Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to apply arithmetic skills in a fun Minecraft-themed activity.
Materials and Prep
- Minecraft game (computer or tablet version)
- Pencil and paper
No prior knowledge is required for this lesson.
Activities
- Start by launching Minecraft and entering a creative mode world.
- Choose a location in the world where you want to build a house.
- Decide on the dimensions of your house (e.g., length, width, and height).
- Use arithmetic operations to calculate the following:
- The area of the base of your house
- The volume of your house
- The perimeter of the base of your house
- Write down the calculations and results on a piece of paper.
- Using the calculated values, start building your house in Minecraft.
- Once you finish building, take a screenshot of your creation.
Third Grade Talking Points
- "Arithmetic is a branch of mathematics that deals with numbers and calculations."
- "In Minecraft, we can use arithmetic to help us build and create things."
- "Area is the amount of space inside a shape. We can find the area of the base of our house using multiplication."
- "Volume is the amount of space a three-dimensional object takes up. We can find the volume of our house using multiplication as well."
- "Perimeter is the distance around the outside of a shape. We can find the perimeter of the base of our house using addition."
- "By applying arithmetic skills, we can plan and construct our Minecraft house accurately."