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BlockCraft Coders: Game Design in Minecraft

BlockCraft Coders: Game Design in Minecraft

BlockCraft Coders: Game Design in Minecraft merges three exciting realms: Platformers & Adventure Games, Story-Based Games, and Competitive Games.

This comprehensive course invites you to unlock Minecraft's coding potential, crafting everything from interactive quests and historical adventures to intense competitive challenges. Master conditionals, command blocks, Redstone mechanics, and scripting to bring your creations to life. Whether building immersive story-driven worlds, exploring ancient civilizations, or designing arenas for competition, this journey enhances your creativity, coding skills, and game design expertise in Minecraft's limitless universe.

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  • About BlockCraft Coders: Game Design in Minecraft

    Meticulously aligned with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards, ensuring a comprehensive and balanced approach to early digital literacy and coding. Students embark on a journey through various game genres like Platformers, Adventure, Story-Based, and Competitive Games. By engaging with the material, exploring complex coding constructs, explaining mechanisms behind gameplay, elaborating on creative solutions, and evaluating their designs, students gain a profound understanding of coding and game design. Join us to evolve from players to visionary game designers!

  • Focus Areas

    - Platformers & Adventure Games: Craft adventures, code gameplay, and create maps. Unlock creativity and master Redstone and command blocks.

    - Story-Based Games: Learn coding and game design, building ancient wonders and crafting story-based games.

    - Competitive Games: Learn coding, Redstone, and command blocks to create thrilling maps. Unleash creativity in game design.

Learning Outcomes

  • Enhance Analytical Skills

    Students will develop logical thinking and problem-solving abilities by using command blocks and Redstone in Minecraft. They'll learn to deconstruct complex tasks, design effective systems, and troubleshoot issues, thereby boosting their analytical and critical thinking capabilities.

  • Foster Creativity

    Students will utilize Minecraft's command blocks and Redstone as a creative outlet to bring their imaginative ideas to life. This objective aims to encourage the design of unique mechanisms, automated systems, and interactive elements, promoting innovation and creativity.

  • Build Computational Thinking

    Students will acquire fundamental programming knowledge by coding with command blocks and Redstone. They'll grasp important concepts such as conditionals, loops, and events, fostering computational thinking skills that involve problem analysis, solution planning, and execution.

Sample Lessons

These lessons offer a sneak peek into the innovative and interactive world of game design with Minecraft, showcasing how students can transform their gaming experience into a creative and educational journey.

Class 1 - Types of Video Games & Your First Level

Start by exploring popular video game genres, delve into the mechanics of platform games, and then apply your new knowledge by creating your very own level in a Minecraft platformer game. This hands-on lesson exemplifies our BAM STEM courses, utilizing the 5Es pedagogical model to guide you from theory to practice in a fun and educational environment.

Class 5 - Building with Command Block Logic

In this lesson, students first learn about Command Blocks in Minecraft, exploring their functionality and how they can be used to add logic to an RPG game. The lesson culminates with students applying their knowledge by integrating Command Blocks into Level 2 of their game, enhancing gameplay with interactive and automated elements.

Class 9 - Adding the Polish and Enlisting Agents


In this dynamic class, students will master the art of polishing video games to enhance playability and engagement. They will explore the loop features in MakeCode, learning how to refine game mechanics and aesthetics. By applying these skills, students will add polish to all three levels of their game, including any side quests, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable gaming experience.

Class 16 - MakeCode and Aztec Temples

In this captivating class, students dive into the rich history of Aztec temples, gaining insights into their architecture and cultural significance. They'll explore the capabilities of MakeCode, a versatile coding platform, and put their skills to the test by creating a program to construct a virtual Aztec temple. This lesson merges historical learning with practical coding applications, offering a unique and engaging educational experience.

Class 22 - Storytelling in Games

In this exciting class, students learn the crucial role of storytelling in video games, understanding how narratives enhance player engagement and depth. They will be guided through the process of crafting a simple story and then take their creative concepts to the next level by implementing this narrative into a Minecraft project. This hands-on approach not only boosts their storytelling skills but also integrates them into real-world gaming scenarios.





Course Format

Our curriculum is designed to blend the dynamic structure of afterschool programs with the proven 5E instructional model—Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.

Each phase is crafted to captivate and retain student interest, fostering a seamless and enriched learning experience.

- We start with the "Engage Phase" to spark curiosity with captivating visuals and prompts.

- In the "Explore Phase," students set out on their educational journey with clear objectives, supported by an environment that embraces learning from mistakes.

- The "Explain Phase" delivers foundational knowledge that is often cross-curricular in nature.

- The "Elaborate Phase" involves hands-on projects and activities, with bonus crafts and literacy integrations.

- The journey culminates in the "Evaluate Phase," where students reflect on their achievements and connect their learning to real-world applications.

This structured yet flexible approach ensures every student benefits from a comprehensive, engaging, and reflective educational experience.

Our Instructors Are Our Top Asset

At BAM!, our vision for innovative K-8 education extends beyond just curriculum; it encompasses the educators who bring that curriculum to life. Selecting & training our educators is a continuous and meticulous process, ensuring they are not just equipped with subject matter expertise but also the skills to inspire and connect with students on a personal level.

  • 100% adult educators recruited from prestigious universities ( No CITs at BAM!)
  • Highly refined interview and background check process 
  • Extensive training that goes well beyond curriculum & classroom management
  • Ongoing year-round opportunities to teach in our summer camp. After-school, and structured recess programs.

We celebrate your success!

Upon the conclusion of your child's program, they will be presented with an official Brains & Motion Education certification.

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