My plan for this 10 week fall session was to get students introduced to a new modified mod (double-mod ! ) called ComputerCraftEdu.  This is a modified version of the ComputerCraft mod that takes it a step further by making it more accessible to younger players.  In ComputerCraftEdu, players use a remote control to access a control panel which allows them to control, modify and program robots (called ‘Turtles’).   We started by taking a tour of a map called ‘Turtle Island‘.  A world that takes players first through a museum (shaped like a Turtle – so cool) that demonstrates the capabilities of the robots and then through a series of challenges that give the players a chance to navigate, equip and then program their own Turtles.  The map is rather challenging so we only spent a few weeks in there and only passed through the first few courses.  By that time, they were so eager to get onto the server and start building so we did just that.  Go with the flow.  This was for about 1/2 of the class.  The others were new to the PC/Mac version of Minecraft so I had those students go through a different tutorial world (available to those that run MinecraftEdu).  It teaches players how to use the keyboard/mouse to navigate their way around, dig and build.

In the past I have run different mods but did not give students a specific objective or challenge.  I just let them get creative and play.  This time, since I knew there were going to be more mistakes than successes when learning to code,  I offered up some incentives.  My challenge to players: program your Turtle to do something…. anything.  This is your first program.  It will be simple because it is your first one.  When you have something that works then let me see it.  If it runs, I will give you 1 item of your choosing.  To qualify yourself for the contest, name your program (initials+what the program does), save it to disk (an in-game floppy disk which this generation has never seen) and turn it in (place in chest).  All players will vote for their favorite.  The winner gets to pick a mod (within reason) that we will all play during our last few weeks).  This has worked out beautifully.  The kids are ALWAYS talking to me (4 at a time) as we walk out of the building each day.  Without inhaling, they quickly give me as many details as their lungs will allow about some mod that they have seen on Youtube and “Can we pleeeeeeeeeeeaaase try it out in class?”.  This incentive worked on nearly all of them.  Even some of my newest members are giving it a go.  We are just 6 sessions in (1 hr sessions) and most have completed their first program.  I don’t know who is more excited – there is a LOT of celebrating when it works.  Check out the gallery to see some samples of their work.  I have 1st graders through 5th graders, girls and boys all doing this.  So far this has been a great success.  
I am SO grateful to my mature, middle-school co-pilot for helping me.  Particularly with this mixed environment (age and skill).  With her help I was able to provide a lot of one-on-one, code-coaching.