Computer Science

10 Lessons
Upper Primary | Grades 3-5 | Ages 8-11

Coding Fundamentals: Part 1

Animal Research Center
EDUCATION.MINECRAFT.NET
Table of Contents

GETTING STARTED WITH MINECRAFT 3

COMPUTER SCIENCE PATHWAY PROGRESSION 4

CURRICULUM SUMMARY 5

INTRODUCTION 7

MINECRAFT: EDUCATION EDITION- TEACHING & LEARNING FRAMEWORK 8

INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE 9

EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS 11

COMPUTER SCIENCE CONCEPTS 13

VISUAL GLOSSARY 14

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Getting Started with Minecraft
Install Minecraft: Education Edition
Minecraft: Education Edition can be installed on Chromebook, iPad, Mac, and PC.
To ensure your experience with Minecraft: Education Edition is top-notch, make
sure your devices meet the minimum system requirements. To check if your device
supports Minecraft: Education Edition, see System Requirements.

If you have questions about setting up Minecraft: Education Edition, the following
link will provide you with some frequently asked questions and additional
information about set-up. On this page, you will find assistance for:
• Get Started
• Purchase Licenses
• Administration and License Management
• Installation
• Troubleshooting

Preparing to Teach with Minecraft: Education Edition

Teachers do not need to have any prior computer science experience; however,
they should familiarize themselves with a basic understanding of what is
Minecraft: Education Edition. Support for building out teacher knowledge can be
found here:
Minecraft: Education Edition: Teacher Academy
Minecraft: Education Edition Webinar Series

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Computer Science Pathway Progression

Coding Fundamentals: Part 1 – Animal Research Center is a part of the Upper

Primary (Grades 3-5|Ages 8-11) computer science progression. In this part of the
progression, students are focusing in developing and using coding concepts, such
as loops, conditionals, and debugging, with consistency in with Minecraft:
Education Edition. Students are also building out their digital fluency skills as they
analyze the credibility of different sources when researching to find out more
information about animals.

Students will have multiple opportunities to manipulate and build out their own
programs within Code Builder to solve problems and accomplish tasks.

Students will also continue to have opportunities to collaborate during their

multiplayer experiences and provide one another with feedback during program
development.

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Curriculum Summary
Coding Fundamentals: Part 1 – Animal Research Center is specially designed computer
science content for students in Upper Primary/Grades 3-5/Ages 8-11. Students will learn,
practice, and apply relevant computer science skills and concepts as well as literacy skills
in both unplugged and digital experiences. The lessons are designed to provide students
with an opportunity to build knowledge of the concept(s) in an unplugged version (i.e.,
demonstrate the concept on paper), practice the concept with the direct support of their
teacher in the Minecraft world, and then finally by completing the task independently.

Lesson Design
Each EDU guide contains multiple activities that are intended to be taught over the
specified amount of sessions (explained in the Instructional Sequence part of this
document); however, you should use discretion and modify/adapt the lesson activities
based on your students’ needs and abilities. Within the lessons, the instructional sequence
will contain three parts correlating with the gradual release model:
Direct Instruction—Teacher-Directed, In the first step, the teacher introduces
“I Do” and models the appropriate way of
performing the skills included in the new
concept being taught.
Guided Instruction— Teacher Modeling, After the teacher models the correct way
“We Do” to understand or perform the new concept
being taught, teacher will guide the
students as they work through some
examples together.
Independent Practice—Teacher Support, This step is where students demonstrate
“You Do” their initial level of understanding of the
new concept being taught through
independent practice.

Instructional Materials
Curriculum Overview That is this document you are reading now! This will
provide you with insight about the curriculum and what is
taught within the curriculum.
Educator’s Guides (EDU An educator’s guide is provided for each of the lessons. The
Guides) guide provides a high-level overview of the lesson, learning
goals, standards addressed, required preparation for the
activities, the lesson plans for the activities, and any
additional materials needed.
Classroom Each unit is supported by its own PowerPoint presentation
Presentations to provide structure and guide the educator through the
activities for the lesson.

