STEM Data Science Challenges
Robot pathfinding practice as preparation for coral reef analytics.
Animal population studies to estimate frequencies and predict changes.
Ground composition analysis to estimate land value and resource limits.
Real-world data-science-driven assessments like levy structural integrity and building natural disaster readiness.
Pre-provided functions to enable faster and broader engagement.
STEM Computational Creativity Challenges
Cell Repair and Gene Sequencing
“Nano” Minecraft robots learn to make adjustments on a microscopic scale.
Advanced Farming Conditions
Start with basic farming functions clearing area, planting crops and providing irrigation, then modify your existing farming robots (turtles) to take on more constrained conditions, such as (A) vertical farming in a narrow space or (B) farming on a mountain side without dramatically altering the terrain.
Automated Construction
Use local resources to “3D print” structures to prepare them for human habitation just like we may some day do on Mars or the Moon!
Build Randomized Parkour Courses and Recursive Visualizations
Functions and methods allow robots to repeat patterns of blocks in predictable and randomized ways.
Sustainable Development and Disaster Preparation
Tackle (A) resource gathering, (B) terrain shaping and (C) habitat building via automated turtles
Integrate concepts of sustainability
Start on the sustainability challenge island chain, with islands with varied/limited resources. Consider how to prepare island terrain, structures and resources to deal with an incoming disaster – either a (A) Hurricane/tsunami or (B) Forest fire.
Brainstorming
Latest version on Google Drive
| Mod Investigated | Area(s) of STEM | In-game problems | Real-life problems | Prereqs |
| ex. mod that adds new mineral resources | https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Default.aspx?y=56"}” data-sheets-textstyleruns=”{"1":0}[null,17,{"2":[null,2,1136076],"9":1}]” data-sheets-hyperlinkruns=”[null,17,"https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Default.aspx?y=56"]{"1":68}”>We use CIP codes | ex. make Turtle mine new kinds of resources | ex. how prospecting robots, machines or sensors find new deposits | ex. Forge vXXXX, computer with graphics to run shaders |
| Electrical Age | 46.0301, 40.1101, 40.0801, 14.4802, 15.1702 | Improve electrical grid, reduce waste, reduce carbon emissions. Connect each house in a village to solar | The mod fairly accurately similates the physics behind electricity, so in game task match well with real-life problems and vice versa | Latest version of forge for MC 1.7.10 |
| Pam’s HarvestCraft | 01.0401, 01.0601, 01.0304, 01.0905, 01.0104 | Improve automation with crops as well as increase steps of automation of food production. ex:bread nolonger is simply 3 wheat but requires flour turned into dough | This mod adds more of a hint of realism in the process of food production and manufacturing, allowing a wide range of dishes to be cooked with a variety of tools such as pots, pans, juicers. It combined with a Spice of Life forces players to also plan out proper diets. | Latest version of forge for MC 1.12.2 |
| Galacticraft | 40.ALL | Use of Turtles as builders or investigators like other forms of MC, but themed with outer space, loosely | Challenges of resource management and safety in extra-earth environments | Latest version of forge for MC 1.12.2 |
| Chisel and Bits | 50.0409 | Provides a new variety of custom block states allowing for more dynamic envrionments as now every pixel of every block can be changed | Provides an introduction to 3D modeling by voxels | Latest version of forge for MC 1.16.4 |
| Biomes O’ Plenty | 03.ALL | Turtles can be deployed the various biomes and environments to help clear out invasive species, conserve natural resources, and clean up pollution. | Educates on various real world biomes and explains the challenges of needing to manage the differing needs and problems each of Earth’s climates and regions face | Latest version of forge for MC 1.16.4 |
| Dynamic Trees | 26.0301, 26.0399 | Forests can be grown or cleared by the turtles more realistically, instead of simply bonemealing trees into their final structures, trees grow slowly over time and naturally. The mod adds realistic treefelling and can be added with natural disaster mods for taskes involving repairing damaged environemts. | Adds more realism to how trees and forests grow and operate. Instead of the trees in minecraft being built out of blocks that can fly and obey minecratft’s set of physics, trees themselves are now their own models and have realistic physics. It educates more to modern forestry and biodiversity. | Latest version of forge for MC 1.12.2 |