Unofficial Minecraft STEM Lab for Kids: Family-Friendly Projects for Exploring Concepts in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (Lab for Kids, 16)
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Just a few of the exciting things you’ll create and learn about:
- Concoct glow-in-the-dark slime
- Grow pipe cleaner snowflakes
- Design and build a model Martian habitat
- Mix milk and soap to create “fireworks”
- Make a working volcano
- Create an electromagnet
- Craft a laboratory to serve as your in-game headquarters
- Carve a crystal ice castle
- Construct a working dam
- Design and use a custom teleporter
- Build an underwater oceanographic field station
The popular Lab for Kids series features a growing list of books that share hands-on activities and projects on a wide host of topics, including art, astronomy, clay, geology, math, and even how to create your own circus—all authored by established experts in their fields. Each lab contains a complete materials list, clear step-by-step photographs of the process, as well as finished samples. The labs can be used as singular projects or as part of a yearlong curriculum of experiential learning. The activities are open-ended, designed to be explored over and over, often with different results. Geared toward being taught or guided by adults, they are enriching for a range of ages and skill levels. Gain firsthand knowledge on your favorite topic with Lab for Kids.
From the Publisher
Lab 5: Map Maker
In this lab, learn how to find north with a couple of sticks, and navigate back home in Minecraft.
Family Activity: Finding North
It’s instinctual to want to know where we are in the world. Our devices know where we are using not only global positioning satellites (GPS) but also cell towers and Wi-Fi hotspots to approximate our location—but what happens when the battery runs out? Complete this lab and you’ll always know how to find north, south, east, and west using a couple of easily gathered items.
Two 1-yard (1 m) sticks
2 rocks
Game Mode Creative
Family Activity: Finding North | Approximate Time To Complete 1 Hour
Fig. 1:
The first vertical stick should cast a long shadow. Use the first rock to mark the end of the shadow. This first rock will become the westerly point.
Fig. 2:
Place the second rock to mark the easterly shadow point.
Fig. 3:
Place the second stick across the two rocks. We are connecting the westerly rock with the easterly rock.
Fig. 4:
To make it easier to see north, draw a perpendicular line that intersects the stick lying across the front of the two rocks.
Minecraft Play: Map Maker | Approximate Time To Complete 45 Minutes
Fig. 1:
With the Sun setting in the west, you can see that sunflowers always face east. The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
Fig. 2:
On PC Minecraft only, you can use the debug screen to find your coordinates. The colored cursor in the middle of the screen tells you which direction you’re headed in.
Fig. 3:
Craft a zoomed-out map by placing a map in the center of your crafting table, surrounded by paper.
Fig. 4:
Finding a cartographer villager isn’t easy. You’ll have to keep an eye out at every village you encounter. Some villagers that wear white are librarians, not cartographers.
