (men) in the bar are drunkards and not the smartest men around. The three men are angry, overconfident and this situation leads to foolish decisions… like deciding to find and kill Death. Three drunks in a bar deciding to kill Death sets that stage to illustrate how Death cannot be defeated. Also, later in the story when they meet the old man, they are very rude and abusive to him without any cause. Their arrogance is offensive to the old man (who is Death in disguise) and the three men do not even realize that it is Death that they are talking to.

Finally, Chaucer uses the characters of Death and the Old Man, who are essentially the same person, to emphasize the theme that Death comes to us all. Death represents himself and is honest about what he offers. However, the Old Man as Death in disguise brings out the true nature in the three rioters. Their mistreatment of him results in Death’s offer and the nature of greed results in their deaths.












6 BIG IDEAS about visual tools

2. All about visual cues depicting how info structured

3. All about embedded word prompts that cue what/how to think about essential info

Scaffolding complexity (simple complex)

I We Groups You use it

1. All about precisely targeting specific NCCS standards

4. All about scaffolding their use

Scaffolding assistance (gradual release)







End by re-stating your position and summarizing the most important reason why

Define the issue

Establish a clear position on the issue

Back-up the position with reasons and supporting facts (weakest reason 1st, strongest reason last)

Acknowledge the opposition’s position

Tell why the opposition’s position is incorrect (their strongest reason 1st, their weakest reason last)

My position is…

Opposition's position is…

REASON Supporting facts


REASON OPPOSITION MIGHT GIVE… Why this reason is faculty…


WHO should be concerned about the issue? WHY?

WHAT is the issue?

WHEN did the issue emerge? Why then?

DEBATE the Issue Strategy

samplediscipline-specific Smart Visual

persuasive writing applied to specific social studies / history

competencies

prompts focus on discipline-specific

essential understandings

© 2011 Edwin Ellis [email protected]


© 2013 Edwin S. Ellis All Rights


Define the issue





My position is…







WHAT is the issue?



History / Social Studies

Sample CCS standardsReading Information 9-10.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.

Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content: 9-10 1.bDevelop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form and in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.

© 2011 Edwin Ellis [email protected]© 2013 Edwin S. Ellis All Rights


Define the issue





My position is…







WHAT is the issue?



History / Social Studies

DEBATE Writing Strategy

© 2011 Edwin Ellis [email protected]© 2013 Edwin S. Ellis All Rights







My position is…




REASON opposition might give… Why this reason is faculty…


WHAT is the issue?



Define the issue© 2011 Edwin Ellis [email protected]© 2013 Edwin S. Ellis All Rights







My position is…






WHAT is the issue?



Define the issue

WHAT is the issue?

WHO should be concerned about the issue? Why?


Whether to raise the speed limit on interstates

Everybody that travels or buys goods shipped via highways

Pres. Carter ordered slower speed-limits due to gas shortage








My position is…






WHAT is the issue?







My position is…

The speed limit should be lowered to 65mph on interstates








My position is…






WHAT is the issue?



The speed limit should be lowered to 65 on interstates




Back-up position with reasons & supporting factsWeakest reason 1stStrongest reason last

Slower speed = less gas “greener” + less travel & shipping costs

Safer at lower speeds Slower speed = less wrecks = less deaths








My position is…






WHAT is the issue?









Acknowledge the opposition’s positionOpposition’s position is….

We should raise the speed limit to 75 or 80, not lower it!








My position is…






WHAT is the issue?











Tell why opposition’s position is incorrectReason opposition might give…Why this reason is faulty…

Cars made safer now 105,000 fatal car accidents last year

People won’t speed as much ifspeed limit is higher

Research: Drivers ave. speed = 15-20 mphover limit no matter what speed limit is

Define the issue© Edwin Ellis [email protected]© 2013 Edwin S. Ellis All Rights







My position is…






WHAT is the issue?












speed limit is higher no matter what speed limit is

End by re-stating your position & summarizing the most important reason why

Define the issue© 2013 Edwin S. Ellis All Rights







My position is…






WHAT is the issue?







The speed limit should be lowered to 65 mph on interstates





People won’t speed as much ifspeed limit is higher

Research: Drivers ave. speed = 15-20 mphover limit no matter what speed limit is


Interstate Speed Limits An important issue that concerns everyone is whether

the speed limit on interstate highways should be raised. It affects everyone, even children too young to drive and elderly people too old to drive. This is because so many people travel on the interstates, both as drivers and as passengers. It even affects people who never go on the interstate because the speed limits affects the price of goods in terms of their transportation costs. Long ago, President Carter ordered that the speed limits be dropped to 55 miles per hour. This has been raised back to 70 mph on most interstates, but this may not be the ideal speed.

Personally, I think the speed limit should be lowered to 65 mph on interstates. Slowing down just a few miles an hour can save this country a lot of gas because slower speeds burn less gas. Not only will people save at the gas pump, they will save in the grocery store as well because it will not require as much money to ship items if truckers go a little slower.

Most importantly, however, slightly slower speeds can save thousands of lives. According to the National Insurance Council, dropping the speed limit just 5 mph can save as much as 35,000 lives per year. The bottom line is that we are all safer if we all slow down just a little. Slower speeds means less wrecks and that means less deaths.

There are many people who would like to see the speed limit increased to 75 or even 80 mph on the interstates. They argue that, now that cars have air bags and other safety features, they are a lot safer than they once were and thus are safer to drive at higher speeds. However, according to Laws.com (http://accident.laws.com/fatal-accidents), 105,000 people died in auto-accidents last year. While cars may be safer, that doesn't make them completely safe.

Some also argue that if the speed limit were raised, drivers would be less likely to exceed speed limits and break the law. The reality is that statistics show that drivers are likely to exceed the speed limit an average of 10-15 mph, no matter what the limit set. Thus, when the speed limit is at 70, speeders are actually driving between 80-85 miles an hour. If the limit is raised to 75, they are likely to just drive even faster at 85-90 miles an hour, suck up even more gas and kill more people. While I agree that it is more fun to drive fast, it is more important to lower emissions and protect our planet, be less dependent on gas, and be safer. Let's lower the limit to 65 and we'll all be better off.

© 2013 Edwin S. Ellis All Rights

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Visual tools for teaching college readiness writing standards