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MinecraftEdu Workshops at the CCC

3/4/2015

5 Comments

 
Author: Connie Cann, CCC Development Associate and 1st-2nd Grade Group Leader
Picture
Minecraft Sign designed and constructed by Akhi Mosley (4th grade).

If you have children, or internet access, you’ve probably heard of the popular open-world game Minecraft. On the surface, it looks like a digital game of Legos, with pixelated graphics and blocky monsters. However, the actual complexity and possibilities of Minecraft are astounding. To start, each new world in Minecraft is unique and vast, the maximum world size being around 9.3 million times the surface area of the Earth. It provides users a simple interface for exploration, creation, and survival.
MinecraftEdu is a version of Minecraft adapted by teachers and programmers to create compelling educational experiences. All around the globe Minecraft is being used in classrooms. Teachers everywhere, myself included, can access worlds built by other educators: worlds focusing on topics like environmental issues, city planning, and history. One map I’ve used in my workshops, the World of Humanities (WoH), was designed by a teacher in Kuwait to simulate exploration of ancient civilizations. Inspired by role-playing game World of Warcraft, students can collaborate in WoH to solve puzzles in Ancient Egypt, find their way to the top of Mount Everest, or explore the Roman Colosseum.
Picture
At CCC, we use MinecraftEdu to educate youth through a platform they are already excited about. In each workshop, the kids have their own home world, where they can create new identities, selecting their own gender and appearance, and pick a new name, which other kids will use when chatting to each other within MinecraftEdu. Our youth live in homes of their own creation designed from the ground up, placing every block of wood and glass by hand. They befriend animals like horses and wolves, train them, and use them in their exploration of our worlds. They farm their own food, fish, hunt, explore, and protect their classmates.
Picture
Kiyomi Starling (2nd Grade) and I fishing outside of our town.

Most recently, we have been using the versatile building tools in MinecraftEdu to create pixel art. Children find their images and recreate them using grids and coordinates. In this video, Rashard Mosley (3rd Grade) uses a grid to create a Minion.
Connie leads two MinecraftEdu workshops per week, one for first and second graders, and one for 3rd-8th graders.

More about MinecraftEdu:

http://minecraftedu.com/

The Wonderful World of Humanities:

http://services.minecraftedu.com/wiki/Wonderful_World_of_Humanities
5 Comments
Jeannie Wuz Here
3/4/2015 12:22:29 pm

I am impressed. Getting children to tap into their inner creativity will ensure a generation of thinkers.

Reply
Roger Cann
3/4/2015 02:24:14 pm

Good Job and excellent article. After all, the children are our future and I do believe they are in good hands. Thank you for all you do in helping to mold our young minds and showing them how truly creative they can be.

Reply
Corey Fisk
6/17/2015 04:19:47 pm

I have seen Connie's Mindcraft workshop in action and I am always blown away at how captivated the children are. Connie knows how to meet the children where they are and capitalize on their interests.

Reply
Connie link
8/6/2015 03:13:11 am

Thank you Corey! This summer, we're recreating the Center in Minecraft!

Reply
Jennifer Wilson
12/30/2015 10:12:27 pm

Hi, do you have a Minecraft workshop for K? My son just turned 6yo. Thanks!

Reply



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  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Friends of CCC
    • Our Blog
  • Programs
    • School-Age Programs (K-8) >
      • After School
      • Cowemoki Summer Enrichment Program
      • Enrollment
    • Teen Programs
    • Community Programs
  • Rent Space
  • Contact
  • Donate