Article
Illustration by Tom Garrett (Art); Shutterstock.com (All Other Images)
Debate,

Is Playing Video Games a Sport?

Grace thinks playing video games is a sport. Isaac does not think so. What do you think?

From the February 2022 Issue
Featured Skill: Write Opinion Pieces, Participate in Conversations,
Topic: Social-emotional learning,

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Yes!

Art by Tom Garrett; Shutterstock.com (All Images)

Playing video games is a sport. You can move a lot when you play video games! Some games even make you really sweaty.

Also, you compete against other people. That’s what you do in sports. You compete.

Finally, you have to practice to get good at video games. You have to practice to get good at sports too. They are a lot alike.

No!

Art by Tom Garrett; Shutterstock.com (All Images)

Playing video games is not a sport. You may move when you play a video game. But you don’t move as much as when you play soccer or basketball.

Next, people compete in spelling bees too. But spelling is not a sport.

Last, you have to practice to get good at anything! You need to practice reading, writing, and math too. But they’re not sports!

Activities (1)
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Skills Activities
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
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1. PREPARING TO READ

Have students preview the text features. Ask:

  • What is the topic of the debate? (Prompt students to use the debate title and the picture as clues.)
  • What are the two opinions people might have about this topic?

2. READING THE DEBATE

  • Read the debate as a class or divide the class into groups.
  • You can also have students read the debate as partners, with each student reading one side aloud.

3. DISCUSSING

As a class or in groups, have students discuss:

  • Which opinion do you think makes the most sense?
  • What is your opinion? What information or argument helped you form your opinion?

 

4. WRITING

  • Pass out our opinion-writing printable (available in your Resources tab). Ask students to write their opinion in the top section.
  • Then students can underline three points in the debate that back up their opinion.
  • Last, they can complete our printable to show what their opinion is.

Text-to-Speech