So what is Minecraft? Simply put, Minecraft is a virtual world where people build, explore, engage in battle. This survivor game is one where players use the environment to sustain life. Although that is the main focus of the game, gamers have been finding several new uses for Minecraft: architecture, computer programming, a hobby, and of course for EDUCATION. So far 43,060,134 people have registered and 7,620,824 people bought the game.

Minecraft is designed from the ground up to be open-ended and modifiable, allowing it to be tailored for Education. The game is being used to teach more than just computer skills. It easily lends itself to science, technology, engineering and math explorations (STEM). But beyond that, language teachers are strengthening communication skills, civics teachers are exploring how societies function, and history teachers are having their students recreate ancient civilizations. It is not an exaggeration to say that the only limit is imagination!

Minecraft at Gorzycki

We use Minecraft as an introduction to the Engineering Design Process (building roller coasters as a team) and for other engineering challenges. We also have a Minecraft club that meets on Thursdays after school.

Learning Minecraft

Minecraft101.net has a great series of guides for learning the basics

Redstone

Redstone is the Minecraft equivalent of electricity. It can be used to create amazing inventions, such as working computers or factories, once you know the basics. Fortunately, the basics are easy to learn!

Minecraft101.net has Redstone 101 - a great series of Redstone Tutorials to learn the basics.

Here is an Introduction to Redstone (courtesy of Adam Clarke's fantastic fantastic YouTube channel GameSchool)