🆕🟢🎮⛏️🎓💡🎧🛸🧪 Using Minecraft to learn STEM/STEAM, Chemistry and Space Exploration

Minecraft is a popular video game that allows players to build and explore virtual worlds. In recent years, the game has also been used as a tool for teaching science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts, as well as for exploring real-life space missions.

With Minecraft, kids can do and learn everything from counting to thinking in 3D, building bridges, castles, slides, aqueducts, and machines of all kinds, discovering the physical properties of materials, creating functioning electrical circuits, building ports and railways for the whole village, etc.

The most interesting thing is that Minecraft is multi-user, so the real fun begins when kids play with others and, in this way, make new acquaintances outside the usual circle of friends. Kids learn soon to make a plan first and to build then, dividing the tasks and giving themself rules. To get more from Minecraft, kids have to follow recipes, make potions, read the directions on the signs, and encourage children, in the interaction with the older ones, to acquire what my son calls “superpowers” (reading and writing). Minecraft opens many doors on still unknown roads that deserve to be investigated. Expect to see Minecraft soon adopted to teaching in schools in a truly new and profitable way, if used properly.

Minecraft in STEAM Education

One way to use Minecraft for STEM education is by building and experimenting with machines and structures. For example, players can build simple machines such as levers and pulleys, or more complex structures such as bridges and buildings. By tinkering with these structures and observing how they work, students can learn about physics and engineering principles in a fun and engaging way.

For the older ones who already know how to read and write, there is the Minecraft Chemistry lab included for free in the Bedrock Edition. In the Windows 10 Edition is possible to do coding, opening a new way for kids to create in the future their own Apps and maybe share them on the App Store.

Another way to use Minecraft for STEM education is by creating and running simulations. For example, students can create virtual ecosystems in which different plants and animals interact, and observe how changes in the environment affect these ecosystems. This can help students learn about biology, ecology, and other scientific concepts.

Minecraft can also be used to explore space missions and learn about space science. For example, players can build virtual representations of space missions, such as the International Space Station, and learn about the challenges and opportunities of living and working in space. They can also create their own space missions, such as designing and launching a spacecraft, and exploring the solar system and beyond.

Example of activity with Minecraft

In this video, you can see how Minecraft can be used to explore concepts related to STEM and space exploration.

Let’s start building a Home Space Center in Minecraft, where we can conduct experiments and simulations related to space missions. Next, fly to a location far away from the launchpad for security reasons. We will create an underground tunnel with a transportation system, solar panels, and automatic lights. This will allow us to work night and day and in any weather conditions.

Next, we will build a spaceship lab where we can create technology and solutions for surviving on hostile planets. This will include a door with a decontamination filter, as well as portals to other worlds that we can access using laser and code.

In the spaceship lab, we will have several levels, each dedicated to a different purpose. On level 1, we will have a chemistry lab where we can conduct experiments and analyze dirt to create new compounds. We will also have an Element Constructor that allows us to build elements by choosing the number of protons, electrons, and neutrons.

On level 2, we will have bedrooms and spacesuits, so that we can rest and prepare for our space missions. On level 3, we will have a hydroponic farm where we can grow plants using a circuit with repeaters, comparators, pistons, droppers, and dispensers. This will allow us to produce potatoes and other vegetables in a sustainable way.

On level 4, we will have a garden with a gym, where we can exercise and relax in between missions. We will also conduct research and tests on different planets, starting with Mars. This will help us learn about the composition and characteristics of these planets, and test our technology in a realistic environment.

Finally, we will explore different exoplanets, both the best and the worst visiting different exoplanets or planets outside our solar system. As we explore these new environments, we encounter a range of challenges and opportunities and use science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills to overcome them.

One of the challenges we face is exploring a harsh and inhospitable exoplanet, where they must use their knowledge of geology and chemistry to analyze the local soil and look for signs of life. This demonstrates how STEM skills are essential for space exploration, as they allow us to understand and adapt to new environments.

The explorer also visits an exoplanet with an underwater temple, where they use their engineering skills to navigate and explore the complex structure. This shows how STEM skills can help us to discover and understand new places, and to design and build the tools and technologies needed to explore them.

One of the most exciting moments in the video is when the explorers make contact with an alien life form. This illustrates the importance of communication and collaboration in space exploration, as well as the challenges of communicating with beings from other worlds. The explorers must use their creativity and problem-solving skills to find a way to communicate with the aliens and learn from them.

In the end, the explorer returns home after a successful mission. This reminds us that space exploration is full of challenges and opportunities and that it requires careful planning and preparation. However, it also shows that with the right skills and tools, we can overcome these challenges and unlock the secrets of the universe.

💡Activity:

• Begin by watching the video, paying special attention to the various structures and technologies featured.
• Using Minecraft’s creative mode, try to recreate some of the structures and technologies featured in the video, such as the Home Space Center, underground tunnel, Spaceship-Lab, and hydroponic farm.
• As you build and experiment, think about the STEM concepts and principles involved. For example, the Spaceship-Lab features a door with a decontamination filter, which involves principles of chemistry and engineering. The hydroponic farm uses a circuit with repeaters, comparators, pistons, droppers, and dispensers, which involves principles of electrical engineering and automation.
• In addition to building and experimenting, try to simulate some of the space exploration scenarios featured in the video, such as researching and testing on Planet Mars, exploring exoplanets, and encountering alien life. Think about the challenges and problems that might arise in these scenarios, and how you could use STEM principles to solve them.
• As you play and experiment, take note of any new or interesting things you learn about STEM and space exploration. Consider sharing your findings with others in your class or online community.

Through the use of Minecraft, we can learn and apply STEM concepts and principles in a fun and engaging way. By building and experimenting in a virtual world, we can simulate space exploration scenarios and solve the challenges and problems that arise. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced Minecraft player, there is always something new to learn and discover.