POST BY: The Geography Minecraft Club – a group of Senior School students, led by two Year 12 students (“de baas” and “de baas1”). The group comprises an array of architects, builders and interior designers representative of all the SSV year groups. The Club is facilitated by Head of Geography, Ms Ruth Burns, who recently wrote a post on Gamification in Education.
David, Year 8
The group involves Minecraft but it is focused on Geography and building a city that matches the Burgess model.
I like how everyone is really optimistic about the club and the city we are building. I really like the freedom to be creative and build and design what you want. Everyone is pretty good fun and there’s people from all different age groups.
With Tobias, we have built together a construction site, a courthouse and even a demonstration with signs and protest slogans for example “creeper equality”. We have also built up our confidence working with older students like de baas. I just find it a really fun group to be part of. I am now building a new zone of the city that involves old factories being turned into bars and restaurants (gentrification) in the old industrial zone.
The protest was a fun moment as we were asked by Miss Burns to add some people to the city and then we made a bungee jumper that resulted in a protesting crowd below. I was then put in ‘jail’ by de baas for creating a riot with placards – it was really funny and everyone in the game enjoyed it. The ‘baas’ even created a police force with riot shields outside of the courthouse.
I am new to the BSN and this club is a really neat way of making new friends from all different age groups.
Thomas, Year 7
I wanted to join because my friend circle is limited to only my form room at the moment and I thought it was a good way to meet new people.
I like how everyone is looking at their screens but we are all still chatting across the room and working with each other.
The buildings are amazingly detailed and some of them are so tall they vanish into the sky. There is one that resembles the Gherkin in London – it is really cool. I am happy to be a new member of the group – I just joined last week and already I have made some new friends.
Iwan and Cameron Year12 – ‘debaas’ and ‘debaas1’
The purpose of the group is to build a city that mirrors the Burgess Model.
Our role is to monitor and lead the group – making sure that everyone is getting involved and no sabotage is taking place. We float around and enforce rules that need enforcing – such as looking for command blocks. However, we also help out with some of the large builds that might need special commands such as world edit.
The best thing about being the baas is the ability to check that all is going well and to police the world when necessary. It is really amazing to see how the city has grown and expanded.
The creativity and teamwork is one of the group’s strengths – especially as there are many different students from across the year groups. It has also been great to see both the club membership and the city grow.
