Right Brain Curriculum

Students learn economics, civics, geometry, history and technology as they work together to create a city within a virtual Minecraft world. Minecraft is a limitless platform 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 of laws. Students use mathematics and geometry to construct a working urban environment. STEM skills have never been so fun!

Class Syllabus:

Session One

Week 1: Introduction

Background Info: Powerpoint: Welcome to Our City!, Powerpoint: How Cities Get Their Names

Activity: Let's Plan the Construction of Your House, Your Housing Budget

Skills: Budgeting

City Council Debate & Vote: Voting on the City Name Nominees

Week 2: Your Business

Background Info: Powerpoint: "Your Business Plan"

Activity: Continue Constructing Your House, Business Plans

Skills: Business Budgeting, Supply & Demand

City Council Debate & Vote: Gas Cars, Electric Cars or No Cars at All!

Week 3: Our City Flag

Background Info: Powerpoint: "Flag Meanings and Symbols"

Activity: Constructing your Business, Creating Your City Flag Nominee

Skills: Business Budgeting, Supply & Demand

City Council Debate & Vote: A Letter from a Concerned Citizen, A Fire Station Solution

Week 4: City Buildings and City Planning

Background Info: Powerpoint: "What's First?: Planning Our Most Important City Buildings!", Powerpoint: "Marketing Your Business"

Activity: Creating City Building Blueprints, Creating Business Commercials

Skills: City building budgeting

City Council Debate & Vote: Voting on City Constitution Plans

Week 5: Our City Constitution

Background Info: Powerpoint: "Let's Create a Constitution of Laws!"

Activity: Writing Our Constitution, Finishing Our Businesses, Finishing Flags, Giving out Shopper Points

Skills: Perimeter and Area, Critical Thinking and Writing as we create the laws of our constitutions

City Council Debate & Vote: Official flag vote

Week 6: The Tax Question and Wrapping Up Session One

Background Info: Powerpoint: "The Future of Cities," "Taxes: Why Do We Have Them?"

Activity: Finishing up your Business and City Buildings, Capturing Your City

Skills: Analyzing the benefits and drawbacks of taxes

City Council Debate & Vote: Voting on Tax Plans

Session Two

Note: While session 1 and session 2 take place in the same virtual city, students sign-up for Session 2 if they wish to continue, after taking the Session 1 class.

Week 1: Introducing Session Two/Public Transportation