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Formative Assessments After each lesson in the EDU guide, there is an opportunity
to check for student understanding of the concept taught
within the lesson. These formative assessments are
typically comprised of 2-4 questions directly related to the
learning that just took place.
Summative Assessment At the end of the entire lesson sequence, students will be
provided with a performance-based task to demonstrate
their new knowledge and skills learned throughout the
computer science unit, Coding Fundamentals Part 1: Animal
Research Center. This performance-based task can be
assessed using the provided rubric.
Minecraft World Files The specific world files needed to experience the
instructional activities have been linked directly within the
Educator’s Guides.

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Introduction
Level: Upper Primary | Grades 3-5 | Ages 8-11

Essential Question: How can computers help us model plausible solutions to

identified problems?

Overview
Welcome to the Animal Research Center (ARC), a place where students can learn all about
animals in different habitats (biomes) and the challenges they face. Before they can
embark on their field missions, students will learn about the tools they have at their
disposal. After they are fully prepared, students will complete their ARC assignments:
• Galapagos Islands: Sea Turtle Assistance
• Arctic: Polar Bear Rescue
• China: Panda’s Protected Habitat
• Pacific Northwest: Gray Wolves
After completing their field missions, the students will report back to Dr. Barwin and
complete their final task on the biomes.

Pacing: 16 hours (could be more if tutorials and/or supplemental lessons are included)

Materials

Hardware • The teacher will need a laptop or tablet with a projector for the plugged-in
coding lessons.
• Internet access will be required for a portion of the lessons and activities.
• Each student will need a device to complete the plugged-in coding
activities.

Software • Minecraft: Education Edition needs to be deployed on the devices utilized

within these lessons. Use this link to find information about Deploying
Minecraft: Education Edition.
• The teacher and students will need the relevant MCworld files downloaded
for each lesson (or they can be accessed from the in-game library).

Other • Grid Paper (for sketch plans)

Materials • Any additional handouts needed will be included within the individual EDU
guides

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Minecraft: Education Edition Teaching and Learning
Framework
GOAL:
Provide students with the necessary skills to become creative coders and content
creators
Coding Mindset Computational Thinking Skills
Although Minecraft: Education Edition provides Computational thinking provides a vital skill set in
rigorous and engaging academics, we also deliver a which students must possess in order to fulfill the
holistic education- providing instruction for the industry’s needs in the jobs of tomorrow.
social, emotional, and physical needs for our Our ever-changing workforce creates a critical need
students. We want to foster a distinctive set of for innovation. Our students need computational
attributes. These qualities prepare our students to thinking skills not just to solve the problems within
make exceptional contributions both in school and their educational journey, but to also meet the
outside of school. challenges of adapting to our constantly changing
workforce.
CURIOUS
COMMITTED DECOMPOSITION
COOPERATIVE PATTERN RECOGNITION
CONSIDERATE ABSTRACTION
CONFIDENT ALGORITHMS

Computer Science Units of Study Community

Minecraft: Education Edition provides meaningful, As students gain and possess new knowledge and
relevant, and engaging units of study. The units of skills, we strive for them to find a greater purpose of
study will possess a conceptual lens to allow for “why do I need to know this” or more importantly,
depth and complexity to develop conceptual “how can I use this information?”.
understanding—knowledge which transfers We aim to empower students, develop confidence
through time, across cultures, and across situations. and self-efficacy into a commitment to serve the
community in which we live in and beyond.

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
PROGRAMMING
CYBERSECURITY
IMPACTS OF COMPUTING

This unit will focus on programming, as students will learn and apply important coding concepts
that will allow them to create powerful code for their Agent to complete tasks and solve problems.
This unit will focus on the coding mindset of being considerate, as they learn about different
animals in different biomes and the issues they are facing. Students will consider how code and
innovative ideas can help or even solve problems in these habitats.
This unit will focus on algorithms as students explore the necessary and individual steps needed to
create effective code.
This unit will provide students with the opportunity to consider how they can impact the greater
community. Students will create code to rectify problems within the biomes to help the animals!

