I love that you can open up Minecraft Education Edition, ask yourself “What do I want to learn today?” and find something. This is just another way that the power of Minecraft and what’s been built to support Education Edition shines. When you take the best selling game ever, engage passionate people to create amazing content, and then put that content in the hands of students, you have  - in my opinion - the most powerful tool for teaching and learning that exists. I didn’t know what to expect when I spoke to Sarah Red-Laird from Bee Girl. The bee content in the game is great, but as you’ll hear, Bee Girl took it and turned it into something with meaningful learning experiences for every student.

Bee Girl Organization: https://www.beegirl.org/

• Sarah Red-Laird on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahBeeGirl

Join the Minecraft Education Challenge! This virtual build challenge invites students around the world to learn about issues related to sustainability and inclusion, then design solutions with Minecraft: Education Edition.

Create your own prompt that invites students to address a local issue impacting your school, community or region. This could be something like designing a more accessible version of your classroom in Minecraft. Think about people with different learning styles and disabilities, so the space is a safe and inspiring environment for everyone to be healthy. 

Or build a more sustainable version of your school in Minecraft. Consider a holistic definition of sustainability, which may involve rethinking energy systems, recycling, transportation, and how nature plays a role.

Share progress and stories of your Challenge experience via Twitter and Facebook, and tag us using our Twitter handle @PlayCraftLearn and the hashtag #MinecraftChallenge, and then post your results on the Minecraft Challenge Flipgrid page.

There is, within Minecraft, an incredible opportunity to build an immersive world and bring it to life with animals, plants and trees and even NPC’s with diologue. I would challenge every educator out there to think big. Imagine the worlds you would want to build for your students, and then go and do it. I have little doubt Minecraft will help your vision come alive.

On today’s show… Esports is exploding in popularity all over the world. We’re going to talk about how educators are using esports to engage students and how you can use Minecraft Education Edition to do that. Two groups playing a big part in how the future of academic esports unfolds are Liminal Esports, and Stephen Reid and Immersive Minds. I spoke to them both about their work in academic esports.

• Explore Esports with New Minecraft: Education Edition Lessons and Teaching Guide: https://education.minecraft.net/blog/explore-esports-with-new-minecraft-education-edition-lessons-and-teaching-guide
• Bring esports to your classroom with new Minecraft: Education Edition esports worlds, lesson plans and an educator framework created by Immersive Minds: https://education.minecraft.net/stem-esports-challenges
• With Minecraft: Education Edition, Microsoft Looks To Blend Esports And EDU: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalkowitz/2020/06/29/with-minecraft-education-edition-microsoft-looks-to-blend-esports-and-edu/?fbclid=IwAR0NIN4pIj448ak4mzMGVgs48ylNuvVuBSrNDiVYeHJVi5jqLBh4jB4u7DU#42394e1b5138

Join the Minecraft Education Challenge! This virtual build challenge invites students around the world to learn about issues related to sustainability and inclusion, then design solutions with Minecraft: Education Edition.

Create your own prompt that invites students to address a local issue impacting your school, community or region. This could be something like designing a more accessible version of your classroom in Minecraft. Think about people with different learning styles and disabilities, so the space is a safe and inspiring environment for everyone to be healthy. 

Or build a more sustainable version of your school in Minecraft. Consider a holistic definition of sustainability, which may involve rethinking energy systems, recycling, transportation, and how nature plays a role.

Share progress and stories of your Challenge experience via Twitter and Facebook, and tag us using our Twitter handle @PlayCraftLearn and the hashtag #MinecraftChallenge, and then post your results on the Minecraft Challenge Flipgrid page.

On today’s show… There is, within Minecraft, an incredible opportunity to build an immersive world and bring it to life with animals, plants and trees and even NPC’s with dialogue. I would challenge every educator out there to think big. Imagine the worlds you would want to build for your students, and then go and do it. I have little doubt Minecraft will help your vision come alive.

National Writing Project Website: https://www.nwp.org/

• Christina Cantrill on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Seecantrill
• Joe Dillon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/onewheeljoe

• Join the National Writing Project's Newsletter: https://nwp.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=74fb19be0914ed81636ed0372&id=9f9bf35629
• NWP's Educator Innovator Initiative: https://educatorinnovator.org/
• NPC’s, Signs, Boards, Posters, the Book and Quill, and Camera - these are just some of the amazing tools built right into Minecraft. There are dozens of resources available on the Minecraft Education Edition website to help you get started telling amazing stories and building immersive worlds. Visit education.minecraft.net today to learn more.

Join the Minecraft Education Challenge! This virtual build challenge invites students around the world to learn about issues related to sustainability and inclusion, then design solutions with Minecraft: Education Edition.

