Engineering Club in Minecraft: Craft Machines & Solve Puzzles (Ongoing)
Harness the incredible power of Redstone to complete challenging engineering contracts that vary in requirements, restrictions, and rewards (Java or Bedrock Edition for PC, Mac, iPad, Tablet, or Console).
Connected Camps
Average rating:
4.7
Number of reviews:(4,017)
Popular
What's included
1 live meeting
1 hrs 30 mins in-class hours per weekHomework
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.Assessment
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.Grading
includedClass Experience
PLATFORM: Minecraft Java or Bedrock Edition for PC, Mac, iPad, Tablet, or Console. SKILL LEVEL: This program is meant for Basic level players. This program requires Basic reading comprehension, Basic proficiency with computers, and some prior experience with Minecraft. PROGRAM OVERVIEW: Similar to electricity, Minecraft’s Redstone is an amazing tool that acts as an interactive power source for your creations. In this club, you’ll get to explore that power and build dynamic devices from automatic doors to fully-functioning rail systems. Like all Connected Camps programs, this class offers a project-based, exploratory classroom environment that sits at the intersection of learning and playing. After all, kids learn the most when they're having fun! During this club, you will: — Apply an engineering mindset towards contracts that provide unique challenges (and rewards)! — Learn how to adjust Redstone input and output signals to build simple mechanisms using levers, lights, and buttons. — Create unique contraptions suitable for a Minecraft secret base like traps, doors, and locks. — Use different types of clocks to set the time, speed, and precision of your machines. — Learn how rails interact and function to design a roller coaster for an amusement park. This is a club where you’ll learn the basics of Redstone engineering from group discussions and personal experimentation. During each session, you’ll get hands-on practice with new Redstone concepts that will enhance your play and assist you with completing a variety of engineering contracts. There will also be opportunities to take on projects in groups, working towards a common goal as a team of bright engineers. Each day will be a student-driven experience, tailored to what each camper is interested in pursuing. PARENTS: This is a program for kids who want to incorporate a new aspect of play into their Minecraft experience while they practice their problem solving skills. With Redstone, students can explore the basics of engineering and how electricity works while they enjoy the game they love. Students must have previous experience with Minecraft when joining this camp to ensure that they have a great experience jumping into our challenging engineering contracts. This is an ongoing club that meets once a week. We balance group discussion time with plenty of hands-on experience with other students. This way, students can cement what they’re learning and fully explore the topics they're interested in. By combining Minecraft with education, your child will be able to engage their passions as they have fun in a positive, interest-driven environment. Please note that we will be asking for your camper's in-game username so that we can add them to our server's safelist.
Learning Goals
— Collaboration Through Teamwork: Our students are encouraged to work together and collaborate towards a common goal! Students will have the opportunity to work on engineering contracts together and share what they've created with their peers.
— Learn Conflict Resolution Skills: As every student is different, they may encounter differing opinions or wants and needs from another student. Our counselors are available to help facilitate students in finding a common ground during unexpected times of emotional stress.
— Build Character and Confidence: Our aim for this club is to build students’ confidence and enable students to communicate and express themselves in a group setting. Students will participate in challenges in which their work is evaluated for future improvement.
— Project Management and Coordinate Work: With each new session, students may start a new project or be able to participate in a project they’ve been working on. Kids in this club will learn how to pace themselves as they start and complete projects. During group projects, they will also learn how to prioritize objects and coordinate work between themselves and others.
Activities:
— Create ingenious contraptions that meet the requirements of challenging engineering contracts.
— Earn rewards and prestige for each contract completed.
— Participate in collaborative design projects where each team member brings something unique to the table.
— Work on an ongoing project week-to-week to keep adding improvements over time.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Internet safety is a top priority for us and our goal is to create a safe, connected community of learners that is moderated by our instructors. Throughout our programs we strive to educate our learners on internet safety and best practices for connecting online.
In our programs, our learners are often making friendships and connections with others in class. While we encourage positive online friendships, we think it’s important to practice these principles of internet safety:
— Do NOT ask others to connect online outside of our programs without first confirming with your parents. Our programs are a safe, moderated space for learners to engage but we can’t moderate connections outside of our classes.
— Do NOT give away personal information which includes but is not limited to: your name, address, phone number, passwords, location, email address, and parental information.
— If an individual asks for personal information, you should inform a counselor or your parent for guidance.
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Common Sense Media Resources for Parents:
https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/keeping-games-fun-and-friendly
Keeping Games Fun and Friendly: learn how to keep your child's experiences positive and fun when communicating in online games with others.
https://www.commonsense.org/education/video/modal/4141366#
The Power of Words: help your child learn that words exchanged online are indeed powerful, and offer strategies to use when confronted with cyberbullying.
https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/private-and-personal-information
Private and Personal Information: learn the difference between what personal things your child can safely share online and private information that should not be shared.
Supply List
A Minecraft Java or Bedrock Edition account must be purchased by the learner. Participants will receive access to the Connected Camps Minecraft Server where the program will be run. A pair of headphones and microphone are also needed for communication with the class.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Not an official Minecraft product. Not approved or associated with Mojang.
Joined June, 2020
4.7
4017reviews
Popular
Teacher expertise and credentials
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.Reviews
Live Group Class
$20
weekly1x per week
90 min
Completed by 102 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-13
3-10 learners per class