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Instructional Sequence
This next section will provide you with an overview of the activities included in this
lesson sequence. The lesson sequence is presented in chronological order—we
suggest working in order, as the content will build upon skills presented in the
previous session. A session is equivalent to one class period, or a 45-60 minute
session. However, educators should feel empowered to modify and adapt the
lesson sequence to best meet the needs of their students.

Lesson Sequence Overview

Session Objectives Teacher will Students will Resources

1* Students will learn Model creation of Students will program Basic Moves and
to utilize a sequence of the Agent to move the Agent
decomposition as a instructions for a according to the
strategy to break dance using command blocks.
down problems. student
volunteers.

2* Students will utilize Model effective Students will research Animal Research
effective research research about turtles to create Template
skills to participate practices to background
in collaborative create an knowledge for the
projects on various informative upcoming biome
biomes. writing piece exploration.

3* Students will Model how to Students will use Sea Turtle

expand their effectively create sequencing to help them Assistance
knowledge of a string of code to program the Agent to
sequencing, complete a make necessary repairs
algorithms, and specific task and clean up the area to
pattern help the sea turtles get
recognition. safely to the ocean.

4* Students will utilize Model effective Students will research Animal Research
effective research research polar bears to create Template
skills to participate practices to background knowledge
in collaborative create an for the upcoming biome
projects on various informative exploration.
biomes. writing piece

5* Students will Model how to Students will utilize Polar Bear

expand their construct an pseudocode to help them Rescue
knowledge of loops algorithm using plan out their program to
and conditionals. loops and help the polar bear cub
conditionals find its family. Based on

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 the pseudocode,
students will code the
Agent to execute the
desired program.

6* Students will utilize Model effective Students will research Animal Research
effective research research about pandas to create Template
skills to participate practices to background
in collaborative create an knowledge for the
projects on various informative upcoming biome
biomes. writing piece exploration.

7* Students will apply Explain and Students will utilize Panda’s

their knowledge of model how to pseudocode to help them Protected
loops to create and utilize a nested plan our their program to Habitat
test a program. loop within a create a new home for
program the panda. Based on the
pseudocode, students
will code the Agent to
execute the desired
program.

8* Students will utilize Model effective Students will research Animal Research
effective research research about gray wolves to Template
skills to participate practices to create background
in collaborative create an knowledge for the
projects on various informative upcoming biome
biomes. writing piece exploration.

9* Students will apply Explain and Students will test and Gray Wolves
their knowledge of model how to code the Agent in order
loops and nested utilize loops and to secure the livestock at
loops to create and nested loops with the farm from the gray
test a program. conditional wolves.
statements within
a program

10-16* Students will Explain the Students will work Revisiting

collaborate with summative task together to plan, design, Biomes
peers to create a and provide test, and present their
computational success criteria biome solution.
artifact. and guidance to
collaborative
groups.

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Educational Standards

CSTA Standards
● 1B-AP-11 Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable
subproblems to facilitate the program development process.
● 1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and
conditionals.
● 1B-AP-08 Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and
determine which is the most appropriate.
● 1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to
ensure it runs as intended.
● 1B-AP-09 Work respectfully and responsibly with others online.
● 1B-AP-16 Take on varying roles, with teacher guidance, when collaborating
with peers during the design, implementation, and review stages of
program development.
● 1B-AP-17 Describe choices made during program development using code
comments, presentations, and demonstrations.

ISTE Standards
● 1.5.c Students break problems into component parts, extract key
information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex
systems or facilitate problem-solving.
● 1.3.d Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and
problems, developing ideas and theories, and pursuing answers and
solutions.
● 1.4.a Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating
ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic
problems.
● 1.5.d Students understand how automation works and use algorithmic
thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated
solutions.
● 1.6.a Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the
desired objectives of their creation or communication.
● 1.6.d Students publish or present content that customizes the message and
medium for their intended audiences.
● 1.7.c Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various
roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.

