Video games

What does the 13,000-year-old mancala game have in common with today's Minecraft ? They both require logic, critical thinking skills, and creativity! In Video Games: Design and Code Your Own Adventure, readers discover that the video games they play today have their roots in the games kids played in the deserts of Ancient Egypt, and they'll learn how to design their own games from the initial idea to the final blips on the screen. Video games are everywhere, from iPods and tablets to video consoles and the latest virtual reality headset. By diving into this familiar, engaging topic, kids will get the chance to explore the neuroscience behind the attraction of video games: what makes them fun, what makes them hard to put down. They'll even tackle the age-old question--are video games good for us or bad for us? Readers will deconstruct video games to learn why the characters behave the way they do and how real-world physics compares to game physics. As kids design their own games, they'll develop skills in storytelling, technical writing, communications, graphic design, computer programming, and teamwork. They'll have so much fun they won't realize they're learning about geometry, statistics, probability, physics, logic, psychology, and neuroscience. Activities in Video Games include creating text-based adventure quests, designing board games, and programming using free, kid-friendly software such as MIT's Scratch. For kids who just can't get enough of video games, here's a chance to visit behind the scenes at a game company to explore the entire design process, from idea to market. Video Games meets Common Core State Standards for reading nonfiction and math. Guided Reading Levels and Lexile measurements indicate grade level and text complexity.