Empathy Education with MCEE

Skills

Character
Creativity
Critical Thinking

External References

Available at www.BBTNB.com/Empathy as well here are printable family cards with suggested village coordinates. Also find extra village coordinates!

Empathy Education in MinecraftEDU BLOG

The original BLOG entry on the topic of Empathy Education using Minecraft. (With Examples)

.MCWORLD file MinecraftEDU Empathy Education Version

Find the Minecraft Education Edition .MCWORLD file here for download or also on www.BBTNB.com/Empathy

Backup Entire Project Location Online

Visit my site for the Pocket Edition Version of this project and this project too.

Supporting Files

Project Title Card 1

Title Card 1

Title Card 2

Empathy Education Title Card

Screen Shot

Spawn Coordinates

Family 1

Family 2

Family 3

Family 4

Family 5

Family 6

Family 7

Family 8

Learning Objectives

Students will develop their creativity and individual abilities to empathize with given families in need
Students will critically examine model family struggles and brainstorm empathetic solutions
Students will critically select solutions from a brainstorming list to implement for a family in need

Guiding Ideas

Can students develop empathy skills while aiding families in need? Can students generate a list of solutions for their individual situations? Can they critically select solutions from that list to implement for their Minecraftian families? Every student can easily understand that we all suffer hardships. Everyone knows a story that tugs at their heart strings. The villagers of Minecratia are no different and they need help! Students will be presented with different families in Minecraft suffering in different ways. Illness, expanding family, loss of jobs and even in-laws needing to move in are all situations they could encounter. Students will examine their situation, generate creative solutions, critically examine and choose solutions that will best help and finally implement them while building the family a dream home.

Student Activities

Extreme Minecraft Makeover Home Edition

Students in pairs or alone will select from a number of Minecraftian families who are suffering in one way or another. They will read/explore the family's situation and then creatively generate a list of possible solutions (perhaps even through research online) that could be implemented into a NEW HOME for this family.

After generation of the list they will critically choose the solutions that they feel are technically achievable and best solve the problems the family faces. This could also include terraforming the land OR complete relocation.

After fully selecting the solutions they wish to implement they will provide this final list to their teacher along with a timeframe for completion. Teachers act as the project supervisor and approve the project when they feel it is at a standard that is CORRECT for the given family.

Students then spend their allotted time working on the home for the family and complete the BIG REVEAL via screen shots, or the use of built in cameras and portfolios in Minecraft. They could log their entire process in the journal and submit for assessment as well. They could also ask for time extensions citing reasons why it is in the best interest of the family and supervisor.

Consider at the end of the project having certificates of Excellence or Empathy for students after they have solved the problems (to the best of their abilities) for their families.

The Extreme Minecraft Makeover Home Edition is the type of project that you won't find in many curriculum documents but it teaches valuable 21st century skills like Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Character along with Empathy!

Performance Expectations

Students will select and review a random Minecraftian family who are in need of assistance

Students will Brainstorm solutions for this family including terraforming and relocation solutions

Students will critically select the appropriate solutions for implementation and be able to justify the elimination of solutions and why others were kept

Students will present there chosen solution plan to their project supervisor (teacher) and respond to any improvement requests

Students will proceed with the implementation of the solutions in the timeframe agreed upon

Students will capture the final build digitally and present it to their project supervisor

Students will feel good about the work they did and know that they have just exercised their empathy muscles!