- Ages:Gradeschooler
Students learn economics, civics, geometry and how democracy works as they join together to create a city within a virtual Minecraft-type world. Minecraft programs are limitless platforms for students to learn academic skills in a highly engaging virtual environment. In this problem-solving class, students design their own house and business as they learn about budgeting, profit and loss, and supply and demand. As they serve on a city council, they study how laws are made and work together to create and vote on a city constitution. They work in committees to make key decisions and design buildings for their city. Students use mathematics and geometry to construct a working urban environment. STEM skills have never been so fun!
Class Components:
Week 1: Welcome to Our City! Let’s Plan the Construction of Your House, What is a City Council?, City Council Debate & Vote: What to do with the Park? Please note: The first half hour of the first class only is devoted to tech set-up and making sure everyone knows how to play Minetest.
Week 2: “The Basics of Business”, Business Budgeting, Continue Constructing Your House, Working on the City Council’s Park Plan, Planning Your Business, How Cities Get Their Names, Voting on Our City Name
Week 3: Learning About the Symbolism of Flags, Constructing your Business, Creating Your City Flag Nominee, Business Tours to Fellow Students, Project Plans for a Trash Solution, “Hollywood Sign” and a Nearby Island
Week 4: City Buildings and City Planning, Creating City Blueprints, City Building Budgeting, Giving Out Shopper Points, City Council: A Letter from a Concerned Citizen (Hospitals & Apartments), What is Democracy?
Week 5: What is a Constitution?, Writing Our Constitution, The Case of Leigh Crawford, Completing City Projects, Updates from the Committees, Voting on City Flags, City Constitution Objections
Week 6: A Group Project: The Gateway Park, Capturing Your City, How Cities Expand, Perfecting Our City, Our City lives On…
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Provider RightBrainCurriculum
Right Brain Curriculum is a Massachusetts-based education company offering engaging, project-based online learning programs. Our mission is to create outstanding, student-centered enrichment programs that allow children to experience real life in a fun, engaging learning atmosphere. Currently, we run four different versions of our Metrocraft class, a civics-based program that takes place in a Minecraft-like world.
Right Brain Curriculum is managed by Matt Bowling, Education Director and Savvy Reuben, Director of Teaching & Learning
Matt holds a Master's in Education Administration with Principal's license from UMass Boston as well as a Master's in Elementary Education from Northwestern University. Matt has more than 15 years experience as a classroom teacher for grades 2, 3, 5 and 7 in both public and private schools in California and Massachusetts. He has served as a Director of Curriculum and Instruction in both public and private schools in the Boston area.
Savvy has more than ten years experience in education, working in private, public and charter schools in New York City and Boston.
Her education focused on teaching, curriculum planning, classroom management and a specialization in autism/intellectual disabilities. She attended Trinity College and Teacher's College of Columbia University.
She absolutely loves teaching and wants every class to be a unique, submersive, and positive experience where students feel free to be creative, take risks, and have a whole lot of fun while learning something new :)
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