Building Planning with Minecraft - Creative Mode
In this workshop, our expert Gamer Guides lead kids through fun Minecraft activities to improve their planning skills.
Today’s Activity: Creative Mode
For this planning session we will be switching it up! While we are still sticking to the theme of building and planning we allow your children to use Minecraft’s Creative Mode. In Creative Mode your child can fly, have unlimited resources and push their creativity to the max!
For this session we will be giving your child a lot more freedom, create whatever they want, with whatever they want, however they want! Before they start building we will ask for a full idea, how they plan to approach it and how they will use their previous builds to improve their strategy for this one! Followed by creation time!
Just like our previous builds once completed we will group up and reflect. This time we will be pushing the kids to run the show a bit more and use their communication skills as well. We will give each child a couple minutes to explain what they built and what their plan was along the way, then follow it by asking everyone else’s thoughts. What do they like about each others creations? How would they have done it differently?
Lastly we will wrap up with a conclusion conversation about what they’ve learned over the last three sessions. We will discuss planning and how just taking a little time to think ahead can help them in school, with activities and almost everything they take part in
For more information about Planning, visit the Planning Page at LearningWorks for Kids.
Have more Questions feel free to contact us at [email protected]
Workshop Schedule
To join the live session, simply select the appropriate date and time below, then click on the Join Live Session button. If this is your child’s first Minecraft session, please make sure to view and follow our setup instructions.
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Workshop Activities
The LW4K method to using video games as teaching tools relies on strategic teaching principles and our approach of “Detect, Reflect, and Connect.” The purpose of the Detect, Reflect, and Connect steps is to mold the child into an active learner who becomes aware of, engaged in, and contemplative of what she is learning. These steps can enhance motivation and concentration. They also assist in extending learning beyond a particular game or technology and connecting it to the real world.
Before we start building the Learningworks For Kids gamer guides will make it clear that today’s session is about Planning. As we turn everyone into creative and assign building areas we will talk about everyone’s plan for their free build and help each student to this plan.[/info_list_item][info_list_item list_title=”Reflect” list_icon=”Defaults-wechat weixin”]Reflect or consider how the thinking skills used during gameplay helps them to achieve their goals.
Throughout their build we will talk about how creating a plan in the beginning helped the build faster, with a goal and an overall more complete project with a vision in mind rather then randomly placing down blocks with no real idea in mind.[/info_list_item][info_list_item list_title=”Connect” list_icon=”Defaults-refresh”]Connect or apply game-based thinking skills to real-world activities.
Through out the session we will relate the planning your child is using in minecraft with tasks they must overcome on a daily basis. For example, talking about how planning their creative free build is not too different then planning out their clothes for the day.[/info_list_item][/info_list]
Follow-Up Activities
[bsf-info-box icon=”Defaults-check” icon_size=”32″ icon_color=”#1e73be” title=”Activity #1″ pos=”left” title_font=”font_family:PT Sans|font_call:PT+Sans” title_font_size=”desktop:20px;”]Play Together – Favorite Animal or Character Creation
To Stick with today’s session theme of creative mode planning. Enter a new world of creative mode with your child and find a flat area. Have them build they’re favorite animal or TV/Book/Internet character! Find something they will be passionate to create. Have them explore the creative blocks for a few minutes while thinking of a plan. Ask questions to get them thinking! Will they make the character 2D or 3D? How will the capture the characters personality? What will they use to try and make fur for the animal? Whatever can get to think ahead. Once finished reflect on their creation. Does it look like the animal/character? What could they have done differently? What would they do next time if recreating it?[/bsf-info-box][bsf-info-box icon=”Defaults-check” icon_size=”32″ icon_color=”#1e73be” title=”Activity #2″ pos=”left” title_font=”font_family:PT Sans|font_call:PT+Sans” title_font_size=”desktop:20px;”]
Make It Work – Packing Planning
A real life planning exercise that goes overlooked daily is preparing for the next day or an event coming up. Whether your child is going camping, going on a field trip, sleeping over a friends house or even just have a big day of school ahead of them planning can be practiced when preparing. Help your child with their backpack by making them think of whats to come the next day. What supplies will you need? How long will they be there? What should they bring backup of? Have them plan ahead and think of every scenario they may run into to fully prepare themselves for the upcoming day. Once again when they return reflect with them. What could they have brought more of? What didn’t they use? Do this until they form a habit of preparing themselves in a similar fashion![/bsf-info-box]