Create Fred the Human Body!

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Skills

Collaboration
Critical Thinking
Project Based Learning

External References

Walk-through of the 'Fred the Human Body' lesson.

My students and I filmed the lesson and discussed the process. Very rewarding!

The Lesson Snippet - 'Fred the Human Body'

This concise summary shows how the six 21st-centiry skills were assessed within the lesson. 10 minutes.

Learning Objectives

identify parts of the body and describe and display their purpose.
Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts
collaborate to create a single human body with significant organs and systems represented
use project based learning techniques

Guiding Ideas

We are going to make a human body.

How can we represent the functions of organs in the body?
How will the body be positioned?
How do we ensure all the main organs will fit in?
How do we use blocks, redstone to represent the function of the body parts?
What organs will you be representing in the body?
How do we show how the organs are linked to each other?
How do we show what we have learned about the organs and systems within the game?
How will we collaborate as a large team to make Fred?

Student Activities

1. Getting on the server!

Create a new world

Set the world to creative
Set cheats on
Set always day
name the world Fred the Human Body.
Start the world
Make a bordered area at spawn using the border blocks to keep the group in one place to start. Trust me, it will make life easier!

2. Let the students log in!

1. What do we know?

Students are able to place signs in their area. Let them write down everything they know! Signs on top of signs!

Let the students read the signs.

Group discussion: (if you wish the students to make substantive decisions, they need to determine this as a group)

Is there anything we need to add?
What are the main parts we want to put in the body?
Who will research each part?

2. Release the students from the spawn area! Break the border blocks.

Give our students the following equipment:

Camera: /give @a Camera
Portfolio: /give @a Portfolio

3. Research!

As Students assign themselves (or are assigned) roles, the researchers can:

determine the look of the organ
determine the function of the organ
determine its relationship with other organs
decide how to represent it in Fred using the available blocks.

Students who wish to place slates, posters, boards and NPCs can be given worldbuilder ability with the command /ability <name> worldbuilder true.

Students work as one and create our Fred. As the students make Fred they:

take photos of their progress
Add captions to their portfolios indicating the work being done.

Teachers are free to observe the collaboration, problem solving, research skills and leadership of individuals. Evidence can be collected from listening to conversations, reading the chat and watching the gameplay.

Idea: I recorded the event using a screen capture software and made a youtube video. Playing back the video was a joy to all involved and gave us a few laughs!

EXTRA: Students are able to export their portfolio and use the images to reflect and publish their learning in many modes:

I used Microsoft MIX - Make interactive powerpoints where the students record videos talking about the experience.
Make a book - Microsoft Word or Sway can be used to make great books! These can be used to teach other students about the human body or as a diary showing the project development.

Performance Expectations

Students can be measured on evidence based on:

Subject:

Discuss and display the name and function of specific organs in the body.

21st Design Skills:

Show collaborative skills - working in groups, showing shared responsibility, making substantive decisions and working interdependently.

(For older students) Show skilled communication - MIX presentation showing the process involved in making the body and the information about the main organs portrayed on Fred.

Show knowledge construction - applying knowledge in a new context

This skill will depend on your class and levels - Self - regulation - Students are able to coordinate themselves to work with others and revise their work with feedback through gameplay.

Problem-solving - students show innovation as they solve how to represent the organs and the functions using the resources available in Minecraft EE

Use of ICT - Students must use ICT to demonstrate their knowledge using Minecraft EE and possibly Microsoft products such as MIX, Word or Sway.