Microsoft Offers Free Minecraft Educational Content In Marketplace For Kids Stuck At Home
We've heard it more and more in the last several weeks; we're all in this together. While many people are working from home, there are a large number of students who are also trying to learn from home. Minecraft is a game that has been around for a long time, and it has announced free educational content in the Minecraft Marketplace.
Microsoft and developer Minecraft developer Mojang say that educators around the world are doing all they can to provide digital lessons for approximately half a billion students are out of school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The game company wanted to do its part to "help keep young minds sharp and stimulated." It's part is putting some free education content on the Minecraft Marketplace that it says are some of its favorite lessons from the Minecraft: Education Edition.
The educational worlds are available to play alone or with other users. The modules allow people to do things like explore the blocky version of the International Space Station or explore the inside of the human eye. There have been ten other worlds added from the Marketplace creator community that cover topics such as renewable energy, marine biology, Greek history, and more.
To make the world's easier for teachers to integrate into the remote classroom, they include lesson plans, including creative writing activities, build challenges, and puzzles. All of the worlds are available as of today and are free to download through June 30th, 2020. Those who are on the Minecraft for Bedrock platform can find the worlds by launching Minecraft and visiting the in-game store. For those who are unfamiliar, Minecraft is available on Android, iOS, Kindle Fire, Windows 10, Gear VR, Oculus Rift, Fire TV, Xbox One, Windows MR, Nintendo Switch, and PS4. The complete list of content can be found here.
We last spoke of Minecraft last December when enthusiasts created a Cyberpunk 2077-inspired city that was nearly ready to explore.