W8 - Minecraft

This week's Kidsedchatnz is all about MINECRAFT! Yes, you read correctly, Minecraft!



Below are some fun Minecraft challenges will might want to have a go at building at home. Even better ask your teacher if they will give you time in class! You never know, they might just say yes!

CHALLENGES

1) Create a Pick a Path adventure using Minecraft.

2) Create your very own Restaurant using Minecraft. Make sure you create a name and theme for your new restaurant.

3) Get into the Christmas spirit and build something with a Christmas theme. How about a giant Santa, a nativity scene or a xmas tree.

4) Create the letters for a word in Minecraft. Mix up the letters and challenge someone to figure out the word. For example what is this word? N C I T A R F M E

5) Recreate your local shopping mall or centre in Minecraft. Try to make it as close as possible to the original.

6) Build a famous landmark using Minecraft.

7) Build a small village challenge! Also see if you can hide the town jewels somewhere in the town and challenge a friend to find them. Even better write a set of instructions to your jewels!

8) Create a Minecraft creation based on a picture book. For example create the setting for the book 'The Smartest Giant in Town'. Your creation should track the giant's movements and create all the places in the story!

QUESTIONS

Q1. Do you use Minecraft? How often do you use Minecraft & where & how do you use it? Home? iPad? Laptop? 

Q2. What do you like about Minecraft? What makes it exciting to use?

Q3. Do you prefer to play in Survival Mode or Creative Mode? Why? What is the difference?

Q4. How did you learn to play Minecraft? What are some tips for new users?

Q5. Do you use Minecraft in your classroom? How do you use it? What would you like to build? If you completed the challenges, please share.

Q6. Should you be able to use Minecraft in your School/classroom? Convince us! How can it help learning?

Q7. What are the negatives about Minecraft? How can it be improved? What would you like to see in the next update?

Q8. In the video, it says, “The only limit is your imagination.” What does this mean?

Q9. Minecraft has been called Digital LEGO. Do you agree? Which do you prefer and why? 

Q10. Write a sentence, short story or poem using the following 3 words: Mineral, Mob and Survival.

I hope to see you all at 2pm on Wednesday! I think this chat is going to be a ripper!

Kidsedchatnz 3rd Birthday!

Wow! Kidsedchatnz is turning three! Kidsedchatnz started in 2012 and three years later it's still going strong! A big thanks must go out to the organisers (Stephen, Juliet, Marnel and John) and all the fabulous classes who have joined us throughout the three years. Without you guys Kidsedchatnz would be nothing!

Anyway this week we thought we would have a special Kidsedchatnz birthday party to celebrate! The topic is going to be based around.......CELEBRATIONS! Hopefully we can have a huge turn out to celebrate this special birthday!

What we would love to see is each class dress up their room with birthday decorations! Maybe they could even make a special Kidsedchatnz birthday cake? The class with the best classroom decorations and birthday cake will have the Kidsedchatnz Mascot 'Follow' sent to them as a reward! 

So what are you waiting for? Get planning!

QUESTIONS

Q1. Today is Kidsedchatnz 3rd birthday party, could you please leave Kidsedchatnz a birthday message?

Q2. How are you celebrating Kidsedchatnz's birthday? Can you tweet a picture of your decorations/cake/party?

Q3. Today we are celebrating Kidsedchatnz's birthday, why do you think it is important to celebrate birthdays?

Q4. How old did you turn on your last birthday? What did you do to celebrate it? 

Q5. What was your favourite birthday present/party? Why was it special?

Q6. There are many different celebrations around the world. Can you name some things that you celebrate and what do you do?

Q7. Kidsedchatnz has been going for 3 years, how long have you been taking part in it? Tell us about your experience?

Q8. Do you enjoy taking part in Kidsedchatnz? Why do you like it?

Q9. What topics would you like to discuss next year during Kidsedchatnz? Are there any changes you would like to see?

Q10. Make up a sentence, story or poem using the following 3 words: Presents, Excitement and Laughter.

I can't wait for Wednesday, see you then!

Learning Dispositions - Values - Key Competencies

Welcome to this weeks chat. 

This week we are looking at Learning Dispositions, School Values, and the Key Competencies. We want to know how they impact on your learning and your outlook on life! 

Every School has them, they are different at every School and we all call them something different.  Whether they are plastered on display boards in the playground, stuck in your books, or displayed around your classroom. What do they mean to you as a learner and as a kid? The videos below are to get you thinking and wondering about the values people hold as important.

 

1.What are your School's Values? Tweet a photo of your School's Values displayed either in your classroom, playground or books. 

2.Who designed/wrote them? As a student did you get a chance have your say when they were decided? 

3.Why does every School have different 'Value Statements'? All School's are trying to educate children, shouldn't they be the same for every School?

4.How do your School's values impact on your learning?

5.How do your School's values impact on your behaviour?

6.Which of your School's values do think is the most important? Why?

7.If you had to rewrite your School's Values.  What would you change them to?

8.Tweet a photo or video of you and your friends/classmates displaying one of your School Values.

9.Outside of School what are the most important values to your family?  Why?

The Language of the Future?

In this week's KidsedchatNZ we are wondering abut the future. What do you think your future holds? What skills do you think you will need? Do you have any ideas about what you want to do?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

This clip talks about coding, which is a skill that people believe will be very sought after in the future.



1. Tell us about the clip. Was there anyone that inspired you to give coding a go?

2. Have you been learning coding in your school? If so, what do you use to do it? Why do you like it?

3. Have you created anything before using coding? What was it? 

(Include your photos)

4. How can we encourage more children to learn to code? Will you get involved in the #hourofcode ?

5. Can you think of any problems that you could solve with coding?

6. What do you want to do in the future? Does this job exist now?

8. Do you think that schools need to buy more technology like Dot and Dash?

9. What do you think you could create that would help people in the future?

See you on Wednesday

Juliet Revell

Week 4 - Passions, Talents and Lifelong Learning Skills

Week 4 - Passions, Talents and Lifelong Learning Skills 

This week's topic is about your passions, talents and lifelong learning skills. Part of the chat is flipped so make sure you watch the Kid President's YouTube clip on how to be an inventor. 

You may also like to physically create or just draw a picture of something you would invent to make the world more awesome. 

There will be an opportunity for you to share your inventions during the chat. Teachers, you may also like to watch the 'Creativity Takes Time' YouTube clip yourself and do this mini lesson with your class.

 

1. What are your interests, talents or passions?
2. Do you get to learn about your interests in the classroom? Give us an example.
3. What do you have to do to become really good at something?
4. Do you think it's important for children to have some time each week to learn about something that they're interested in? Why?
5. The top 10 jobs in 2015 didn't exist in 2004. What jobs do you think there will be in 10 years time?
6. What skills do you think we will need for these jobs in the future?
7. The Kid President wanted to invent a Catuum Cleaner. What would you like to invent to make the world more awesome? *Opportunity to share a photo via a tweet here. 
8. Is creativity important? How can we encourage creativity in the classroom?
9. Sometimes we get stuck with our learning and have to problem solve. What does good problem solving look like?