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Text Me Later

How dangerous is texting and driving?

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Text Me Later

How dangerous is texting and driving?

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Text Me Later - Student Handout.pdf
Text Me Later - Teacher Guide.pdf
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How dangerous is texting and driving? Traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of deaths in the United States, and distracted driving is a major reason. In the time it takes to send a text message, a car can travel hundreds of feet.

Students use proportional reasoning to determine how far a car travels in the time it takes to text. Students discuss the dangers of distracted driving and generate strategies for helping drivers and passengers stay safe.

REAL WORLD TAKEAWAYS

  • The longer the text (or time distracted) and the faster a driver is going, the more road they miss while distracted.
  • A car going 30mph will travel more than 100 feet even in the time it takes to send a very short text.
  • People day everyday from distracted driving, and many are pedestrians or passengers not engaged in the dangerous activity themselves.

MATH OBJECTIVES

  • Use proportional reasoning to solve multi-step ratio problems
Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.
Grade 7
Ratios & Proportions
Grade 7
Ratios & Proportions
Content Standards 7.RP.3 Use proportional relationships to solve multistep ratio and percent problems. Examples: simple interest, tax, markups and markdowns, gratuities and commissions, fees, percent increase and decrease, percent error. 7.RP.1 Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions, including ratios of lengths, areas and other quantities measured in like or different units. For example, if a person walks 1/2 mile in each 1/4 hour, compute the unit rate as the complex fraction <sup>1/2</sup>/<sub>1/4</sub> miles per hour, equivalently 2 miles per hour.
Mathematical Practices MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.4 Model with mathematics.

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Big Foot Conspiracy

Should people with small feet pay less for shoes?

Grade 7
Ratios & Proportions
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Common Cents

Should the U.S. get rid of the penny?

Grade 7
Rational Numbers
Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.

To Have and to Hold

Is it a good idea to rent a storage unit?

Grade 7
Equations & Expressions
Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.

Axle Roads

How do vehicles turn so smoothly?

Grade 7
Measuring Circles
Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.

Grading Scales of Justice

How should students be graded?

Grade 7
Percents & Proportions
Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.