Rules of the Game: Teacher Material
Ask students whether any of them play online games or visit online virtual worlds, either on a computer, a game console or a mobile device such as a phone or tablet. (You can prompt them with examples such as Minecraft, Roblox, Mario Kart, Among Us or Animal Crossing.)
Ask students:
What do they like about online games and virtual worlds?
What don’t they like?
Are there sometimes things that other players do that make it hard to have fun?
- What are some examples?
Make a T-chart on the board with the headings Online and Offline. (Make sure students understand what these words mean.)
You can also use the Structure Strip activity in the student chapter Online and Offline.
Have the class identify differences between playing online and offline and record these on the chart.
Explain that you’re not just talking about playing games but also about spending time together in virtual worlds.
Make sure the following points are included:
Playing both online and offline can be fun
You may not know everybody you’re playing with online
You don’t really hear or see the people you’re playing with online
- Contrast this to playing video games together with someone in the same room, e.g. playing Mario Kart with a friend or sibling
You don’t get any exercise playing online
When you’re using the internet you are online.
Things that don’t happen on the internet are offline.