Would You Ban Texting and Walking?

main ideas and supporting evidence, opinion writing

The debate explains how one city passed a law against crossing the street while looking at a phone, and then presents arguments for and against such a law.

The debate begins by describing a scenario from the second-person point of view, and then it shifts to an informational structure. Reasons for and against a ban on texting and walking are woven throughout the text.

The debate includes a few challenging words, such as engineers and urge, as well as the new/created word hearted. It also contains an example of onomatopoeia and a rhetorical question.

The text refers to Honolulu, Hawaii, and London, England.

Have students preview the text features. Ask:

• What is the topic of the debate? (Prompt students to use the debate title and the heading on the chart as clues.)
• What do you think are the two sides of the issue?

Read the debate as a class or in small groups.

Have students read the debate a second time. Prompt them to mark the types of support the author presents to back up each side, including:

• Facts and statistics (F/S)
• Quotes from experts (Q)
• Stories or examples (EX)

As a class or in groups, have students discuss:

• Which evidence is most effective in supporting each side?
• Is one side stronger than the other? Why?
• What is your opinion? What evidence do you find the most convincing?
• For more-advanced students: Do you think the author has a preferred point of view on this issue? What is your evidence?

Have students complete the chart in the magazine.

Distribute the activity “Write an Opinion Essay.” The lower-level version guides students to write a three-paragraph essay on the debate topic. The higher-level version prompts them to bring in additional evidence and write six paragraphs, including a rebuttal of the other side. With either version, hand out our Opinion Writing Toolkit, which offers writing tips and transition words.