If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em…right? That’s the attitude I take with Minecraft now.
I resisted this game at first. But really, I didn’t understand it.
Minecraft is known as a “sandbox” game, meaning it is truly open to be played with creatively however the user sees fit. In other words, it is like legos. You can build the prescribed lego creation, or you can build creatively. Similarly, you can play Minecraft to beat the dragon, or play creatively and create amazing builds.
I sat down with my son one day and played Minecraft. He taught me all the creative and complicated systems within the game – different materials with different properties, red stone that can be used as circuits to power things, and cycles that happen within the game. It is actually quite amazing!
As a result, whenever possible, I try to include a Minecraft component to our studies.
Homeschool with Minecraft
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Geography
When we learn about a new place, I often will give the task of building something in the style of the country we learned about. A pyramid for Egypt, a castle for Germany, or a glass igloo for Finland (seriously, have you seen these?!)…there is always something that makes a fun build and has them studying the elements of the area a bit more closely.
- Landmarks
- architect styles
- Houses that fit in specific biomes
- build something from a region that isn’t in the game (like a Mangrove Tree or a giant Redwood tree
- Have them design a skin (their character’s clothes) to match the culture
Spelling
Yep. Spelling. I have a child who is allergic to writing. He practically goes into anaphylactic shock when the pencils come out. My solution: I record myself saying a list of spelling words and phrases from All About Spelling onto the desktop where he can easily find the file. He listens to them, and types the words out onto signs.
- Record words for them to listen to and type on signs
- Ask them to label specific parts of their build “door” “window” “tree”
- Give them a list of words to type out on signs
Enrichment classes
- We were studying Greek Myths, so the Trojan Horse was an obvious Minecraft build. Think about their interests; maybe build a theatre if they love theatre class or a bakery (with price lists and all) if they love baking.
- Create a Minecraft business (bakery, blacksmith, horse training, amusement park) and work on business plans, pricing, and help them think through the business side of it.
- build greek myth beasts
- tiny homes are fun builds with challenges
- music – look up how to make a working piano in Minecraft
Science
Science is a perfect place to homeschool with Minecraft. Aquariums (freshwater and saltwater), Zoos with animals and their correct foods, molecule models, biome projects, and circuit work can be done in Minecraft. There are many ways to include Minecraft for science!
- Scientific models of cells or molecules
- animal science/zoos/aquariums
- Engineering with rollercoasters
- engineering with bridge building
- circuits with redstone
- models of the planets
Math
Give them the task of building a house with X amount of this block and X amount of that is an easy option…see what they come up with. They have to count and problem solve as they run out of the allotted amount or have extra that needs to be used.
- Multiplication: have them build multiplication towers of blocks for several problems and answer them on a sign (5×4 would be five towers of four blocks, 20 blocks total)
- Addition: Give them problems and have them build them out with blocks.
- fractions – “build a garden that is 1/2 wheat, 1/4 carrot, 1/8 melon, and 1/8 potato” or a house with 1/2 the inside a living room, 1/4 a bedroom, and 1/4 a closet.”
- Area and perimeter are easily taught utilizing this game
- building shapes and spheres
Need help with ideas? Check out this amazing list of Challenges from Minecraft.
Don’t forget to let them just play creatively sometimes! Using their creativity has value, too! But, if you want to feel better about allowing that screen time…find a way to homeschool with Minecraft!
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