Explore Minecraft

Getting to Know Minecraft: Education Edition

Activity #1: Exploring Possibilities

Use this Jigsaw Activity Organizer

(Paper copies available from Session Facilitator)

Instructions

1. Divide up into FIVE "home" groups with about five participants in each.

2. Divide up the resources, one per person in each group.

3. Once all resources have been assigned, take a moment to review and write down 3 key takeaways and a one-line summary.

4. Join the "Expert" group for your resource in the room. Discuss your findings. Share your takeaways and write down any fresh ideas/insights others have shared.

5. Return to your Home Group. Share key takeaways with everyone.

Resources

Activity #2: Login to Minecraft

Need help logging into Minecraft? Check with your facilitator about sample username and password you can use.

Need software?


"With Classroom Mode, you can access a range of features especially designed to interact with students while hosting a multiplayer game by managing settings from a central user interface.

Students do not need to run Classroom Mode. For options on adding additional classroom assistance to teacher’s aides or volunteers during a lesson session in Minecraft, consider granting operator status if appropriate.

Educators can use Minecraft: Education Edition and Classroom at the same time, and students can use their copies of Minecraft: Education Edition to connect to a multiplayer game and use Code Builder within it, but educators cannot use all three at the same time". (Source)

Learn more about Classroom Mode, MultiPlayer Game via the Minecraft: Education Edition game features website.

Activity #3: The Three Little Pigs Need Your Help!

A little pig family has found itself under attack by a pack of wolves in the neighborhood. Not being architects, the pigs are at a loss of what kind of home they want.

In your team, please create several models of houses that pigs can live in comfortably. Your constructions should reflect a variety of budgets. As architects/builders, you will design new homes for the pigs. Be prepared to share some facts about the pig home(s) you construct.

Note: Include a bed, chimney, doors with levers, fence, and 3 pigs and 1 wolf (or more)

The Three Little Pigs

In this Minecraft video series, you will learn what you need to know to re-create this famous story.

Video Series

    1. Changing a Skin (2:00)
    2. Finding materials in creative mode (2:24)
    3. Compass Map Teleportation (4:08)
    4. Survival and Finding Materials (0:57)
    5. Smelting and Torches (1:05)
    6. Building a Straw House (1:33)
    7. Building a Stick House (2:19)
    8. Building a Brick House (4:59)
    9. Make/Spawn a Wolf and Pig (3:17)

Note: Notice a young voice? I’d like to thank James E. Guhlin (@jguhlin) for his work creating these video tutorials. You can follow his Minecraft video creations here.

These videos are intended for teachers to learn some of the simple things they need to know to get started and offer an easy entry that scaffolds your efforts. Need more support?