social studies and visual art springville of living in ... · savanna biome description: a...
TRANSCRIPT
SpringvilleMuseum of Art
Social Studies and Visual ArtLiving in Minecraft: Biome Communities Third Grade
Objectives
• Students will create a community using the computer game Minecraft.• Students will explore how a community develops including industry and economic development.• Students will learn how a community connects to the environment (ei. natural resources and climate)
Background (for teachers)
Minecraft is a virtual phenomenon that is taking the gaming world by storm. Many children begin playing at a very young age. On this game, users create virtual worlds, using geometric building blocks, resources discovered onsite, and their own creativity. The game can be played on a computer, smartphone, or tablet. Most of your students have probably been exposed to this game at some point, but if you are not familiar with Minecraft, spend some time visiting the website and familiarizing yourself with this game.
Note: This lesson plan can be taught using the actual game on computers or iPads in your classroom, however, if your classroom or school does not have these resources, you can also teach this lesson using the paper resources provided to you.
Minecraft must be purchased and downloaded onto your computer or device, however, you can also play a free demo for a month before you purchase it. In addition, MinecraftEdu is designed specifically for classroom use. We encourage you to look into and experiment with Minecraft before you teach this lesson in your classroom.
Introduction
Begin by asking students about their communities. In efforts to get the students thinking about elements of their communities’ culture, ask some of the following questions:
• Where do you live?• What language do speak in your community? • What religions are common in your community?• What traditions are common where you live?• What is the climate like?• What natural resources do you have in your community?• What kind of government would you find in your community?• What laws are important in your community?
Gary Smith, Youthful Games, 1984
Materials• Images from the Museum (See Images from the Museum)• Minecraft worksheet• 11”x 17”Paper• Drawing Supplies• Pencils• Ipads or Computers ifpossible• Minecraft.com
Images from the Museum
• Gary Smith, Youthful Games• Calvin Fletcher, Washday in Brigham City • James Taylor Harwood, Richards’ Camp, Holiday Park-- Weber Canyon (Images available below or at smofa.org)
Utah Core Standards
Social StudiesStandard 1Students will understand how geography influences com-munity location and development.
Social Studies Standard 1 Objective 1Determine the relationships between human settlement and geography.
Social Studies Standard 3 Objective 2cResearch community needs and the role government serves in meeting those needs.
Visual Arts Standard 3 Objective 2Discuss, evaluate and choose symbols, ideas, subject mat-ter, meanings, and purposes for their own artworks.
SpringvilleMuseum of Art
Social Studies and Visual ArtLiving in Minecraft: Biome Communities Third Grade
Next, show various images of communities from the Springville Museum of Art’s permanent collection. Ask students the following questions about each image:
• Where do you think this community is located?• What is the climate like?• What natural resources might you find here?
Discuss with students the essential elements of a community. What does a community need in order to thrive? What role do laws and government play in a community? Why are they important?
Learning Activity
Break the students into small groups. Each group will be given the assignment to create a community based on a virtual Minecraft region. Ideally, these students will have access to Minecraft on a computer and will be able to create an actual community using the Minecraft game. If you are not able to access Minecraft digitally, you will find screenshots of different Minecraft regions or Biomes and descriptions of each Biome attached to this lesson plan.
Each group will be given a different Biome (or region) and will be asked to fill out the provided worksheet.
After the different groups have finished their worksheet, Pass out a large sheet on paper (11”x17”) and give them time to draw and color a larger version of their community’s flag. As indicated on the worksheet, students should incorporate two or more of their Biome’s natural resources into the design of their flag.
Variations
If your students have access to Minecraft on computers or devices in their classroom, you may give students time to start constructing important buildings in their communities. As students build their virtual communities, have them screen shot their lands and share them with the class.
Extensions
After students have completed their “Living in Biomes” worksheet and design their flag, you could have them create a constitution for their community. They can brainstorm community needs and how their community’s government can help meet those needs.
Assessment
After students have created their flag, give them time to present their Minecraft Communities to the class. Make sure they answer all of the worksheet questions.
Their community flags should include at least 2 natural resources from their assigned Biome.
SOURCES
Minecraft.comMinecraftedu.comhttp://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Biome
Living in BiomesCreating Communities in Minecraft
What type of Biome did your group receive?
What natural resources are found in this environment?
What are some challenges that you might encounter if you were living here?
Together with your group, come up with a name of your community:
_____________________________________________
Using at least one of the Natural Resources found in your biome as inspiration, design a flag for your community:
What symbols and colors did you use in your flag? Why did you choose these colors?
