How can the program “Minecraft” help second and third grade students develop understanding of mathematical concepts such as perimeter and area?
by Katie Mayer
1. What other popular video games could be used in the classroom to teach core subjects?
1.1. Would bringing Playstations, Xboxes, Wii's, Nintendos, etc. into the classroom be beneficial?
2. Are all grade levels able to understand and use minecraft?
2.1. If used on the PC, could younger students use minecraft mods that take away monsters and other elements of the game that are too advanced?
2.2. Should all students work in creative mode rather than survival mode?
2.3. Would another world building game be more appropriate (i.e. Eden)?
3. Can students effectively focus on learning content while in the world of a video game?
3.1. Is there a way to eliminate extraneous distractions in-game?
4. Should minecraft be used primarily one-on-one or can multiple students use it at once effectively?
4.1. Can all students be on the same server or would it be too distracting?
4.2. How could it effectively be incorporated into daily instruction?
5. Do boys and girls both enjoy learning through video games?
5.1. How often would it be implemented?
6. What other mathematics topics can be explored with minecraft?
6.1. Addition and Subtraction?
6.2. Multiplication and Division?
6.3. Fractions?
6.4. Place Value?
7. Could minecraft be used to teach science, social studies, and/or ELA?
7.1. Recreate historical buildings/scenes/artifacts?
7.2. Learning about animals?
7.3. Learning about circuits?
7.4. Retelling/creating a story?
8. What device is most useful when using minecraft with students? (i.e. Xbox, PC, iPad, etc.)
8.1. Which device is easiest for students to use?
8.2. Which device do students enjoy using the most?
8.3. Which device is the most accessible for the classroom and/or at students' homes?
9. What grade levels is using video games as instructional materials appropriate for?
9.1. Is a Leapfrog tablet more appropriate?
9.2. At what age are students should students transition to iPads or other tablets?
