I'm a teacher putting together a proposal for a 5 week course that 7th Graders can choose to participate in.

While I have been playing personally for years, I haven't run it in the school before. I have 5 two hour sessions I can use. A computer room with enough computers for a class, but nothing yet installed or set up.

My initial thoughts are: To avoid cost and tech issues, pre install minecraft on each computer and have several single player custom maps to use rather than a server, and ask that students bring their home Mojang account to log in.

Have a theme per session, give some general guidance and rules but let them work on their own projects.

Themes might include. Problem solving (I pose questions or scenarios with limitations and they pose solutions) Art (googling an appropriate image and creating pixel art, or using various minecraft mechanisms to create some kind of music soundscape) Model making (students make a model of the school, the solar system or whatever) Pictionary style game (students make everyday items such as a tv or a cat, using minecraft blocks in creative ways) Build contest. Make the best castle or roller coaster etc.

Any other suggestions on what I could have the students do?

As far as curriculum objectives this is really just a time for students to focus on creativity, communication and problem solving.