What food would your community members eat?
What will your community members use for shelter and clothing?
What jobs might the people in your community have?
What will your community members do for fun?
Considering the needs of your community, write 3 Laws for your community:
1. __________________________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________________________
Desert Bio
me
Desc
riptio
n:A
barr
en a
nd re
lativ
ely
inho
spita
ble
biom
e co
nsisti
ng m
ostly
of s
and,
larg
e du
nes,
dea
d bu
shes
, and
cac
ti. S
ands
tone
is c
omm
only
foun
d un
dern
eath
the
sand
. It a
lmos
t nev
er ra
ins
in th
is bi
ome.
No
pass
ive
mob
s sp
awn
natu
rally
in d
eser
ts. S
ugar
can
e ca
n be
foun
d if
the
dese
rt is
nex
t to
an o
cean
or r
iver
bi
ome.
The
lack
of v
isual
obs
truc
tion
mak
es m
obs h
ighl
y vi
sible
at n
ight
. Des
ert v
illag
es, d
eser
t wel
ls an
d de
sert
tem
ples
are
foun
d ex
clus
ivel
y in
this
biom
e.
Reso
urce
s:Sa
nd, C
acti,
Dea
d Bu
shes
, San
dsto
ne, S
ugar
Can
e, D
eser
t wel
ls
Savanna Bio
me
Desc
riptio
n:A
rela
tivel
y fla
t and
dry
bio
me
with
a d
ry g
rass
col
or a
nd s
catte
red
acac
ia tr
ees.
Vill
ages
can
gen
erat
e in
this
biom
e, a
nd it
is o
ne o
f onl
y tw
o bi
omes
(the
ot
her b
eing
pla
ins)
whe
re h
orse
s spa
wn
natu
rally
. Rai
n al
mos
t nev
er fa
lls in
this
biom
e, si
mila
r to
the
dese
rt.
Reso
urce
s:Ac
acia
Tre
es, T
all G
rass
, Hor
ses,
Cow
s, S
heep
Mesa Bio
me
Desc
riptio
n:M
esa
is a
rare
bio
me
mad
e of
har
dene
d cl
ay, s
tain
ed c
lay,
and
dead
bus
hes
– sim
ilar t
o a
dese
rt. R
ed s
and
will
also
gen
erat
e he
re in
stea
d of
regu
lar s
and,
w
ith o
ccas
iona
l cac
ti. It
s com
positi
on is
use
ful w
hen
othe
r sou
rces
of c
lay
are
scar
ce. H
owev
er, fi
ndin
g m
esa
biom
es c
an b
e di
fficu
lt du
e to
thei
r rar
ity.
Mes
as c
an c
onta
in a
bove
gro
und
min
esha
fts. T
hey
also
allo
w g
old
ore
to g
ener
ate.
Reso
urce
s:De
ad B
ush,
Har
dene
d Cl
ay, 6
col
ors o
f Sta
ined
Cla
y, Re
d Sa
nd, C
acti,
Red
San
dsto
ne,
Abov
e gr
ound
min
esha
fts, G
old
Ore
Jungle Bio
me
Desc
riptio
n:A
very
den
se, b
ut ra
ther
unc
omm
on tr
opic
al b
iom
e. It
feat
ures
larg
e ju
ngle
tree
s tha
t can
reac
h up
to 3
1 bl
ocks
tall
with
2×2
thic
k tr
unks
. Oak
tree
s are
also
co
mm
on. T
he la
ndsc
ape
is lu
sh g
reen
and
qui
te h
illy,
with
man
y sm
all l
akes
of w
ater
ofte
n ne
stle
d in
to d
eep
valle
ys, s
ometi
mes
abo
ve s
ea le
vel.
Leav
es
cove
r muc
h of
the
fore
st fl
oor—
thes
e “b
ush
tree
s” h
ave
singl
e-bl
ocks
of j
ungl
e w
ood
for t
runk
s, s
urro
unde
d by
oak
leav
es. W
hen
insid
e a
jung
le, t
he s
ky
will
bec
ome
notic
eabl
y lig
hter
. Thi
s is t
he o
nly
biom
e co
ntai
ning
jung
le tr
ees.