Create your own prompt that invites students to address a local issue impacting your school, community or region. This could be something like designing a more accessible version of your classroom in Minecraft. Think about people with different learning styles and disabilities, so the space is a safe and inspiring environment for everyone to be healthy. 

Or build a more sustainable version of your school in Minecraft. Consider a holistic definition of sustainability, which may involve rethinking energy systems, recycling, transportation, and how nature plays a role.

Share progress and stories of your Challenge experience via Twitter and Facebook, and tag us using our Twitter handle @PlayCraftLearn and the hashtag #MinecraftChallenge, and then post your results on the Minecraft Challenge Flipgrid page.

There is, within Minecraft, an incredible opportunity to build an immersive world and bring it to life with animals, plants and trees and even NPC’s with diologue. I would challenge every educator out there to think big. Imagine the worlds you would want to build for your students, and then go and do it. I have little doubt Minecraft will help your vision come alive.

On today’s show… I spoke to Whetu Paitai about his beautiful Nga Motu world. We talked about world building in Minecraft and how an immersive world can be used as a powerful tool for students to make connections to their culture and history.

Wheti Paitai

Twitter: https://twitter.com/whetupaitai

• The Custom Content Creation Kit is designed to provide instructional designers and curriculum directors with a framework to design and plan customized instruction with Minecraft: Education Edition. It includes best practices for developing custom Minecraft curriculum, information about recommended Minecraft build partners, lesson templates, rubrics and other supporting materials for getting the job done. https://aka.ms/meecustomcontent

Join the Minecraft Education Challenge! This virtual build challenge invites students around the world to learn about issues related to sustainability and inclusion, then design solutions with Minecraft: Education Edition.

Create your own prompt that invites students to address a local issue impacting your school, community or region. This could be something like designing a more accessible version of your classroom in Minecraft. Think about people with different learning styles and disabilities, so the space is a safe and inspiring environment for everyone to be healthy. 

Or build a more sustainable version of your school in Minecraft. Consider a holistic definition of sustainability, which may involve rethinking energy systems, recycling, transportation, and how nature plays a role.

Share progress and stories of your Challenge experience via Twitter and Facebook, and tag us using our Twitter handle @PlayCraftLearn and the hashtag #MinecraftChallenge, and then post your results on the Minecraft Challenge Flipgrid page.

On today’s show… We can talk about engagement, and how much, quote - unquote “fun” our students are having all day, but in the end we need to be able to tie using Minecraft to achievement and demonstrating results. We need to make the case. This episode, we’ll talk to Merry Hofmeister about how her district made the decision to use Minecraft, how they brought it on board, and how it was received.

Merry Hofmeister

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMerryHof

• Educators around the world use Minecraft: Education Edition to engage students across subjects. Learn how Minecraft ignites learning in K-12 and higher education. https://education.minecraft.net/impact/

Join the Minecraft Education Challenge! This virtual build challenge invites students around the world to learn about issues related to sustainability and inclusion, then design solutions with Minecraft: Education Edition.

Create your own prompt that invites students to address a local issue impacting your school, community or region. This could be something like designing a more accessible version of your classroom in Minecraft. Think about people with different learning styles and disabilities, so the space is a safe and inspiring environment for everyone to be healthy. 

Or build a more sustainable version of your school in Minecraft. Consider a holistic definition of sustainability, which may involve rethinking energy systems, recycling, transportation, and how nature plays a role.

Share progress and stories of your Challenge experience via Twitter and Facebook, and tag us using our Twitter handle @PlayCraftLearn and the hashtag #MinecraftChallenge, and then post your results on the Minecraft Challenge Flipgrid page.

On today’s show… Minecraft is a powerful tool for learning, and language learning is where that power really shines. We’re going to talk about how Minecraft can be used to help you deliver amazing language learning lessons.  You can build a world, craft a story and then live in that world while you learn. We’re not just talking English either. We’ll talk to Glen Irvin this week about how he used Minecraft in his Spanish language classes to provide that same deep, meaningful experience.

Glen Irvin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/irvspanish

• NPCs are humanoid characters in Minecraft that can be used to provide ambiance, fun interactions and communications related to lessons, directions or dialogue. To create NPCs, open your inventory (type E) and add a Spawn Egg to your inventory. Place the Spawn Egg to create an NPC. To program an NPC, right click the NPC to bring up the customize screen. In this screen, you can change the name, displayed text and skin. You can add URLs and special commands in Advanced Settings. World Builders can re-access this menu repeatedly to edit it. The name of the NPC will remain visible from a distance, even through walls. When an Operator or non-World Builder right clicks on an NPC, they will see the displayed text. For more information visit our Minecraft: Education Edition knowledge base.
• Using Minecraft in ESL with young learners: https://education.minecraft.net/blog/using-minecraft-in-esl-with-young-learners
• Minecraft: Education Edition for English Language Learners: https://education.minecraft.net/blog/minecraft-education-edition-for-english-language-learners

Join the Minecraft Education Challenge! This virtual build challenge invites students around the world to learn about issues related to sustainability and inclusion, then design solutions with Minecraft: Education Edition.

