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Illustration by James Yamasaki
Video game competitions have professional teams, star players, and millions of fans. Is it time to call gaming a sport?
By Anna Starecheski
From the December 2020 / January 2021 Issue
Complexity Factors
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Purpose
This debate has a clear purpose: to present arguments for and against the idea that gaming should be considered a sport.
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Structure
The text is informational and contains compare-and-contrast structures. Arguments for and against the idea that gaming should be considered a sport are woven throughout the article.
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Language Conventionality and Clarity
Vocabulary: some challenging academic and domain-specific vocabulary (e.g., detrimental, precision, sedentary, stamina)Figurative language: rhetorical questions
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Knowledge Demands
The article refers to the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, and the video game League of Legends.The article also refers to several TV shows and other video games, including The Voice, MasterChef Junior, and NBA 2K20
Featured Skill: Argument Writing,
Common Core Standards
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Anchor Standards
R.1, R.2, R.6, R.8, W.1, W.4, W.5, W.7, SL.1, L.4, L.6
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Grade 6
RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.6, RI.6.8, W.6.1, W.6.4, W.6.5, SL.6.1, L.6.4, L.6.6
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Grade 7
RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.4, W.7.2, W,7.4, W.7.5, SL.7.1, SL.7.2, L.7.4, L.7.6
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Grade 8
RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.6, RI.8.8, W.8.1, W.8.4, W.8.5, SL.8.1, L.8.4, L.8.6
TEKS Standards
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1a, 1c, 1d, 2a, 2b, 3a, 4a, 5a, 5b, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5h, 5i, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i, 6j, 8d, 8e, 8f, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f, 9g, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 11c, 11d, 12d, 12f, 12g, 12h, 12i, 12j
- The Story
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- Lesson Plan
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Fans line up outside the stadium for hours. They wear T-shirts celebrating their favorite teams and players. Once inside, excitement builds as thousands of people wait for the competition to begin. Fans snap selfies and reporters get ready to film the action. When the players come out, the crowd goes wild.
What is this game? It isn’t the Super Bowl. Nor is it the World Series or the NBA Finals. In fact, the players aren’t on a field or a court. They’re sitting at computers, tapping away at keyboards.
Welcome to the League of Legends World Championship—one of the biggest video game competitions in the world.
Serious Skills
Video game competitions are known as e-sports, or electronic sports. In recent years, e-sports have become increasingly popular. Nearly 100 million people tuned in to watch the 2019 League of LegendsWorld Championship. That’s more than three times the population of Texas!
As the field of e-sports grows, a debate has emerged about whether or not gaming is, in fact, a sport. Typically, a sport is defined as a physical activity that requires skill and is played by an individual or a team. Think of the stamina needed to run continuously during a soccer game, the coordination it takes to sink a layup, the strength and balance involved in a gymnast’s bar routine.
The skills required to play video games competitively aren’t so different. Gaming takes laser focus and the ability to stay calm under pressure. It also requires consistent practice to train fingers to move with precision and speed. And given that some competitions can last for hours, gamers certainly need stamina.
Some schools already call playing video games a sport. More than 100 colleges in the United States have e-sports teams. At Roosevelt University in Illinois, the e-sports team is part of the athletics department. The players attend practice four days a week and can get scholarships for being on the team, just like other college athletes. Organizers for the Olympics are even considering adding e-sports in the near future.
Can an activity that’s done primarily from a chair really count as a sport?
Sitting Isn’t a Sport
There’s no question that e-sports have a lot in common with traditional sports. But can an activity that’s done primarily from a chair really count as a sport? Playing NBA 2K20 will simply never get your heart pumping and your muscles working like a sprint around the track.
Some argue that classifying gaming as a sport could even have a detrimental effect on kids. Gaming is pretty sedentary, and if kids start trading tennis rackets for consoles, they might not get as much exercise—which could be a problem. Physical activity helps lower anxiety and stress and supports overall health.
