"Minecraft Mundo de Ciclos"

3rd Grade

Project
4 weeks

"Minecraft Mundo de Ciclos"

Nicole Garcia

Purpose

Students will explore the life cycles of plants and animals through an engaging, interactive Minecraft project that integrates Spanish language learning with science and math standards. They will collaborate to build digital habitats, simulate life cycles, and use Spanish vocabulary to describe each stage, fostering both language and scientific literacy. This project encourages creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking, culminating in a community showcase that celebrates their learning achievements.

Learning goals

Students will develop an understanding of plant and animal life cycles by researching and identifying each stage, using Spanish vocabulary to describe these stages. They will enhance their collaborative skills by working in teams to create and present a Minecraft world that visually represents these life cycles. Additionally, students will improve their digital literacy through the creation of a digital reflection journal, documenting their learning process and reflections in Spanish.

Standards

Common Core - CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.MD.B.3: Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories.
Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
NGSS - 3-LS1-1: Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.

Products

Students will collaboratively create a Minecraft zoo, featuring enclosures that simulate the life cycles of various animals, labeled with Spanish vocabulary. They will develop digital reflection journals, documenting their learning journey with screenshots and Spanish reflections. Additionally, students will produce a collaborative poster illustrating the plant and animal life cycles, incorporating screenshots from their Minecraft world. Finally, students will prepare for a 'Minecraft Life Cycle Fair,' where they will exhibit their creations and explain their understanding of life cycles using Spanish vocabulary.

Launch

Begin the project with a 'Minecraft Creation Day' where students collaborate in teams to design a basic Minecraft habitat that features the life cycles of plants and animals. Provide Spanish vocabulary cards to assist students in labeling their creations, encouraging them to practice using the terms as they build. This hands-on activity sets the stage for exploring life cycles and Spanish language, fostering teamwork and creativity from the outset.

Exhibition

Students will present their Minecraft creations at a 'Minecraft Life Cycle Fair,' where they will set up interactive booths. Each booth will feature a digital display of their Minecraft world, showcasing the life cycles of plants and animals with Spanish vocabulary. Students will engage with visitors by explaining their projects, using both spoken Spanish and visual aids. Parents, teachers, and other classes will be invited to explore the fair, providing students with an authentic audience to share their learning journey.

Week 1	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Project Introduction - Introduce the project and essential question, discussing how Minecraft will be used to explore the life cycles of plants and animals while integrating Spanish vocabulary (15 min) Team Formation and Role Assignment - Form student teams and assign roles for collaborative work, explaining the importance of teamwork and cooperation in the project (10 min) Minecraft Creation Day - Begin creating a simple Minecraft habitat that includes basic elements of plant and animal life cycles, using provided Spanish vocabulary cards to label and discuss their creations in Spanish (20 min)	Research and Identify Life Cycle Stages - Guide teams in researching the stages of plant and animal life cycles, using Spanish vocabulary to describe each stage (15 min) Storyboard Development - Have teams create storyboards that outline the life cycle stages they will build in Minecraft, ensuring each stage is labeled with Spanish vocabulary (20 min) Vocabulary Practice - Conduct a quick review and practice session on the key Spanish vocabulary related to life cycles (10 min)	Minecraft Habitat Enhancement - Continue building and enhancing Minecraft habitats, focusing on accurately representing life cycle stages using Spanish labels (25 min) Collaborative Poster Planning - Begin planning the collaborative poster that will illustrate the life cycles, with each team deciding on their contributions and gathering screenshots from their Minecraft worlds (20 min)	Digital Reflection Journal Setup - Introduce and set up digital reflection journals, teaching students how to document their learning journey with screenshots and Spanish reflections (15 min) Reflection and Documentation - Guide students to reflect on their learning so far, writing initial entries in their digital journals about the life cycle stages they've built in Minecraft (15 min) Feedback and Peer Review - Facilitate a session where teams share their progress and give each other feedback, focusing on the clarity and accuracy of Spanish vocabulary use (15 min)	Final Touches on Minecraft Habitat - Allocate time for teams to make final adjustments and enhancements to their Minecraft habitats, ensuring all life cycle stages are complete and labeled in Spanish (20 min) Collaborative Poster Work - Begin creating the collaborative poster, integrating screenshots and Spanish labels to illustrate plant and animal life cycles (15 min) Week 1 Reflection - Conduct a group reflection session on the week's achievements, discussing what went well and what can be improved in the upcoming weeks (10 min)
Deliverables	1. Collaborative poster illustrating plant and animal life cycles using Spanish vocabulary and Minecraft screenshots.
Preparation	1. Create Spanish vocabulary cards related to plant and animal life cycles. 2. Set up Minecraft accounts and ensure access for all students. 3. Prepare research materials on plant and animal life cycles. 4. Provide storyboard templates for students to outline life cycle stages.

