(Updated from 2023 including new games, biomes, and adventures!)

This civilization simulation in Minecraft (Bedrock edition) is a primed social experience that gives everyone a role so they can contribute to our interactive group project. We tie historical examples that give meaning to the students builds! Students will take a quick journey through history to see where ideas of town-building came from, then venture into Minecraft to create their own versions.

Each student will find themselves in one of three 'teams' (builders, crafters/farmers, defenders) who have projects each week with their smaller group that require planning and teamwork. Outside of building with their team, students will work as a class to make group decisions regarding their finite resources, play games to win resources, and reflect on how reciprocity is connected to community building. 

Each class uses historical examples (medieval town design, Viking 'raiders then traders,' and democracy) to introduce the concepts they bring to life with their projects. Not only must their group complete the building tasks for their teams, but they will practice sharing and compromising, coming to understand the complex give and take that is a community cornerstone. For example, if the builders do not provide stables for the crafters, the crafters cannot produce livestock for the whole town, thereby derailing everyone's projects. While students will enjoy learning how to improve their Minecraft gaming (how to make siege weapons or automatic Redstone farms), parents will love seeing their children grapple with making compromises, become leaders, and even teach others.

With individual and team competitions students to build comradery, students will enjoy solving problems together, and connecting their Minecraft experience with the real world, testing out what it means to be responsible for others.

* Day 1: Class will discuss the structure and benefits of living in a small and self-reliant community and learn how to design a town layout. They will be assigned teams and start planning with their groups after voting on plans and playing some games
* Day 2: Class will discuss reciprocity, voting, and compromise. Students will build automatic farms, walls, blacksmiths and houses.
* Day 3: Class will discuss raiding and its historical transformation to trading (by examining Vikings and Mongols). Students will engage in a raiding simulation that will test their limits and show them how they can apply advanced defenses to the town.
* Day 4: Class will discuss how city sieges worked throughout history, and test the defender team’s work with a raid of enemies! By today they should have built more farms, a drawbridge and portcullis, and bank.
* Day 5: Class will perfect their work, making adjustments based on yesterday's events and improving them, getting ready for a PvP (player vs player) game of 'Defend the Keep' for the ultimate challenge. If students don't like PvP, they can help me facilitate the match.

NOTE ABOUT MINECRAFT: There are two versions of Minecraft that run on different code: Java (PC, Mac, Linux) and Bedrock. This class uses Bedrock, and is compatible with the following devices: PC with Windows 10, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, phone or tablet version. This is not a Minecraft Java class. Please make sure your child has online-play enabled with their Microsoft account, including Nintendo Switch Online, Xbox Live Gold, and PlayStation® Plus subscriptions for their respective device. I will give more detailed instructions about friending me and joining class upon registering.