A few weeks ago my students started using MinecraftEdu during math class. You can read about our first experiences here. I used a similar activity with my fourth grade students this Friday. Students were expected to build a house in MinecraftEdu. Students followed these instructions. During the process students will be practicing measurement skills related to fourth grade math standards.
Additional components were added to the project. Instead of working in teams, students built their own houses. I also added blanks for students to show their number models and other information. What I found more interesting this time around was the strategies that students seemed to use. Students started with the first direction:
Students tried a number of different strategies. Some students started laying out blocks in a square pattern and decided to multiply that measurement by four. Other students created a rectangle and then eliminated blocks to match the measurement. I would say that the majority of students had to use trial and error to create a perimeter that matched the criteria.
Some students decided to create dimensions that met the area criteria first and then addressed the perimeter. Almost all the students had to break blocks and change what they originally made.
Students then started to create the height of the house. About half of the students started by creating pillars. The pillars stopped at a height that students determined. Students then filled in the pillars, added in windows, created a door and double-checked their measurements. Students then started to work on designing the inside of their houses.
Next week students will revisit this project and continue to work on the interior. At some point roads or paths will be created to connect this community. Additional math skills will be added as the class continues to create this virtual math world. I can see angles, volume
Educational Aspirations 