Preston school and the Environment Agency are using Minecraft to teach about climate change

It always makes me feel warm and fuzzy when video games are used to educate younger generations, so hearing that Archbishop Temple School and the Environment Agency are using Minecraft to teach about climate change really made my day. Anyone with access to Minecraft: Educaiton Edition will be able to play Rivercraft today, and learn about flood defence measures that are being put in place in Preston to combat the effects of climate change. It features three games each focusing on a different aspect of climate change, the first is based on managing flooding, the second flood prevention and third on how this effects the local environment. The last game features recording otters and water voles, which frankly sounds incredible.

“Students at Archbishop Temple School in Preston have joined forces with the Environment Agency, Microsoft and Minecraft: Education Edition to take part in a unique and immersive virtual learning experience ‘Rivercraft’, which launches today (Tuesday 5th April), is based on the Environment Agency’s £54.7M flood defence scheme in Preston and South Ribble. This will reduce flood risk to 4,700 homes when complete.

Using interactive play through the creation of a Minecraft world, the games will help young people learn about climate change, the environment and flooding along with raising awareness of careers in STEM and civil engineering.

From today, children and young people across the world will be able to learn more about climate change, the environment, and reducing the impacts of flooding thanks to a new Minecraft: Education Edition game, ‘Rivercraft’.

Based on the £54.7M flood risk management scheme in Preston and South Ribble, the in-game Preston world is the first activity of its kind that uses Artificial Intelligence to map a region and convert it into an interactive Minecraft map. The games will be available globally and in multiple languages to be used in educational and home environments across the world within Minecraft: Education Edition. This established educational tool is used by millions of educators and students in 112 countries, with hundreds of free lessons and curriculum, teacher trainings, and learning programs.”