Directions: Read the letters, then answer the question below.
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ILLUSTRATION BY CAROLYN RIDSDALE; SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (ALL OTHER IMAGES)
Outdoor Play vs. Video Games
Malik thinks the playground is the place to have fun, but his friend Camila prefers playing video games. Whose side are you on?
From the September 2023 Issue
Complexity Factors
Lexile: 800L-900L, 600L-700L
Guided Reading Level: Q
DRA Level: 40
Featured Skill:
Main Idea and Supporting Details,
Standards
ILLUSTRATION BY CAROLYN RIDSDALE
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Dear Camila,
I can’t wait to hang out on Saturday! I know we were planning to play video games, but I have a better idea: Why don’t we play outside instead? (And no, I’m not just saying that because you’re better than I am at Mario Kart! )
Experts say that to stay healthy, kids should be active for an hour every day. Exercise helps lower stress and improve memory. We already spend so much time sitting during school and while doing homework. Wouldn’t it be more fun to play Frisbee or climb the jungle gym than to sit on the couch and stare at a screen?
We’ll have plenty of time to stay indoors this winter, when it’s cold outside. I checked the weather, and it looks like Saturday will be sunny. Soaking up the sun and breathing fresh air are good for our mood and health too.
Plus, I read an article that says kids build important skills on the playground. We have to be creative to come up with new games. We have to learn to get along with other kids. And who knows? We could even make new friends. (My sister Jada met her bestie on the playground!)
So what about meeting at the park instead of in your living room?
Your friend,
Malik
Dear Camila,
I can’t wait to hang out on Saturday! I know we were planning to play video games. But I have a better idea. Why don’t we play outside instead? (And no, I’m not saying that because you’re better than I am at Mario Kart!)
Experts say that kids should be active for an hour every day. We need this to stay healthy. Exercise helps lower stress. It also helps improve memory. We spend so much time sitting in school and while doing homework. Wouldn’t it be more fun to play Frisbee or climb the jungle gym than to sit on the couch and look at a screen?
We’ll have plenty of time to stay indoors this winter, when it’s cold outside. I checked the weather. It looks like Saturday will be sunny. Being in the sun and breathing fresh air are good for our mood and health too.
Plus, I read an article that says kids build important skills on the playground. We have to be creative to come up with new games. We have to learn to get along with other kids. And who knows? We could even make new friends. (My sister met her best friend on the playground!)
So what about meeting at the park instead of in your living room?
Your friend,
Malik
ILLUSTRATION BY CAROLYN RIDSDALE
Nintendo
Dear Malik,
I’m also looking forward to Saturday! But I’m not sure about meeting at the playground.
We already get a lot of exercise during PE. Why can’t we spend our free time doing what we love most? For me, that’s playing Mario Kart, not Frisbee. If you want, we can play a more active video game like Just Dance. Research shows that you can work up just as much of a sweat playing these types of games as you would on the climbing equipment.
Besides, I read a study about how playgrounds can be risky. Every year, more than 200,000 kids in the U.S. end up in the emergency room because they fall off swings or slides. I’ve never heard of a Minecraft accident!
Video games help us build important skills too. They can encourage kids to be creative and work together as a team. I know Among Us has taught me to listen to my teammates’ ideas. And it made me feel closer to my friends when we were all stuck at home at the beginning of the pandemic.
How about this? We’ll play video games for an hour, and then we can head over to the playground. I’ll take it easy on you in Mario Kart if you promise not to destroy me at Frisbee!
Your favorite gamer,
Camila
Dear Malik,
I’m also looking forward to Saturday! But I’m not sure about meeting at the playground. We already get a lot of exercise during gym. Why can’t we spend our free time doing what we love most? For me, that’s playing Mario Kart, not Frisbee. If you want, we can play a more active video game like Just Dance. Research shows that you can work up as much sweat with these types of games as you would on the climbing equipment.
Besides, I read a study about how playgrounds can be risky. Every year, more than 200,000 kids in the U.S. go to the emergency room because they fall off swings or slides. I’ve never heard of a Minecraft accident!
Video games help us build important skills too. They can encourage kids to be creative. They also help kids work together as a team. Playing Among Us has taught me to listen to my teammates’ ideas. And it made me feel closer to my friends when we were all stuck at home during the pandemic.
How about this? We’ll play video games for an hour. Then we can go to the playground. I’ll take it easy on you in Mario Kart if you promise not to destroy me at Frisbee!
Your favorite gamer,
Camila
What does your class think?
Outdoor Play or Video Games?
Outdoor Play or Video Games?
Outdoor Play or Video Games?
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Total Votes: 0
This article was originally published in the September 2023 issue.
This article was originally published in the September 2023 issue.
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Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
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 as a clue.)
- What do you think are the two sides of the issue?
2. Reading the Debate
Read the debate as a class or in small groups. A lower-Lexile version is available on Storyworks Digital.
Have students read the debate a second time. Prompt them to mark the types of support the author presents to back up each side, including:
- Facts and statistics (F/S)
- Quotes from experts (Q)
- Stories or examples (EX)
3. Discussing
As a class or in groups, have students discuss:
- Which evidence is most effective in supporting each side?
- Is one side stronger than the other? Why?
- What is your opinion? What evidence do you find the most convincing?
4. Writing
Distribute the activity “Write an Opinion Essay.” The lower-level version guides students to write a three-paragraph essay on the debate topic. The higher-level version prompts them to bring in additional evidence and write six paragraphs, including a rebuttal of the other side. With either version, hand out our Opinion Writing Toolkit, which offers writing tips and transition words.
Text-to-Speech