So, what else happened?
As a result of this project and our change in thinking about curriculum delivery and student learning, we (on our own) began wondering what else we could do to motivate other classes. Minecraft was born at Catalina Elementary and a new way of thinking about curriculum delivery.
Minecraft
We believed in this process so much that the school committed money to purchase MinecraftEDU and implemented it in into the curriculum in Grade 5. We have also been using this in Grade 6 science to complete student led and directed projects. This has been met with much success where other teachers are now excited, motivated and thinking differently about curriculum delivery (and they are not even a part of our ‘team’)
Student-Led Projects
As a result of uttering the word and idea about using MineCraft in the classroom, students have been creating their own projects and incorporating MineCraft into their own classes/activities.
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Kage's KingdomThe Grade 5 class is unique, like many of our classrooms around. Ms. Lauren Newhook was struggling with motivating these students in all areas of the curriculum. THEN, Minecraft happened.
After hearing of our (Grade 6) discovery of using Minecraft in science class, the Grade 5's wanted in. Ms. Newhook saw how excited her students became and through a little coaxing, she was in on the newest byproduct of the STEM project. After some discussion, she was about to embark on her own journey of discovery of going outside the box and learning the power of letting go. She decided to use Minecraft in her Social Studies class to teach students about a Medieval society. She gave her class roles in the society and it just took off from there. Her class would use MindCraft to replicate a Medieval society where each person would build/create their own part of this society. Naturally occurring learning opportunities happened. This class became an independent. They became self directed and most importantly, they were motivated and engaged. As a result of this project, these students wrote the best pieces of writing, presented ideas in creative ways, and transformed into students that Ms. Newhook did not recognize. The power of being different and letting go. |
Transforming the Science Classroom
Learning about the ocean floor - by recreating the ocean floor
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Implementing Engineering Design Challenges outside the regular curriculum and the regular classroom was easy. Well, looking back on it now, it was. All year, being a new Jr. High science teacher, I struggled with bringing my hands on philosophies into the classroom. The jam packed curriculum seemed impossible to take time away from the 'book' to engage, explore, elaborate. It seemed all I could do was explain and evaluate. However, once we began our implemention of these challenges, I began seeing natural ways to implement similar activities and learning experiences into the Jr. High classroom. The more I began thinking about it, they more it made sense and the more connections I was making to these design challenges and the intended curriculum. And, the students, all students, were responding well.
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Learning how to grow food without soil - to help with food supply in Mars.
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Learning about the ocean floor by recreating the ocean floor from playdoh.
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Our Future - "Where learning never ends, where wonderings keep going and where questions lead to answers, but will spawn new questions."
As this school year quickly winds down, a new one is on the horizon. A new school year means new opportunities, new students, new ideas and new possibilities. We will take with us many new understandings, mistakes as well as a-ha moments and bring it all to a new level of leadership and teaching. Students will begin September with a renewed sense of wonder and curiosity where they will be excited to see science on the schedule and they will be eager to begin their new wonderings and explorations.
The future for us is unknown - but it's exciting.
The future for us is unknown - but it's exciting.