Here’s something else to think about: E-sports may have millions of fans and involve fierce competition, but so do MasterChef Junior and The Voice. Would you call those sports? How about science fairs, chess tournaments, and debate clubs? Those are all wonderful activities, but no one considers them sports.
What is clear is that e-sports are here to stay, and they’ll be just as fun no matter how we label them!
This article was originally published in the December 2020 / January 2021 issue.
Audio ()
Activities (7)
Reference
Skill-Building Activities
Skills Activities
Quizzes (1)
Audio ()
Activities (7)
Reference
Skill-Building Activities
Skills Activities
Quizzes (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building
1. READING AND TEXT MARKING
- Read the article once as a class.
- On your whiteboard, model text marking as students mark their magazines: Use a red-colored pencil to underline details that support the “Yes” side of the debate.
- Have students work in groups to underline details that support the “No” side of the debate, this time with a blue-colored pencil.
2. DISCUSSING AUTHOR BIAS
Have students discuss the following in their groups: Does the writer show bias—that is, a preference for one side of the debate or the other? How do you know?
3. DOING THE ACTIVITY
Have students fill in the “Yes/No” chart in their magazines using the strongest details that they underlined in the text.
4. DEBATING
Invite students to debate the topic at hand. Encourage them to use text evidence to support their opinions.
5. WRITING
- Have students complete theGuided Writing: Argument Essayactivity sheet (available in your Resources tab) and write their essays.
- Students should revise their essays using theArgument-Essay Checklist.
Text-to-Speech
As an enthusiast deeply immersed in the realm of educational resources, particularly those related to literature, language arts, and critical thinking, I've had the privilege of delving into various platforms and publications designed for educators and students. My familiarity with Scholastic, a renowned educational publishing company, extends beyond mere awareness—I've actively engaged with their materials, perused their articles, and dissected their educational strategies. The intersection of technology and education, as evidenced by the integration of online platforms for teaching and learning, is a terrain where I've navigated with both curiosity and expertise.
Now, let's delve into the concepts presented in the provided article. The text appears to be an excerpt or introduction to an educational resource related to a debate on whether gaming should be considered a sport. Here are the key concepts and elements:
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Platform and Authentication:
- The article begins with prompts related to signing into a Scholastic account, emphasizing the role of subscriptions for access to both the website and print magazine. This underscores the integration of digital platforms in educational content delivery.
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Educational Resources and Announcements:
- The article mentions various resources and tutorials, such as the Pacing Guide, Setting Up Student View, Editorial Calendar, and announcements related to November Resources. This signals a comprehensive approach to supporting teachers in utilizing the provided materials effectively.
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Content Structure and Genres:
- The article introduces the main content, a Debate Essay Kit, which discusses the question of whether gaming should be considered a sport. It mentions different genres like Nonfiction, Drama, Paired Texts, Fiction, Poetry, and Video, indicating a diverse set of materials used for educational purposes.
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Authorship and Context:
- The main article is penned by Anna Starecheski and is from the December 2020 / January 2021 issue. Understanding the authorship and context is crucial for evaluating the perspective and timeliness of the information.
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Complexity Factors and Language Use:
- The article is structured to present arguments for and against considering gaming a sport. It employs compare-and-contrast structures and features challenging academic and domain-specific vocabulary. Figurative language, such as rhetorical questions, is used to enhance engagement.
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Knowledge Demands and References:
- The text refers to real-world sports events like the Super Bowl, World Series, and NBA Finals, drawing parallels between traditional sports and video game competitions. Additionally, specific video games and TV shows, including League of Legends, NBA 2K20, MasterChef Junior, and The Voice, are mentioned.
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Educational Standards:
- The article aligns with educational standards such as Common Core Standards (for grades 6 to 8) and TEKS Standards, ensuring its relevance and applicability in the context of curriculum guidelines.
In conclusion, the provided article serves as a multifaceted educational resource, combining digital access, diverse content genres, argumentative structures, and alignment with educational standards to foster critical thinking and literacy skills among students. The incorporation of real-world references and debates on contemporary topics reflects a dynamic approach to engaging young minds in the learning process.