Create your own prompt that invites students to address a local issue impacting your school, community or region. This could be something like designing a more accessible version of your classroom in Minecraft. Think about people with different learning styles and disabilities, so the space is a safe and inspiring environment for everyone to be healthy. 

Or build a more sustainable version of your school in Minecraft. Consider a holistic definition of sustainability, which may involve rethinking energy systems, recycling, transportation, and how nature plays a role.

Share progress and stories of your Challenge experience via Twitter and Facebook, and tag us using our Twitter handle @PlayCraftLearn and the hashtag #MinecraftChallenge, and then post your results on the Minecraft Challenge Flipgrid page.

On today’s show… We know Minecraft can be used for building, and you’ve heard on previous episodes about how educators are using it to help students make connections around the world. We’ve talked about building great lessons too. Did you know you can also code with Minecraft?! We’ll be talking to Steve Isaacs about that and more.

Steve Isaacs

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mr_isaacs

• Hour of Code is an easy way to take your first steps in coding. It is 100% self directed, and anyone can do it with no prior knowledge of coding. https://education.minecraft.net/hour-of-code
• If you’ve already done the Hour of Code, we have a new set of extension activities that pick up where the fun left off. Code Town is part 2 which picks things up right where students left off. Find it under Computer Science in the Minecraft: Education Edition Library or on the web: https://education.minecraft.net/lessons/minecraft-code-town/
• If you’re an educator looking to teach coding to your students we offer over 50 hours of coding curriculum that is based on CSTA standards on our web site. Computing with Minecraft is for beginners and Coding with Minecraft covers topics such as conditionals, functions, and coordinates. Both courses are free to download in OneNote. https://education.minecraft.net/class-resources/computer-science-subject-kit/
• Educators who want to learn more about coding in M:EE can take the Building Blocks of Code online professional development course on the Microsoft Educator Center: https://education.microsoft.com/en-us/course/7dd3d540/overview

Join the Minecraft Education Challenge! This virtual build challenge invites students around the world to learn about issues related to sustainability and inclusion, then design solutions with Minecraft: Education Edition.

Create your own prompt that invites students to address a local issue impacting your school, community or region. This could be something like designing a more accessible version of your classroom in Minecraft. Think about people with different learning styles and disabilities, so the space is a safe and inspiring environment for everyone to be healthy. 

Or build a more sustainable version of your school in Minecraft. Consider a holistic definition of sustainability, which may involve rethinking energy systems, recycling, transportation, and how nature plays a role.

Share progress and stories of your Challenge experience via Twitter and Facebook, and tag us using our Twitter handle @PlayCraftLearn and the hashtag #MinecraftChallenge, and then post your results on the Minecraft Challenge Flipgrid page.

On this episode of the Minecraft Education Edition podcast we’re talking lessons! We’ll talk to two amazing educators and get their best advice on how to build great lessons. We’ll also share some resources so you can get started yourself. Our guest(s) this week are Ben Spieldenner and Trish Cloud.

Ben Spieldenner

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenSpieldenner

Website: https://www.crosspond.net/

Trish Cloud

Twitter: https://twitter.com/trishcloud

• Check out the Minecraft Library in the game and on the web at aka.ms/minecraftlibrary
• You Can Create Lessons In Minecraft: Education Edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uuJxSjmiao
• There's even a lesson about how to create a Minecraft lesson, created by a member of the teacher community: https://education.minecraft.net/lessons/teacher-training-basic/

Join the Minecraft Education Challenge! This virtual build challenge invites students around the world to learn about issues related to sustainability and inclusion, then design solutions with Minecraft: Education Edition.

Create your own prompt that invites students to address a local issue impacting your school, community or region. This could be something like designing a more accessible version of your classroom in Minecraft. Think about people with different learning styles and disabilities, so the space is a safe and inspiring environment for everyone to be healthy. 

Or build a more sustainable version of your school in Minecraft. Consider a holistic definition of sustainability, which may involve rethinking energy systems, recycling, transportation, and how nature plays a role.

Share progress and stories of your Challenge experience via Twitter and Facebook, and tag us using our Twitter handle @PlayCraftLearn and the hashtag #MinecraftChallenge, and then post your results on the Minecraft Challenge Flipgrid page.