SPANISH 1 MINECRAFT LESSON PLAN

MINECRAFT is a game with endless possibilities. MINECRAFT does not have levels and it can be used as a world in which to practice Spanish in real time. This lesson will be done close to the beginning of the year. In the lesson students will learn to create Non-Player Character (NPC) and acquire skills to be able then to set up quests in the future. Because students are allowed to express their creativity, this game can be relatable to all.  The teacher will provide opportunity throughout the semester and students will have the opportunity for distributed practice. The teacher will be able to develop an ARCS Theory of Motivation within the game and provide tasks and quests students can complete to level up to survive. This is also a safe space to provide so the students can practice their Spanish language without any negative consequences. Because the game can be very motivating and building can take time, students can develop a good flow in the game and enjoy the time they spend on it.  This game is diverse in that it provides the opportunity to set it up in a way that students have to use declarative, conceptual, rules-based and procedural knowledge. As time goes on some students will acquire soft skills and become leaders in the game.  

  1. ¿Cómo eres? (What are you like?) This lesson is based on describing yourself and other people. 
  2. Objectives/Learning Goals 
    1. ​I can communicate on some very familiar topics using single words and phrases that I have practiced and memorized.
      1. NL.IC.1 I can greet my peers.
      2. NL.IC.2 I can introduce myself to someone.
      3. NL.IC.3 I can answer a few simple questions.
  3. Suggested Timeframe 2-3 days
  4. Description of the Learners/Audience  Spanish 1 students who are high school students ages 13-19. They are at an early college high school and they read and have math capabilities at grade level.
  5. Materials and Resources 
    1. MINECRAFT education version
    2. Teacher and student laptop or tablet
    3. Smartboard
    4. Nearpod
    5. paper 
    6. pencil
  6. Description of Teaching and Learning 
    1. Teaching procedures
      1. Teacher will present adjective vocabulary in Spanish using Nearpod as the presentational tool.
      2. Teacher will have students repeat and try to figure out the meaning of the word. If they cannot on their figure it out, the teacher can give them examples.
      3. Teacher will lead multiple choice and fill in the blank activities and lead a reflection afterwards to make sure the content was understood
      4. Teacher will direct a Think Pair Share activity.
      5. Teacher will ask for volunteers to do a role play.
      6. Teacher will assign the MINECRAFT assessement assignment
    2. Learner's procedures
      1. Students will follow along with the teacher as they present the vocabulary
      2. Students will repeat and try to figure out the meaning of the vocabulary based on the pictures provided.
      3. Students will do the multiple choice and fill in the blank activities and then reflect on their level of comprehnsion
      4. In the Think Pair Share activity, students will write down a description of themselves using the vocabulary words. They will them pair up and share with their partner. They must write down what their partner says. For the sharing part they can share their partner's description or they can share similarities or differences. 
      5. Students will volunteer with a partner to practice having mini conversations using their new vocabulary. (introducing themselves and others and describing themselves and others.)
  7. Assessment In MINECRAFT students will create a Non-Player Character and create a dialogue, introducing and describing the NPC using their new vocabulary. They must create at least two responses in each scenario, one that makes sense and one that does not. Students must create a screencast. Students must have interactions with their character and someone else's character in the video. They must go through the conversation in a way that makes sense and the teacher can see that each student understands the vocabulary.
  8.  References/Acknowledgments 
    1. Kapp, K.M. (2012). The gamification of learning and instruction: Game-based methods and strategies for training and education. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
    2. Minecraft For Second Language Teachers Episode 4 Create a Survival Guide
      1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4MUa0cGC40
    3. Minecraft Custom NPCs tutorial
      1. ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWphADADDKg&t=403s