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PAGES 12-13
Lexile 1030L / 740L
STANDARDS
NGSS: Practice: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information; Crosscutting Concept: STEM and Society; Core Idea: ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions
COMMON CORE: WRITING: 2. Write explanatory tests to convey complex ideas clearly.
TEKS: TA.1B, TA.6A, IT.3A
Article Options
Presentation View
ENGINEERING: Programming, Design Process
Lesson: Video Game Tycoons
Objective: Explore and explain how the design process is used to create popular video games.
Lesson Plan
ENGAGE
Note: Remind students to focus on school-appropriate video games. Ask the class: Who likes to play video games? Why do you enjoy playing them? How do you think these games were created? Encourage students to consider the process of designing video games, such as brainstorming ideas, developing a prototype, and testing. Students may mention coding (the process of writing instructions for a computer). If not, ask them how a video game knows what to do when you press a button or move the mouse.
EXPLORE
Play the video “What You Need to Know About Coding.” Then write the following words on the board: algorithm, coding language, binary code. Discuss connections between the terms. (An algorithm is a set of instructions that is translated into a coding language, which translates the instruction into binary code.) Hand out “Coding Challenge.” Have students write code and test it with a classmate. Discuss their experiences. Ask: Which part of the task was an algorithm? (the written steps) What did the symbols represent? (a coding language)
EXPLAIN
If you haven’t yet, ask students if they have played games on Roblox and their experiences with it. Read the article aloud. Discuss the sidebar “How to Build a Game” and how the sidebar connects to the design process and coding. Expand the discussion to possible safety concerns with online games. Ask students to describe any safety features on Roblox or other platforms. What actions do students take to stay safe? For more resources visit: www.connectsafely.org/educatorguides/ or www.commonsense.org/education/articles /23-great-lesson-plans-for-internet-safety.
EXTEND
Have students complete the “Fact or Opinion?” skills sheet. Discuss how both facts and opinions are part of the design process.
EVALUATE
Have students complete the article’s “Check for Understanding.” Then distribute “Design a Video Game.” Have students use the steps to create their own video game. Let students discuss their games and receive peer feedback on how to improve them.
⇨ SEL: This lesson plan contains social-emotional learning support related to responsible decision-making.
⇨ VIDEO EXTRA: Watch a video about coding.
Download a printable PDF of this lesson plan.
Share an interactive slide deck with your students.