Lesson Plan - Gaming to the Rescue!

About the Article

Learning Objective

Students will integrate information from an article, sidebar, video, and graphs to learn about benefits and risks of playing video games.

Curriculum Connections

• Science and Technology

• Covid-19 Pandemic

• Social and Emotional Health

Key Skills

Social Studies:

• Study how technology influences social and cultural change

• Examine patterns of continuity and change

• Consider how individuals grow and change emotionally and intellectually

English Language Arts:

• Integrate information presented in multiple formats

• Evaluate claims, reasoning, and evidence

• Write an argument

Key CCSS Standards

RH.6-8.1, RH.6-8.2, RH.6-8.4, RH.6-8.7, WHST.6-8.1, WHST.6-8.9, RI.6-8.1, RI.6-8.2, RI.6-8.4, RI.6-8.7, W.6-8.1, W.6-8.9, SL.6-8.1

Essential Questions

  • How can people adjust to changes in their lives?
  • How has technology changed over time?
  • What are some of the benefits and risks of playing video games?

1. Preparing to Read

Engage and Build Vocabulary

Ask students to respond to this prompt: What is one of your favorite games? What do you like about it? What skills can people learn by playing it? Have students write responses or record videos with a platform like Flipgrid. Discuss responses. Then use Words to Know to preteach the terms market research and revenue.

2. Reading and Discussing

Read the Article

Read the article aloud or have students read it independently or in pairs. As students read, direct them to mark ways video games can be beneficial with a B and ways they can be harmful with an H. (Or have students highlight information using different colors.)

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.

• How did video game use change during the pandemic? (Central Ideas)
Many people like Anna Blackburn turned to video games during the pandemic to stay entertained or connect with friends. The global video game industry made $180 billion in revenue in 2020, an increase of 20 percent from the previous year.

• What are some of the benefits of playing video games? (Cause and Effect)
Playing video games with other people can help ease feelings of isolation. Some experts think gamers have better social skills than nongamers. Games like Minecraft can make players more creative, and some games can improve people’s memory or teach them to overcome obstacles.

• What are some concerns about video games? What do experts recommend about setting limits? (Text Evidence)
Some people worry about video games that are violent or otherwise inappropriate for children. Gaming can also replace other interests, and about 8 percent of kids are addicted to gaming. Experts suggest that gamers should try to set healthy limits and notice if they aren’t eating or sleeping regularly or canceling other plans. They say kids should make sure to spend time away from screens.

3. Skill Building

Watch a Video

Provide these questions for students to think about as they watch “Video Games: Then and Now”: How have video games changed over time? How have they stayed the same? What do you think they’ll be like in the future? Then discuss students’ responses.

Analyze Graphs

Assign the Skill Builder Graph Reading: Video Game Statistics to have students answer 10 questions about bar graphs that show reasons for playing video games in 2020 and U.S. video game revenue in 2019 and 2020.

Differentiate and Customize

For Writers: Guide students to respond to the “Write About It!” prompt at the end of the article. You might start by brainstorming reasons video games can be beneficial and harmful as a class, using a T-chart.

For Social and Emotional Learning: Have students brainstorm a list of emotions or signs that show playing video games is good for the player. Then brainstorm a list of emotions or signs that playing might be unhealthy.

Printable Lesson Plan

Text-to-Speech