Fifth grade students learned about the early life of colonists in Jamestown fort. They researched the design of the fort including defenses, building types, roles of the townspeople, and daily challenges they faced. Students spent time drawing out a map and labeling it with the features such as church, bulwarks, town hall, barracks, and Governor's house.
Once the research was done and their plans were made, students broke into Building Teams. There were teams devoted to the wall, the ships, each of the buildings, and additional details such as crops. They came into the computer lab and sat with their team, working together as a class to build Jamestown fort in MinecraftEDU based on what they've learned.