Week 2	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Life Cycle Research - Students work in pairs to research different plant and animal life cycles using bilingual resources, focusing on identifying key stages and corresponding Spanish vocabulary (20 min) Storyboard Creation - Students create a storyboard outlining the life cycles they researched, including labeled diagrams and Spanish vocabulary for each stage (25 min)	Minecraft Habitat Design - Students begin designing their Minecraft habitat based on their storyboard, incorporating elements that represent the life cycles of chosen plants and animals (30 min) Spanish Vocabulary Practice - Students use Spanish vocabulary cards to label their Minecraft designs and practice pronunciation, ensuring accurate use of terms (15 min)	Minecraft Construction - Students collaborate to build their Minecraft habitats, applying their storyboard designs and labeling each stage of the life cycle with Spanish vocabulary signs within the game (45 min)	Digital Reflection Journal Entry - Students document their progress in a digital reflection journal, including screenshots of their Minecraft habitat and writing reflections in Spanish on what they've learned so far (20 min) Peer Feedback Session - Students share their habitats with classmates for peer feedback, discussing the life cycles depicted and the Spanish vocabulary used (25 min)	Collaborative Poster Creation - Students begin developing a collaborative poster to illustrate plant and animal life cycles in Spanish, using screenshots from their Minecraft habitats as visual aids (30 min) Preparation for Minecraft Life Cycle Fair - Students plan how they will present their habitats at the upcoming fair, practicing their explanations in Spanish and preparing interactive elements (15 min)
Deliverables	1. Completed storyboards with Spanish labels for plant and animal life cycles. 2. Initial Minecraft builds showcasing the life cycle stages with Spanish vocabulary labels. 3. Updated digital reflection journals with screenshots and Spanish reflections.
Preparation	1. Gather materials for storyboard creation, such as paper, markers, and Spanish vocabulary lists. 2. Provide access to computers or tablets with Minecraft installed for building activities. 3. Ensure students have access to research materials, such as books or online resources, for learning about life cycles. 4. Prepare a digital platform or folder where students can upload their reflection journal entries.

Week 3	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Spanish Vocabulary Enhancement - Conduct an interactive session focusing on expanding Spanish vocabulary related to life cycles, using games and flashcards for practice (20 min) Minecraft Habitat Refinement - Students refine their Minecraft habitats, ensuring all life cycle stages are accurately depicted and labeled with Spanish vocabulary (25 min)	Collaborative Poster Development - Continue creating the collaborative poster, integrating additional screenshots and refining Spanish labels to accurately illustrate life cycles (30 min) Peer Review and Feedback - Facilitate a session where students present their posters to peers for feedback, focusing on clarity and accuracy of Spanish vocabulary and life cycle representation (15 min)	Digital Reflection Journal Update - Students add new entries to their digital reflection journals, including recent Minecraft screenshots and Spanish reflections on their learning progress (20 min) Minecraft Zoo Construction - Begin building Minecraft zoo enclosures for various animals, simulating their life cycles and labeling each stage in Spanish (25 min)	Final Touches on Minecraft Zoo - Students complete their Minecraft zoo enclosures, ensuring all life cycle stages are depicted and labeled with accurate Spanish vocabulary (30 min) Spanish Vocabulary Review - Conduct a quick review session to reinforce key Spanish terms related to the project, using interactive activities to solidify understanding (15 min)	Preparation for Minecraft Life Cycle Fair - Students rehearse their presentations for the upcoming fair, practicing explanations in Spanish and preparing interactive elements for their booths (25 min) Week 3 Reflection and Goal Setting - Facilitate a group reflection session on the week's achievements and set goals for the final week, discussing improvements and final exhibition preparations (20 min)
Deliverables	1. Complete and present a collaborative poster illustrating plant and animal life cycles in Spanish, using screenshots from the Minecraft world. 2. Submit a digital reflection journal entry in Spanish, with screenshots documenting the progress and understanding of life cycle stages.
Preparation	1. Gather materials for poster creation, including large poster paper, markers, glue, and printed screenshots from the students' Minecraft worlds. 2. Provide access to digital devices for students to update their reflection journals, ensuring they have access to Minecraft and necessary software for journal entries. 3. Prepare vocabulary cards and resources for students to reference Spanish terms related to life cycles. 4. Set up a classroom space where students can work collaboratively on their posters, ensuring tables are available for team discussions and poster assembly.

Week 4	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Finalize Minecraft Zoo - Students complete their Minecraft zoo habitats, ensuring all life cycle stages are accurately represented and labeled in Spanish (25 min) Collaborative Poster Refinement - Students refine their collaborative poster, integrating final screenshots and ensuring all Spanish vocabulary is correctly used (20 min)	Digital Reflection Journal Completion - Students finalize their digital reflection journals, adding final screenshots and reflective entries in Spanish summarizing their learning journey (20 min) Peer and Teacher Feedback - Students present their Minecraft habitats and posters to peers and teachers for final feedback, focusing on clear communication and use of Spanish vocabulary (25 min)	Preparation for Minecraft Life Cycle Fair - Students rehearse their presentations for the fair, practicing their Spanish explanations and interactive elements (25 min) Interactive Booth Setup - Students begin setting up their interactive booths, arranging digital displays and preparing materials for the fair (20 min)	Minecraft Life Cycle Fair - Students present their projects at the fair, engaging with visitors by explaining the life cycles and Spanish vocabulary used in their Minecraft worlds (45 min)	Reflection and Celebration - Students reflect on their project experience, discussing what they learned and enjoyed most, and celebrate their achievements with a class discussion and small celebration (25 min) Feedback and Future Goals - Students receive feedback on their projects and set goals for future learning, highlighting areas of interest and improvement (20 min)
Deliverables	1. Completed collaborative poster illustrating plant and animal life cycles with Spanish labels. 2. Finalized digital reflection journal with screenshots and Spanish reflections. 3. Fully developed Minecraft world ready for exhibition. 4. Participation in the Minecraft Life Cycle Fair, including the setup of interactive booths.
Preparation	1. Print and distribute Spanish vocabulary cards for labeling posters and Minecraft creations. 2. Provide poster-making materials such as large paper, markers, and glue for the collaborative poster activity. 3. Set up computers or tablets for students to access and finalize their digital reflection journals. 4. Organize space and materials for the Minecraft Life Cycle Fair, including tables, display boards, and any necessary tech equipment for showcasing digital projects.