6-7 yrs old
8-10 yrs old
11-13 yrs old
Reading and Writing
Students read "Escape from the Overworld," a chapter book for ages 7-12 that takes place as if Minecraft is real, then create their own books.
August 23, 2018
Danica Davidson's Writing Advice For Kids and Classrooms
Tips and suggestions on writing, lists of ideas, and the first page of Escape from the Overworld's rough draft to compare-and-contrast revisions.
Scholastic Story Starters
Story starters from Scholastic to help kids write in different genres.
Grammar Games
Free online grammar games to help kids.
Students read Escape from the Overworld (it can be done in class, possibly with the help of the audio book, so that students can read or listen along). Because many students are interested in Minecraft, and may not be aware of books dealing with Minecraft, this shows them that whatever interests them can also take a literary form. In other words, they are given the go-ahead to write about what interests them and at the same time it lets them know that there are books out there for whatever subjects they like. This can lead to children being more comfortable writing about their passions and seeking out books on their favorite subjects. After the project is done, kids can make lists of things that interest them and the class can take a trip to the school library and see what they find.
After reading, students complete writing assignments.
For revision time, students can see the first page of Escape from the Overworld's rough draft and compare it to the final book (check Danica Davidson's Writing Advice for Kids and Classrooms to see rough draft). This lets them know that revision is a normal process of writing. They can also see concrete examples of how writing was revised to sound better.
Choose one or more activities (I recommend activities be multiple choice so students pick which one(s) spark their imagination the most). Students can also illustrate their stories and turn them into little books.
Sign up for the Minecraft: Education Edition newsletter. We promise to respect your inbox.