Creations from the April Build Challenge: Build a Better Bedroom
With the worldwide school closures in March and April, students have been spending a lot of time indoors. Last month’s Build Challenge was a chance for learners to set their imaginations free. Build a Better Bedroom invited students to create their ideal bedroom, featuring at least one way to get exercise indoors. Follow along to see the incredible entries from participants around the world.
Malaysian Educator Goh Kok Ming’s students always astonish us with their work, and their bedroom builds for April were no exception. They decided on a massive, open-concept space that would be great for communal living, with rooms built around a large, open-air common area. You have to see this build to believe it!
Ms. Leyva’s students in the USA created several builds. One features wood-textured interior decorating that’s a match for mid-century modern design at its best. Another is less minimal, incorporating a roller-coaster to get around its cavernous interior! The tiny house movement clearly inspired one cat-lover’s build:
My student accomplished the @PlayCraftLearn Build a Better Bedroom challenge. pic.twitter.com/fIGuycALio
— Ms. Leyva (@ms_kleyva) May 5, 2020
Nirmaladevi Kandasamy’s Malaysian students also took part, and several developed different takes on the ideal bedroom. Darshini’s room is built for two, with matching beds elevated above writing desks to save space. Other students focused on constructing the biggest bed they could imagine. Priya decided to elevate her entire bedroom, placing it at the very top of her home and giving it glass walls to capture plenty of natural light.
Priya’s first attempt in her Minecraft journey. #MinecraftEdu and #BuildChallenge pic.twitter.com/G6Xr18nvGg
— Nirmaladevi Kandasamy (@NirmaladeviKan2) April 30, 2020
It’s always exciting when a student takes the initiative to join a build challenge on their own, and this month we had a fantastic entry from Rushda Bohra. There’s a lot of space for activities, a minecart track for getting around, and the most epic book-nook you’ve ever seen. She’s created a reader’s paradise!
New minecraft challenge. Build a bedroom in which you can exercise in at least one way. Here is my work!#MinecraftEdu #BuildChallenge @famidachoudhar1 @gemsnms_alkhail @Fatima_Martin pic.twitter.com/5gHLDyXXFz
— Rushda Bohra (@BohraRushda) April 28, 2020
Two of Microsoft Global Mentor Nad Zulkipli’s students in Malaysia created a massive bedroom designed for reading, relaxation, and inspiration. The walls are decked out with art, giant bookshelves subdivide the space, and a record player makes sure there’s always a good vibe. The room even has a small outdoor balcony so the students can get fresh air while they’re maintaining social isolation!
In Turkey, Merve Deniz Çilengir’s students built a bedroom that has everything you need for a prolonged staycation, including cooking equipment, plenty of books, and a lovely outdoor space for looking out into nature. The Redstone lighting on the roof and the colourful trim on the balcony add some extra flair!
https://twitter.com/mdcilengir/status/1255189293418590208
In India, Minecraft Global Mentor Sharda Pullabhatla’s 2nd grader created a truly enormous room, featuring more exercise equipment than your average neighbourhood gym! He put such a strong emphasis on physical fitness to pursue the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3, Good Health and Well-being. It’s not all work, though. He also included an archery range with a bullseye that activates a sound, along with a supremely bouncy bed.
In the US, Ms. Alfaro’s students created a whole compound of places to catch a snooze, including one that’s suspended way up at the top of a tree. Their build clearly illustrates the importance of nature and green space for student well-being.
Students are using their creativity and writing skills as they engage in the #MinecraftEdu #BuildChallenge. Thanks @Marfran45 and @ITI_LAUSD for the training! I'm #stilllearning. #STEMatHome @PlayCraftLearn @Screencastify pic.twitter.com/pbAIuEl56L
— Ms. Alfaro (@maestraAlfaro) April 23, 2020
Meanwhile, in Malaysia, students in Minecraft Mentor Aliff Othman’s class created one of the most activity-packed bedrooms imaginable. Their gym is filled with exercise demo mannequins to give the viewer an idea of how it might be used. The room features a loft and an area for yoga as well.
@PlayCraftLearn build challenge (Ideal Bedroom)
Most of the ss who participated in this month #MinecraftEdu build challenge are girls. #MicrosoftEDU pic.twitter.com/Z9UX1UMxPm
— Aliff Othman (@aliffothman04) April 27, 2020
And last but not least, Stephanie Burnett’s students from the USA had a fantastic set of builds, filled with colors, art, and the warm glow of a fireplace. If you look closely, you can see that her students got together to share their builds with each other remotely. We love to see a sense of community built around creativity!
We had so much fun on our first Minecraft build challenge! They had to build their ideal bedroom! @PlayCraftLearn @CobbInTech pic.twitter.com/rf39ZWeCXh
— Stephanie Burnett (@S_MBurnett) April 22, 2020
We were thrilled by the number of builds that students submitted this month, and we hope they inspire your learners to unleash their creativity during school closures. It’s wonderful to see that even during a crisis, students can connect and create.
If you’re looking for an activity for students, you can take part in our May Build Challenge: Coding Coral. Reefs are often called the rainforests of the sea, but many have been destroyed due to climate change, pollution, and coastal development. Your challenge this month is to re-build a coral reef in Minecraft using code! This activity is ideal for learning in the classroom or from home. Learn how you can take part here, then share your builds through social media using the hashtags #MinecraftEdu and #BuildChallenge.
There are a wide variety of ways to use Minecraft: Education Edition for distance learning. Find a toolkit for remote education, advice for how to get started, guidance for running a build challenge, and more. If you’re new to Minecraft: Education Edition, learn how you can get started at education.minecraft.net.
