Cell Biology Course in Minecraft: Discover Life’s Building Blocks (5-Session)

— Day 1 - Introduction to Cells: We’ll start off by diving into the function of a cell and what cells look like! As the class progresses through the cell theory, we’ll take a tour in Minecraft through different cell models before building one of our own!

— Day 2 - Animal Cells: Energy makes it possible for cells to process and use special functions to keep themselves alive. We’ll explore what makes animal cells unique and their main organelles. To wrap up the session, the class will join on a group activity that demonstrates the way cells communicate.

— Day 3 - Plant Cells: These cells differ from Animal cells and we’ll discover in this class what ways they differ. In learning about plant cells, we will also review the key organelles and functions as well as how photosynthesis works. Afterwards, we will conduct a scavenger hunt to identify and collect materials necessary to produce photosynthesis in Minecraft!

— Day 4 - Nutrient Transport: How do cells stay alive? ATP plays a vital role in this by providing energy that drives most processes in cells. In this class, we will investigate how food provides energy and how the energy is distributed among cells. Through a Minecraft class activity, campers will get to experience the journey and struggles of nutrient transportation.

— Day 5 - How Cells Are Made: DNA exists within cells and cells are about to duplicate through mitosis! This final day is all about division and replication of cells through different phases of mitosis. We’ll explore the processes on a large-scale diagram in Minecraft and  simulate mitosis with Minecraft slimes!

Connected Camps is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2015 with the mission to build a global online community where kids build, code, play, and learn alongside one another. Our programs are designed based on extensive research in the learning sciences. The founders and leaders of Connected Camps, Mimi Ito and Katie Salen, are professors at the University of California, Irvine, who specialize in the design of online learning experiences that are fun, social, and directly tied to academic outcomes. Learn more about the research behind Connected Camps at the Connected Learning Alliance resource site: https://clalliance.org/ 

One thing that makes our programs unique is our near-peer mentorship model. Our programs are led by young adults and college students, often with the help of high school volunteers. We hire counselors and coaches from top universities in computer science, game development, economics, social studies, and the arts, and train them on how to facilitate project-based learning with younger kids. Our young instructors have the same passion for technology, games, and digital making as our learners, and take on the role of instructors, as well as fellow enthusiasts and relatable role models.

The curriculum for this program was designed by a team of counselors pursuing degrees relevant to the material at hand. The learning experiences in this class are driven by these counselors’ academic expertise in the field, along with their desire to share their passion for the subject with a group of excited learners. All of Connected Camps’ curricula are vetted by the organization’s Product Manager, Matthew, who possesses a Masters in Secondary Education and a deep belief in the power of collaborative virtual learning.

This class does not require any out-of-class work. We do offer optional challenges that students can work on as an extension of what is taught in class. We provide guidance and instructions for students who are inspired to delve deeper into the topic. The purpose of these challenges is to give students the opportunity to supplement their learning with additional material that aligns with their passions and goals. Students may then integrate their learnings into their project and showcase their accomplishments to their classmates.

With this approach, students can explore the subject on their own. We give students the opportunity to share what they’ve explored independently with the class.

At Connected Camps, we assess each student’s progress by engaging them in reflection of their own work and the work of their classmates. By building in Minecraft and applying concepts taught in class, our students are able to solidify their learnings through hands-on application. Our counselors’ focus is to provide qualitative feedback to further each students’ individual goals and interests, and we do not use letter or number grades.

In addition to our in-class reflections, our counselors also provide post-session recaps that offer a summary of what is accomplished each day. Through these summary reflections, students are able to review the material and share with their parents what they did in class. We find this approach allows kids of different interests and abilities to engage with our teachings in a way that is particularly relevant to them.

1 hour 30 minutes per week in class, and maybe some time outside of class.