MinecraftEdu is a phenomenal tool for educators. The possibilities are endless and I am already planning how to integrate MinecraftEdu into language, mathematics and social studies units.
I found that a one hour setup before each session really helped me to stay focused on exactly what the students had to achieve. It also helped me to become more familiar with MinecraftEdu as a tool. The social computing skills that the students were able to develop far exceeded my expectations. It was a safe, easy to use digital environment for young students to be able to interact, collaborate and create together.
A Minecraft Inquiry Unit Plan:
This really is just the beginning. I am going to continue my ‘Minecraft Inquiry Blog‘ as I continue to research the possibilities of Minecraft in an inquiry classroom.
this is just a quick feedback as I haven’t spent time watching your video yet but it did remind of something I heard about lately: autcraft! It’s a minecraft server for students with autism. You can read more here: https://www.stuartduncan.name/autism/10-things-ive-learned-from-running-a-minecraft-server-for-children-with-autism/
I thought it was pretty cool for helping students to keep playing outside of the classroom.
Hi Lizzie, thanks for your comment. I haven’t heard of autcraft so I appreciate the link- I’m looking into to now!
I am so impressed with the set up of this unit. I let my 8th graders use it once and it turned out well, but I really love the idea of having everyone use it as a unit. It was so sweet to see your students reflecting about what they liked! I have a question about how you made your iMovie. How did you do the typing at the beginning and how did you superimpose your students your students onto the minecraft world? I am always making movies for my students and feel very limited with what I can do with iMovie on my iPad. Any advice would be great! Keep up the excellent work!
Hi Kate, it has been an interesting learning curve for me. I can really see the potential for MinecraftEdu in the primary classroom. For the student footage I filmed them in front of a green screen (which was just a piece of green fabric stapled to the wall display). I then used the ‘greenscreen’ function in iMovie. The typing at the beginning was a recording using ‘screencast-o-matic’. I’ve been experimenting with some different filming techniques to try to make the ten minutes more interesting.
Thanks for your comments!
Amanda
Hi Amanda,
Have just read and watched your video on using MinecraftEdu. This is a fabulous project and very inspiring. I have been working with a TA to set up using Minecraft in our Grade 1 and we were thinking about introducing it during our inquiries on structures . Our inquiries lead on to discussing the design of our school and our classroom, so I’m thinking using MineCraftEdu could be a perfect collaborative platform for this. Your final project has given me lots of ideas, I appreciated all the steps you showed in the video. I am a Minecraft newbie and want to challenge myself to learn how the students love to learn. I’ll be ordering that book you mentioned.
Thank you for sharing all your ideas.
Suzy
Hi Suzy,
I found Minecraft to be really useful with young students. Their enjoyment also helped to keep the project moving along. It sounds ideal for your Grade 1 Structures unit.
Let me know if you have any specific questions- I am happy to chat about the details of Minecraft at anytime!
Thanks for your comment,
Amanda
Hi Amanda,
I love how you used Minecraft as a collaborative and cooperative tool AND getting at your lines of inquiry! The students really got the idea of working together online. Sometimes I wonder if doing this online gives them a bit of space to think before they act when it comes to resolving conflicts as well. There is also a clear path to action – using Minecraft to take action and benefit a community rather than just use it with less purpose. And then it’s just plain cool because it’s building stuff with Minecraft! This is a great project. Nice one!
Hi Leah! The students were really engaged and took the learning a lot further than I expected.
Thanks for your comment!
I LOVE this unit @amandamccloskey. I’m impressed with all the work you did on your own and am particularly excited to see your glossary and share it with some colleagues who want to try MinecraftEdu next year. My son is offering to make an “intro to MinecraftEdu for teachers” channel because he was sick of me asking so many questions that I couldn’t easily find the answers too. Maybe he should share his work with you! Keep up the awesome!
Hi Angela, I’d love to see anything your son puts together- it’s so useful to get the student perspective! I learnt a lot from following your blog too.
Thanks for the comment!
Hi Amanda
WOW, WOW and WOW! I was over the moon to see your blog about Minecraft and how you integrated it. Next school year I will move from being a classroom teacher and be a new tech coach. I hope to use you example as a model to convince our admin to bring Minecraft in. At the moment they are reluctant, because they can’t see past the zombie killing etc. But its not a lost cause. Another reason I liked you blog was because I worked with Colin Gallagher in Hong Kong just as iPad hit the world and minecraft hadn’t been realised. He was busy integrating iPods for the younger students. Then we both left and he went and got himself famous with a book etc about minecraft.
This is a fabulous project and I’m inspired to get this project off the ground at my school.
Before I forget, I thought the minecraft blog you created yo document your minecraft learning is an invaluable resource. Well done.
Hi Shane,
I will be continuing to add to my Minecraft blog next school year as I try to integrate it in other units (probably social studies, maths and creative writing). I think the potential for Minecraft in the classroom is incredible and that it is such an ‘easy to use’ digital platform for teachers. I am still spending a lot of time trying to convince people of it’s educational value so I hope by blogging my progress in detail I will be able to document the learning outcomes we address. We have been able to target so many ITSE standards it is definitely something I will continue to pursue.
Great to hear you know Colin Gallagher- I haven’t actually met him but he has been very supportive throughout this project. Good luck with the new job next year- let me know if you need any specific help/ideas with Minecraft!
Thanks Amanda
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