Playing Wii For Persuasive Writing

Those of you who know me, or have read my bio page, understand my interest in games based learning. Earlier this year, we used the Wii in math as part of our data management unit.

Now we are using it in a literacy capacity.  Today, we played and critiqued the Wii game New Super Mario Brothers Wii.

Four at a time, students were invited to the front of the room to play the game. Each game session lasted about a minute or so. After each session, we filled out a section on our brainstorming sheet as we prepare for review writing.

We were looking at: explaining & summarizing the game play, determining the effectiveness of the controls, the sounds (music, effects, voice), the graphics, the multi-player function (and justifying those opinions) and 'other' (student choice). We also looked at personal connections to the game and then every one gave the game their individual, overall rating.

Before we played, we brainstormed what made a game 'good' or 'bad', coming up with criteria with which to judge the game. It is considered a higher order thinking skills to be able to evaluate and assess with a critical eye...and also to justify one's opinions with evidence. We applied those skills to the video game and will continue to use those higher order thinking skills as we apply our critical eye to a short film and also a text as we continue in this persuasive writing unit.

Students got quite impassioned in their opinions today. Some thought the game too childish (for which they had to JUSTIFY their positon--for example, the graphics are too much like a cartoon, the game play is too easy) while some thought the game one of the best, ever (for which they had to JUSTIFY their position--for example, the music is happy & well suited to the sense of the fun that the game provides).

One thing we have been emphasizing in our reading & writing program is the need for SPECIFIC DETAILS. Whether writing personal narratives or answering comprehension questions on the CASI, students have been encouraged to put in specific details and to justify  their responses with details from the text...or in this case, the video game.

The final assignment in this unit will be a persuasive essay in the form of a review of a game, movie or book of student choice.

For more details on this persuasive writing unit, see my previous post called "Persuasive Writing"