O8 has signed up for a class through Minecraft Homeschool, which offers a variety of 6-week classes ostensibly for homeschoolers (though I imagine other students participate, too, as it is SO COOL). This was the first week of her first class, “This Amazing World”. They’re learning about a variety of, well, amazing things, starting with the Grand Canyon. Someone bothered to create a model of Grand Canyon in Minecraft, and the students can interact with it fully on the MCHS server. They can build shelters in and among the canyon walls, just as the ancient peoples once did (well, minus redstone!)
First, she had to do a Learn It module, which consisted of reading materials about Grand Canyon on the National Park Service’s website. We visited Grand Canyon in 2011, which she still remembers (who remembers things from when they were 5?!) After the quiz, on which she scored 100% (and was rather proud of) she did her individual Build It. This was to be a shelter that was camouflaged from any casual teacher or principal flying through the Grand Canyon. She chose a spot in the canyon wall that already had a little “crack” (empty block) and mined in one layer, over several blocks, and then into the wall before opening it up into a small room.
We did not do the team build project as we ran out of time, and she wanted to move on to Week 2. I am hoping she will come back to it before the class ends.
KV School Blog 