Vin
es a
re fo
und
alon
gsid
e m
ost b
lock
s and
may
be
foun
d cl
ose
to th
e su
rfac
e in
cav
es. O
celo
ts, j
ungl
e te
mpl
es, a
nd c
ocoa
pla
nts
spaw
n ex
clus
ivel
y in
this
biom
e. M
elon
s ca
n sp
awn
here
, mak
ing
jung
le b
iom
es th
e on
ly p
lace
whe
re
mel
ons n
atur
ally
spaw
n. M
elon
s spa
wn
in sm
all p
atch
es, s
imila
r to
pum
pkin
s.
Reso
urce
s:Ju
ngle
Tre
es, J
ungl
e Te
mpl
es, F
erns
, Flo
wer
s, V
ines
, Oce
lots
, Coc
oa P
ods,
Mel
ons
Forest Bio
me
Desc
riptio
n:A
biom
e w
ith a
lot
of t
rees
, occ
asio
nal h
ills,
and
a fa
ir am
ount
of
tall
gras
s. O
ak a
nd b
irch
tree
s gr
ow in
thi
s bi
ome.
Mus
hroo
ms,
gra
ss, p
oppi
es, a
nd
dand
elio
ns c
an o
ccas
iona
lly b
e fo
und.
For
ests
can
occ
asio
nally
be
gene
rate
d in
the
cent
er o
f pla
ins
biom
es. T
his
is on
e of
the
best
bio
mes
to s
tart
out
in,
due
to th
e ab
unda
nce
of w
ood.
The
freq
uenc
y of
tree
s m
akes
it d
ange
rous
to n
avig
ate
at n
ight
, due
to o
bscu
red
visio
n. F
ores
t bio
mes
are
also
one
of t
he
smal
lest
bio
mes
.
Reso
urce
s:O
ak a
nd B
irch
Tree
s, F
low
ers,
Wol
ves,
Mus
hroo
ms
Extreme Hills Bio
me
Desc
riptio
n:A
high
ly m
ount
aino
us b
iom
e w
ith d
ull g
reen
-blu
e gr
ass
and
a fe
w s
catte
red
oak
and
spru
ce t
rees
. Cliff
s, p
eaks
, val
leys
, wat
erfa
lls, o
verh
angs
, floa
ting
islan
ds, a
nd m
any
othe
r str
uctu
res
exist
, offe
ring
outs
tand
ing
view
s. S
now
fall
may
also
occ
ur a
t cer
tain
hei
ghts
, thu
s cr
eatin
g “i
ce c
aps”
on
the
top
of th
e m
ount
ains
. Mor
e un
derg
roun
d ca
ve s
yste
ms
are
pres
ent h
ere
than
in a
ny o
ther
bio
me.
Fal
ling
is a
signi
fican
t risk
, as
ther
e ar
e m
any
ledg
es a
nd s
udde
n dr
ops l
arge
eno
ugh
to c
ause
seve
re fa
ll da
mag
e or
eve
n de
ath.
Ext
rem
e hi
lls a
re th
e on
ly b
iom
es w
here
em
eral
d or
es a
nd si
lver
fish
can
be fo
und
natu
rally
.
Reso
urce
s:O
ak T
rees
, Spr
uce
Tree
s, G
rave
l Flo
wer
s, E
mer
ald
Ore
, Mon
ster
Egg
ice Plain
s Bio
me
Desc
riptio
n:A
rela
tivel
y ra
re b
ut e
xpan
sive,
flat
bio
me
with
a h
uge
amou
nt o
f sno
w. I
t doe
s no
t rai
n in
this
biom
e —
it s
now
s in
stea
d. L
akes
and
rive
rs a
re fr
ozen
ove
r. Hi
lls te
nd to
be
mor
e m
ount
aino
us. S
ugar
can
e w
ill s
paw
n in
this
biom
e, b
ut c
an b
ecom
e up
root
ed w
hen
chun
ks lo
ad a
s th
e w
ater
sou
rces
free
ze to
ice.
Th
ere
are
very
few
nat
ural
oak
tree
s in
this
biom
e. S
pruc
e tr
ees m
ay a
lso g
ener
ate.
Due
to th
e bi
ome’
s size
, sno
w co
ver,
and
scar
city
of w
ood,
initi
al su
rviv
al
beco
mes
diffi
cult
in c
ompa
rison
to o
ther
bio
mes
.
Reso
urce
s:Sn
ow, S
now
fall,
Oak
Tre
es, I
ce, S
pruc
e Tr
ees,
Iglo
os, O
ccas
iona
l Tal
l Gra
ss
Gary Smith, Youthful Games, 1984
Calvin Fletcher, Wash Day in Brigham City, 1929
James Taylor Harwood, Richards Camp, Holiday Park - Weber Canyon, 1888