See the latest team updates, lessons, tips, and stories from the classroom.
  | See the latest team updates, lessons, tips, and stories from the classroom.
See the latest team updates, lessons, tips, and stories from the classroom. View as webpage
Minecraft: Education Edition landscape with logo in the foreground and the December 2019 date
UPDATES FROM THE TEAM
Happy New Year! We’re excited to kick off 2020 by joining Microsoft Education at two major conferences: BETT in London and TCEA in Austin. We will be showcasing new lessons and features along with talks by educators from across our Minecraft community. Follow the action at @PlayCraftLearn on Twitter and Facebook, and stop by the Microsoft booth if you’re attending any of these events in person!
Two Minecraft characters standing in a field
BUILD CHALLENGE: MAPPING OUR WORLD
Mapping is an important skill for understanding the world around us. Your challenge this month is to create a map of your region in Minecraft, including key features and highlights about the area. As part of the process, students can learn about cartography by examining a variety of maps and taking note of their details. Learn how to join the challenge: aka.ms/MappingOurWorld
Map in Minecraft world
STORIES FROM THE CLASSROOM: SEL
Game-based learning can help students build creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills, and supports subjects like math, language, or geography. But what about social-emotional learning (SEL)? This EdSurge article explores the power that games have for building empathy, exploring identity, and growing self-awareness:
aka.ms/gbl-for-sel
Minecraft character in a canyon
FEATURED LESSON
Have your students recently returned from a holiday? In this lesson by Indian educator Monica Joshi, students recreate their favorite vacation or holiday spots in Minecraft: Education Edition, whether that’s a faraway destination or a relative’s home. Learners then write recommendations based on their experiences. Find the free lesson:
aka.ms/mee-holiday-lesson
Building in Minecraft world
TIP OF THE MONTH
Cherokee County School District educator Tiffany Wilson decided to teach food chains to her elementary school students with Minecraft: Education Edition and saw outstanding engagement and inquiry. Learn about her experience and get advice for keeping students accountable, on task, and organized. Watch the video to learn more: aka.ms/mee-food-chains
Student playing Minecraft: Education Edition on a desktop computer
SAVE THE DATE
Join us at these upcoming events! We hope to see you there.

BETT, London: January 22–25
TCEA, Austin: February 3–7
QUICK LINKS
Illustration of a Minecraft pickaxe
Get started with Minecraft: Education Edition in your classroom
Illustration of a Minecraft apple
Read stories from teachers and the Minecraft: Education Edition team on our blog
Illustration of a Minecraft frame
Check out all the free resources we released in 2019 in this Year in Review
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