About
Minecraft: Education Edition is a game-based learning platform that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive digital environment. For several years, the ROM has invited students onto its pilot Minecraft server to build meaningful, personalized learning across a wide variety of themes including science, resource use, community, cultural respect, and the cascading impacts of individual actions. We are very excited to introduce a new hybrid learning Minecraft program that can be run from your own classroom!
Virtual visits are coordinated with a ROM Educator at key progress points during the program, but the downloadable map and flexibility of Minecraft: Education Edition allows you to and your students to complete the in-game work according to your own classroom schedule.
Watch the Info Session to learn how to participate in our 2025 Spring Guided Programs.
- "Rocks and Minerals" covers math (coding) and science expectations for the Grade 4 Ontario Curriculum.
- "Sustainable Style" covers math (coding) expectations as well as subjects related to Climate Change for Grades 3-8.
- Teachers must watch the info session to participate the Guided program.
Places for up to 20 classes per term (Sept-Jan, Jan-June) are available at no cost on a first come, first served basis.
The Independent Programs are available any time in the Minecraft Lesson Library.
For more information, please contact ROM Learning and be sure to include Minecraft in the subject line. (romlearning@rom.on.ca).
Sign up for our e-news to be notified about upcoming Minecraft special events and programs.
Special Events 2024-2025
Minecraft Guided Program Info Session - August 14, 2024
Minecraft 101 for Teachers - August 21, 2024 - Register to view the recorded lesson
Minecraft Guided Program Info Session (Spring Term) - January 15, 2024 - Watch here
Minecraft 101 for Teachers - January 22, 2024 - Register here
Monthly Museum Minecraft 2024-2025
These one-hour virtual programs cover a new theme every month, ideal for classes that don't have the capacity for an extended Guided program. These lessons are structured for grade 4-8, but we welcome younger grades keen to use Minecraft, or older grades with creativity and curiosity.
Live attendance is recommended but not required; all registered classes will receive a link to the session recording. During the live sessions, teachers will still have the ability to pause and rewind the lesson as needed to accommodate their own students' pace.
- Building Community - September 23, 2024 - Register to view the recorded lesson
- M.A.T.H. Mummy Mayhem - October 28, 2024 (Part 1) & October 31, 2024 (Part 2)
- Indigenous Education Month: Manito Ahbee Aki - November 11 (Part 1), November 18 (Part 2), November 25 (Part 3) 2024
- Computer Science Education Week: Timecraft - December 16, 2024 - Register to view the recorded lesson
- Computer Science Education Week: Escape Estate - December 18, 2024 - Register to view the recorded lesson
- Computer Science Education Week: The Show Must Go On! - December 19, 2024 - Register to view the recorded lesson
- The Science of Minecraft - January 20, 2025 - Register to view the recorded lesson
- Black History Month: The Hall of Innovation - February 10, 2025 - Register to view the recorded lesson
- International Women's Day: The Hall of Innovation - March 3, 2025 - Book now
- Earth Day Build Challenge - April 22, 2025 - Book now
- International Museum Day Coding Challenge - May 12, 2025 - Book now
- Indigenous History Month: Pacific Northwest Coast - June 2 (Part 1), June 9 (Part 2), June 16 (Part 3), 2025 - Book now
New events will be announced here and in our School Programs newsletter..
Extended Programs
Students will begin their journey in the Royal Ontario Museum’s research centre in the fictional world of Rocklandia. From there, they will travel to three different research sites to help ROM scientists with their studies of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
Along the way, students will encounter challenges blocking their path that they will need to code their way through with the assistance of Indigenous scientists and the Minecraft agent. After visiting all three research sites, students will return to the research centre and build their own museum to share their learning about rocks and minerals.
This program is designed for students to complete independently or in pairs. You will need to provide your own class devices and Minecraft logins.
Program Structure:
- Synchronous or Asynchronous Teacher Info Session Webinar. (1 hour)
- (Optional) Synchronous or Asynchronous Teacher Minecraft 101 Training Webinar (1.5 hours)
- (Optional) Synchronous or Asynchronous Teacher Coding Camp (1-1.5 hours)
- Virtual Visit #1 with a ROM educator for program introduction. (45 minutes)
- Independent class time to travel to each research site and complete coding challenges and collection missions. (Approximately 8 class periods*)
- Virtual Visit #2 with a ROM educator to answer content questions about rocks and minerals or coding in preparation for museum build. (45 minutes)
- Independent class time for students to plan and build their own museums to show their math and science learning (Approximately 6 class periods*)
- Flipgrid museum tours with ROM educator as co-pilot for feedback (Asynchronous, on your own schedule)
- Final polishing of the museum builds. (Approximately 2 class periods*)
*Average estimate. Time requirements may vary according to classroom Minecraft and coding experience.
New for 2023! Inspired by Noelle Hamlyn: Lifers, this resource will include several activities covering Science, Art, Music, and Climate Change topics for Junior, Intermediate, and Senior grades.
Students begin their journey on a sunken cargo ship, and must use clues from the Virtual Lifers exhibition to unlock doors and find their way to the ship's bridge. From there, students are transported to their hometown and become the new Urban Planners, remaking the town to be more sustainable. Students will be able to engage in different activities based on different curriculum topics.
The world is set to soft launch approximately mid-October for Independent classroom use, with Guided sessions offered in the spring. Watch the Info Session for more information.
Program Structure:
- Synchronous or Asynchronous Teacher Info Session Webinar. (1 hour)
- (Optional) Synchronous or Asynchronous Teacher Minecraft 101 Training Webinar (1.5 hours)
- (Optional) Synchronous or Asynchronous Teacher Coding Camp (1-1.5 hours)
- Virtual Visit #1 with a ROM educator for program introduction. (45 minutes)
- Independent class time to complete the escape room section of the world. (Approximately 2-4 class periods*)
- Virtual Visit #2 with a ROM educator to answer content questions n preparation for the town remodel. (45 minutes)
- Independent class time for students to complete sustainability activities and remodel the town (Approximately 6-8 class periods*)
- Flipgrid town tours with ROM educator as co-pilot for feedback (Asynchronous, on your own schedule)
- Final polishing of the town remodel. (Approximately 2 class periods*)
Learn More
Visit the ROM Minecraft Wakelet to learn more about the historical use of Minecraft at the ROM, and to see the experiences of the pilot classes. Visit the current School Programs Wakelet to see the experiences of classes in progress.
ROM Minecraft is generously supported by the Barrick Gold Corporation.
