Lesson Plan - Are Video Games Good for You?

Watch a Video: Video Games: Then and Now 

After watching, ask: What are some ways that video games have changed over time?

Preview Words to Know

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• isolate 
• vital

Set a Purpose for Reading

As students read, encourage them to be on the lookout for arguments they find persuasive.

1. According to the article, how did kids’ gaming habits change when much of the nation shut down? Many parents let kids spend more time playing video games last year. It was a way for kids to stay in touch with friends and escape from the real world. 

^{(RI.4.3 CAUSE/EFFECT)}

2. What is the meaning of the word vital in the article? What does Jeff Haynes say is a vital skill? The word vital means extremely important. Jeff Haynes of Common Sense Media says that being able to work with others is a vital skill. 

^{(RI.4.4 WORD MEANING)}

3. What evidence supports the idea that video games can take kids’ attention away from more important things? The article notes that in a survey, many parents said that video games interfered with their teens’ homework and sleep. Nearly half said gaming got in the way of family activities.

^{(RI.4.8 EVALUATING EVIDENCE)}

FEATURED SKILL: Opinion Writing 

Use the Skill Builder “Seeing Both Sides” to have students explore the debate and draft persuasive paragraphs. 

^{(W.4.1 OPINION WRITING)}