Boating Challenge Pt. 2

I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try the Boating Challenge again, on a slightly more challenging course and with less support. Students were given a boat in fixed inventory slot and encouraged to reach the end. The video below shows how the world looked after Reception and Year 1 finished.

The idea behind this challenge for our younger students was to once again simulate an alternative input, albeit one they had encountered the previous week. For our KS1/2 pupils the idea was to experience an environment that takes on a different use to that which they are used to. The world also gave students the opportunity to problem solve independently.

The results were again interesting.

For Reception and Year 1, they were in an immutable Adventure World, and could go exploring if they reached the temple at the end. Two managed it. Some of the others (as noted by the flotilla of empty boats all over the course) found it difficult to stay in their boats as they kept reverting back to the typical method of movement.

Year 2 and 3 were put in a copy of the world that was set to Survival Mode, and could explore or build their way through. Housepoints were also offered to the first three to reach the end. One girl decided she wasn’t bothered with the boat and decided to swim. Another was so determined to finish beyond one of her friends that she dug up some dirt and blocked one to the narrower channels. Very Wacky Races! A third boy noticed the names of his friends through a mountain and dug through to reach them – digging a shortcut he called it.

Boating Challenge 101

This world was edited for a nice and gentle Extra Curricular Activity with Reception and Year 1. The premise was simple: each student has a boat, a camera and a portfolio to go sailing and exploring the rivers and taking pictures.

The world was set to Adventure Mode, so students could explore but not alter anything, They were given the opportunity to explore wherever they liked, but the path that I laid out using beacons had the most to discover.

Most of the students found the boat challenge challenging enough, while two made it to the end. I gave these the opportunity to either start building or to continue exploring, and both chose the latter.

As well as a way of getting kids engaged in simulations, this particular activity, requiring the use of multiple keyboard keys, as well as accurate use of the mouse supports development of KS1 objectives in ICT Skills.

Exploration World – Reception & Year 1

As we are a new school, this school year has seen each year group mix a range of new students with ones I know from last year, all with different levels of confidence when using computers, especially when using a keyboard and mouse.

To help develop these skills, and to try and to give a challenge to those that were already confident, I developed this world below:

The students playing this world had already played in a a simple Creative mode world making simple structures. To make it a little more difficult, this world was set as an immutable world in survival mode, albeit set to always day and with damage turned off.

The results were interesting. Some of the more confident students really enjoyed the challenge of sailing the boat and going off exploring once they had their camera and portfolio. Others, who found climbing the mountain too tricky decided instead to just go around it. One Reception boy even told me “it’s a sunny day so I’m just going to go for a swim” and off he did.