Building a Civilization Together Video

This is a 10-week class, 1.5-2 hours each session.

Defeat the Minotaur after navigating the labyrinth at Knossos, fight Medusa as Perseus, build city defenses at Troy then win battles as Achilles! Choose your God or Goddess and play their way with unique effects and abilities.

Key experiences: off screen storytelling and discussion, in game puzzles, PvP, boss battles vs. teacher, exploration, creative-mode building.
Long Description:
What does it take to create a thriving, self-sustaining village — and keep it safe from threats? In this 10-week class, students will work together to plan, build, and defend a shared Minecraft™ town while learning what it means to rely on one another.

Each student will take on an important role — builder, farmer, defender — and collaborate with their team to solve problems, share resources, and make key decisions for their community. Collaboration isn’t always easy — it’s tempting to hoard resources and build everything yourself — but together we’ll explore how trust and cooperation create stronger outcomes for everyone.

To strengthen teamwork and communication skills, we’ll mix in-game challenges with off-screen activities like the Human Knot, Tower Challenge, and blindfolded partner games. These exercises help students practice trust, leadership, and compromise in a fun, low-pressure way.

Over the course of the class, students will:

Plan their town layout and vote on community decisions.

Build automatic farms, blacksmiths, homes, walls, and other key structures.

Learn about reciprocity, voting, and the balance between raiding and trading — drawing inspiration from history (Vikings, Mongols, and more).

Engage in raids, puzzles, and defense challenges — including a final PvP (Player vs. Player) game of “Defend the Keep.” (Students who don’t enjoy PvP can help facilitate the match.)

Reflect on how cooperation, resource management, and compromise keep their civilization running smoothly.

By the end of the class, students will have built a living, breathing Minecraft™ village — complete with farms, defenses, and a community they designed together — and strengthened real-world skills in teamwork, creative problem-solving, and communication along the way.

"This class was awesome. Both my son (11) and daughter (8) love Caroline. She is super patient and kind. My daughter has terrible anxiety and Caroline was so calm and positive that she loved going to class."

—Chandra K.