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National Curriculum: Computing – Key Stage 2
● Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including
controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing
them into smaller parts
● Use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables
and various forms of input and output
● Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to
detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs
● Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on
a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems
and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing,
evaluating and presenting data and information

Australian F-10 Curriculum: Digital Technologies – Year 3

and Year 4
● Following, modifying and describing the design of a game involving simple
algorithms represented diagrammatically or in English (ACTDIP019)
● Experimenting with different ways of representing an instruction to make a
repetition, for example loops in a flowchart diagram or using a ‘REPEAT’
statement (ACTDIP018)
● Planning and implementing a solution using a visual programming
language, for example designing and creating a simple computer game
involving decisions and repetitions, suitable for younger children, that
requires user input to make selections, taking into account user responses
(ACTDIP020)
● Experimenting with different ways of instructing to make choices and repeat
instructions (ACTDIP020)
● Describing in simple terms the nature of a problem and what a solution
needs to achieve, for example what need the problem is associated with,
who the solution is needed for, what data are needed and what features the
solution would need to include (ACTDIP017)
● Using a range of communication tools to share ideas and information, for
example participating in collaborative online environments (ACTDIP022)

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Computer Science Concepts: Coding Fundamentals
Part 1 – Animal Research Center
Lesson Concept(s)

Basic Moves and the Agent Decomposition

Sequencing
Events + Event Handlers
Animal Research Template Credibility/Accuracy of Resources
Public Domain/Creative Commons
Copyright
Intellectual Property
Sea Turtle Assistance Pattern Recognition
Algorithms
Sequencing
Loop (repeat)
Polar Bear Rescue Sequencing
Loops
Conditionals
Control Flow (structure)
Panda’s Protected Habitat Loops (repeat)
Nested Loops
Control Flow (structure)
Gray Wolves Loops (repeat)
Nested Loops
Conditionals
Control Flow (structure)
Revisiting Biomes (Summative Task) Program Development
Collaboration
Debugging

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 MINECRAFT VISUAL GLOSSARY
Agent Blocks Book & Quill
personal robot in Minecraft the basic units of structure in an item used to create written books
Minecraft that make up the game's in Minecraft
world

Camera Chalkboards Controls

allows you to take screenshots and special blocks that allow you to write (keyboard)
selfies in Minecraft: Education Edition and display text in Minecraft keyboard buttons that help you move
around and complete tasks

Controls Creative Hotbar

(touch) game mode that gives you unlimited selection bar that appears on the
the touch pad that helps you move resources, ability to fly, and lets you bottom of the screen
around and complete tasks destroy blocks instantly when mining

Inventory Minecraft: Mob

pop-up menu the player (or Agent) game character resembling a living
Education Edition
uses to manage the items they carry creature
a game-based learning platform

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 Portfolio NPC Radio
saves all of the photos that you have non-player character device used to reset the coding
taken with a camera; allows you to activity
add captions

Spawn Point
the location where a player begins
game play

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 COMPUTER SCIENCE GLOSSARY
Algorithm Code Builder Code (Coding)
a sequence of defined steps coding editor used to create the method of giving a computer
programs instructions to perform a specific task

Conditional Copyright Debugging

an action that occurs if something the act of giving, receiving, and process of finding and resolving
specific happens sharing information (talking, writing, errors within computer programs
listening, or reading)

Decomposition Intellectual Property Loop

breaking down a complex problem the original expression of an idea that sequence that repeats a portion of
into smaller, manageable, and easy- later becomes something tangible code a set number of times until the
to-understand parts desired task is complete

MakeCode Blocks Nested Loop Pseudocode

blocks used to create code a loop inside a loop informal description of a computer
program or algorithm

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Program Development Sequence Testing
process of creating a program with a instructions presented in a specific, the process of running the program
description of the sequence of events, correct order to a computer to see if runs as intended
goals, and expected outcomes

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