Grades 3-8: Minecraft Beginners (Virtual)

Minecraft Makers will be learning how to build, plan and code not just play in Minecraft! Makers will collaborate with their classmates to plan out large building projects while their instructor helps to guide and teach new skills to them each week. These skills will include circuit logic using Redstone, coding elements using command blocks and 3D design using geometry and mathematics.

Commands: On the MakerKids Server using the command line is necessary to navigate around. The first thing to learn is how to change their gamemode, teleport to different worlds and players, as well as save the location of their work with warps. Less important but more fun commands includes obtaining powerful items with give and magical effects with effect. Throughout the importance of command syntax and proper spelling is reinforced (though tools like tab autocomplete comes in handy) which mimics the functionality of real world command lines.

Redstone: Minecraft is an open world sandbox similar to virtual lego. In addition to creative design players also have access to “redstone” to build and power electronic devices within the game and a command line to run a variety of simple to complex commands that affect their world. At MakerKids we also approach the game external as a programmer covering topics such as customizing resources, server administration, and adding on to the game’s code itself with plugins and mods.

Redstone is Minecraft’s version of electricity. It contains inputs (that also serve as power sources), outputs, and wiring, that allow the creation of circuits, automated machines and devices, and can be combined into even more complex components like clocks, logic gates, and memory storage.

The first step in using redstone is learning about signal propagation. With a few simple inputs and outputs (like buttons and redstone lamps) kids experiment and learn about the properties of redstone especially how its limited flow through blocks outside of redstone material. By the end of the introduction they are perfectly capable of turning things on and off from a distance and ready to dive into some of the more complex inputs that don’t involve players manually flipping a switch.