Curated and Reviewed by
Lesson Planet
This Minecraft – Pocket Edition app also includes:
- Graphic & Image
- Join to access all included materials
You don't have to be a Minecraft wiz to know that this app has great playability for your learners! As afterschool programs and classroom projects around the world demonstrate, this game goes well beyond placing blocks and traditional gaming adventures. Whether you are teaching in a 1:1 classroom environment or have the option to utilize tablets as a part of a whole class learning activity, the Minecraft Pocket Edition app has loads of potential for fruitful, engaging learning experiences.
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App Overview
Features:
- Parallels your experience with traditional Minecraft software: add and destroy a variety of different blocks in a computer-generated world
- Survival Mode: players gather all their materials to build, require tools, and are limited in resources
- Creative Mode: access to infinite amount of blocks and items available, with unlimited resources
- Option to play multi-player over a local Wi-Fi network
- Wide selection of worlds, caves, biomes, villages, custom skins, fishing, boats, etc.
- Rename worlds in the World Edit screen
Curator Rating
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Adherence to task
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Worth the money
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Fun factor
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Scaffolding of learning
No game tutorials provided
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User safety
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Control and feedback
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How techie do I need to be?
Intermediate
Instructional Ideas
- Have learners recreate scenes and settings from their personal and academic reading by building through the Minecraft app
- For a mathematical approach, prompt students to build scale models with the appropriate ratio and proportion to a given item you propose
- For a class project involving historical monuments or ancient settings, have learners build replicas of the buildings to explore to illustrate their research on the time period
Classroom Considerations
- The app immediately places the user in "Play" mode, without any tutorials. You will need to find such support resources elsewhere, or already have a firm understanding of how to play the game, before using this app
- There are vast amounts of instructional support guides available through a simple online search
- The Pocket Edition app does not include Adventure, Hardcore, or Spectator modes
Pros
- Frequently managed and updated app
- Multiple language support
- Opportunity to develop problem solving, spatial understanding, and reading and writing skills
Cons
- Given that the app is intended for game users (students), there is no instructional support for you as an educator