OT - Elementary School Needs Help!

Submitted by CooperLily21 on

Its been so long since I've posted that I almost forget how this is done but here goes anyway:

All you gamers, parents, philanthropists, and computer-savy MGoUsers out there might have an interest in this - We are raising funds to replace some computers in a local elementary school in order to create a Minecraft Club for the students there.  I set up a crowdsourcing fundraiser campaign on Indiegogo in hopes of generating $7500 for the cause.  Below is the link to the campaign:

http://igg.me/at/campdragoncraft/x/11413354

 

If any of you have any interest in donating, know that it will be greatly appreciated!  If not, any time you have to forward the link to friends, family, fellow Michigan fans, and others will also be greatly appreciated.  I would be amazing if we can raise enough funds to reach our goal.

Thanks in advance for helping the cause!

DonAZ

July 8th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^

How about a go outside and play club.

Memories of school recent flooding into my mind ... from a long time ago.

o Seeing how high I could get the swing going and then jumping off so I could launch myself way into the air

o Playing marbles*

o Playing a modified game of keep-away ... where he who had the ball was fair game to be tackled as aggressively as possible.  Akin to "Peru Ball".

* This was 1969, at Northwest Elementary in Howell ... and it offered a fascinating glimpse into how kids naturally understand relative value and market forces.  Purie marbles (clear) had more value than non-clear; jumbo marbles greater than regular sized marbles; and ball bearings ("steelies") the most of all.  I had a jumbo steely that I still have to this day.

LSAClassOf2000

July 8th, 2015 at 11:44 AM ^

I actually sort of wish my kids would play Minecraft in a club-like setting so that they could have technological and social interactions simultaneously, rather than do what they do right now and play each other across a server only to have the game devolve into them trolling each other loudly from different rooms in the house. 

sadeto

July 8th, 2015 at 11:45 AM ^

What is minecraft and why is it important for these kids to have access to it? I understand the need to replace computers but I don't know anything about this game. 

CooperLily21

July 8th, 2015 at 11:55 AM ^

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minecraft

Minecraft is one of the best-selling video games in history with over 70 million copies sold.  Its an open-world game where players can design, create, build, farm, collaborate, explore, etc.  Its actually a pretty amazing thing and, as a parent, I've watched my kids do some really cool things with the game.  Many magnet schools use it as a teaching tool and that's what we're trying to do here (see http://minecraftedu.com/).  But, like you mention, its really a motivator for the bigger task of replacing the computers.

ST3

July 8th, 2015 at 12:01 PM ^

I seem to recall someone posting a minecraft video of a virtual tour of Michigan Stadium. I couldn't find it using the MGoSearch function, but I didn't try real hard.

My son plays minecraft with his friends more than I would like. I wish he'd go outside and shoot some baskets every now and then. My NBA dreams for him aren't going to be realized if he never practices. But he did take a summer course on coding so there was some educational value, I suppose.

turtleboy

July 8th, 2015 at 2:26 PM ^

I really have no idea why the game is as huge as it is to my little 6 year old nephew and every single one of his friends. They're all outdoorsy, and have more energy than they know what to do with, yet Minecraft is the most fun they can possibly have outside of a pool party. They're all garbage at it too, can't build anything, so the entire time I'm over its nonstop Minecraft. They don't care that we've been playing for 10 hours straight every day, for a week straight. It's only been 10 hours straight to them, and can't we just play a little longer? It really shouldn't be as fun as it is, so maybe it's a question of child psychology. A little kids make-believe fantasy land, but on tv for them to make whatever they want in, instead of just in their imaginations..

CooperLily21

July 8th, 2015 at 12:00 PM ^

LOL yeah that same one.  But this time it will actually be in a controlled environment with an eye towards educating, which you might appreciate as a teacher... I'm going to have the kids do research projects on architecture around the world, for example.  It could be really enriching - the potential is there.

Doc Brown

July 8th, 2015 at 12:28 PM ^

That's an awesome plan. I am also a teacher and I will forward your donation drive to my colleagues. I am glad more teachers are using gamefication on their curriculums. I use the game Plague Inc, to teach epidemiology in my honors biology and anatomy classes. If anyone here also teaches biology I highly recommend the game. The models in the game are so accurate that the CDC and the WHO have utilized the game engine.




Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

IA-Maize

July 8th, 2015 at 11:54 AM ^

I honestly don't get the appeal-it's Legos on computer. My son will talk my ear off about Minecraft and I have to try really hard not to tune out after 5 seconds.

Go outside or play with yer Legos!

....I'm getting old-i sound like my dad!

jcouz

July 8th, 2015 at 12:46 PM ^

and Head of Curriculum is needed for every single small school district. It seems to me that heavy investment must be made in the schools and not central office. Perhaps the funds would become available by having a county Superintendent and Head of Curriculum?

Zoltanrules

July 8th, 2015 at 1:37 PM ^

My teenage son loved this game and as long as he did well in school and played sports and/or was outside enough, I saw no downside to this activity.

He has graduated on to League of Legends which blows my mind as to how many millions play that game and that 1000's repeatedly fill arenas worldwode to WATCH championship matches.

I can appreciate it, but am frankly lost coming from the Pong/Astroids/ Pac-Man era...

CooperLily21

July 8th, 2015 at 2:05 PM ^

Thank you very much!  I'm not a League man myself but I know people who love it.

Its a different world from when we were kids - There are Youtubers that make MILLIONS from recording and uploading videos of them playing video games (PewDiePie made over $7 million last year!).  Its insanity but its the world we live in.  And Minecraft is actually constructive compared to other games I play so I'm all for my kids playing it as long as they do just like you mention.

Danwillhor

July 8th, 2015 at 2:30 PM ^

but if a school is going to have a computer game club, why not Kerbal Space Program? I get what Minecraft does but let's at least get kids interested in science, physics, math, space, etc. I hope all works out but I can think of a few dozen fans is rather have kids playing in school.