LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Read opposing viewpoints and take a side; evaluate the pros and cons of time limits on teen gaming.

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 2: Analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.

 

CASEL: Social awareness

KEY VOCAB

detrimental

oversight

disclose

Lesson Plan: Are Gaming Time Limits Ok?

China recently banned teens from online gaming during the week and imposed a one-hour time limit on weekends to combat video game addiction. Are government-mandated time limits a winning strategy?

Table of Contents:

1. Preparing to Read

2. Reading and Discussing

3. Building Comprehension and Vocabulary

4. Expanding SEL Opportunities

1. Preparing to Read

Before you read the debate “Are Gaming Time Limits Ok?” ask your students the following pre-reading question: 

What are the pros and cons of time limits on teen gaming? 

2. Reading and Discussing

  • Have your students read the debate “Are Gaming Time Limits OK?” independently; read the article out loud to them; or have one student read one side of the debate and another student read the other side.
  • After they’ve read the debate, revisit the pre-reading question. Have their answers changed? Remind them to vote in the poll at the end of the story. 
  • Next, have your students answer the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking questions, either working in small groups or independently. 


Close-Reading Questions
The following questions can be shared in printable or interactive form from the Resources tab. 

  1. What are the negative effects of gaming, according to Kailei? List at least two.
  2. Why does Bruce believe that gaming time limits similar to the ones implemented in China would not work in the United States?

Critical-Thinking Questions

  1. In your opinion, why is it easy for some teens to become addicted to video games?
  2. Who should be responsible for limiting the time teens spend gaming and why?

3. Building Comprehension and Vocab

Check students’ comprehension of and engagement with the story with the following assessment tools:

  • Quiz

  • Vocab Builder

4. Expanding SEL Opportunities

Continue the learning journey with the following extension activity: 

Spark discussion with your class in a FOUR CORNERS DEBATE! Display the statement “Time limits on gaming are OK,” and have students select one of the following positions: strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree. After giving them some time to write down their reasons for choosing that position, have them stand in different corners of the classroom based on which position they chose. Select a volunteer to be the first to share their thoughts. Then, have students keep the debate going by calling on someone from a different corner to share.

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