Lesson 1
This project would be based on History for third class. Strand; Local Studies, Strand Unit; My School, and Buildings, Sites or Ruins in my Locality.
Our school is a new Gaelscoil, in a new building reaching its first sixth class this coming year. It would be exciting to show, how, in the last twenty years the road that the school is built on, has changed and the introduction of the luas. Often, it is difficult for children of this age to make a connection with history of long ago but I think that this would be a project that would be discussed at home with interest, because it is so recent.
Brainstorm with the children on what they know about the school and the area. What resources we could use – perhaps parents have photographs of the school being built, what was on the land before the school. This would all be approached as a class effort to begin with.
We could walk around the perimeter of the school and down the adjoining road and chat about what they think was there before the luas and the school.
Talk about Minecraft, get feedback from users and non-users. Tell them that we are going to design our school and the luas in Minecraft and give them a buzz about what the project will entail.
Lesson 2
Introduce Minecraft. Explanation on the educational version versus the version they would have at home. Demonstration to the class on how it works, walking, flying, inventory, placing blocks etc. Put the children in pairs, allow them to work together and take turns on what has been explained.
Lesson 3
Put the children into mixed ability groups according to the information they retrieved from home from lesson one. Before starting on putting the information together, discuss as a class the rules of group work.
Each group will then make a poster with the group rules.
Lesson 4
Another demonstration on Minecraft and how an area can be divided and built on. Give each group their activity. Look at the area on google maps. Look at photographs. Each group will start designing their project on paper. Draw what they intend to build.
Review
Subjects covered during these lessons are; Irish – everything would be translated to Irish with language and vocabulary taught in an English lesson also, History, Geography, Maths, SPHE and Art.
Home would play a part as I feel the parents would enjoy this project also. Introduction to co-ordinates, investigative and research skills.
Group work and following group rules where every voice counts. Technological skills – introduction to non-users to Minecraft and a new and different use for those who already have Minecraft.