This is an archive of my (Wes Fryer's) Summer 2025 summer camp curriculum.
Embedded Files
In this exciting camp, students will build and code their own Mars Outpost inside Minecraft Education! With the help of their robot agent and step-by-step tutorials, campers will learn beginner coding, explore real-world space science, and work together as young engineers and inventors. No Minecraft or coding experience required—just curiosity and creativity! (led by Dr. Wes Fryer - updated 1 July 2025)
In addition to the video links included below, feel free to explore additional videos about space exploration and moon / Mars habitation, as well as videos about robotic farming! Also check out our shared code and saved Minecraft Education worlds.
🗓 Daily Camp Schedule
🗓 Daily Camp Schedule
9:00–9:15 → Morning Greeting & Daily Focus
9:15–10:00 → Skill Building (Demo, Gameplay, Guided Practice)
10:00–10:30 → Break / Snack / Movement
10:30–11:45 → Challenge Build Time (Plan, Create, Enhance)
11:45–12:00 → Group Share
12:00–12:30 → Lunch
12:30–12:45 → Afternoon Video & Focus
12:45–1:45 → Skill Building & Challenge Build
1:45–2:00 → Group Share, Reflection, Clean-Up
Day 1 - Welcome to Mars & Minecraft Basics
Day 1 - Welcome to Mars & Minecraft Basics
Day 1 Wonder Links
Day 1 Wonder Links
72 sec
10.5 min: Watch first half to start the morning, last half to start the afternoon!
Morning Lesson: Minecraft Orientation & Shelter Build
Morning Lesson: Minecraft Orientation & Shelter Build
Goals:
✔ Learn how to play Minecraft Education on a PC
✔ Practice basic building skills in Creative Mode
✔ Capture screenshots and save your Minecraft world
Steps:
Log into Minecraft Education
Explore movement, building, and navigation tools
Build a small Mars shelter or treehouse together
Practice using the Screenshot tool
Save your Minecraft world to Google Drive
Turn In:
At least 2 screenshots of your shelter build in your Google Doc Learning Journal
Dr Fryer will save our shared Minecraft world to Google Drive!
Afternoon Lesson: Intro to Minecraft Coding
Afternoon Lesson: Intro to Minecraft Coding
Goals:
✔ Understand how coding controls your Minecraft robot (agent)
✔ Complete beginner MakeCode tutorials
✔ Save your code to your Learning Journal
Steps:
Open MakeCode in Minecraft
Complete the following tutorials:
🐔 Chicken Rain
🌸 Flower Trail
🐶 Cats vs Dogs
🤖 Agent Moves
Copy your code share links to your Learning Journal
Turn In:
Code share links in your Learning Journal under today's date
Day 2 - Farming on Mars & Robot Helpers
Day 2 - Farming on Mars & Robot Helpers
Day 2 Wonder Links
Day 2 Wonder Links
4 min (morning)
6 min (afternoon)
Morning Lesson: Farming By Hand
Morning Lesson: Farming By Hand
Goals:
✔ Understand farming challenges on Mars
✔ Build a small farm in Minecraft by hand
✔ Save progress with screenshots
Review:
Open your Learning Journal Google Doc: Share SCREENSHOTS and MakeCode LINKS from yesterday!
Steps:
Open a provided Mars training world in Survival Mode
Locate your resources and water source
Build a small, organized farm with at least 2 crops
Practice irrigation with your bucket
Protect your farm with fences
Build a small shelter nearby
Turn In:
At least 3 screenshots in your Learning Journal:
✔ Your farm layout
✔ Your shelter
✔ A close-up of crops or irrigation
Afternoon Lesson: Robot Farming with Your Agent
Afternoon Lesson: Robot Farming with Your Agent
Goals:
✔ Learn to code your robot to help with farming
✔ Use local coordinates in your MakeCode
✔ Save your code to your Learning Journal
Steps:
Open MakeCode and create a farming script for your agent
Practice using local coordinates
Program your robot to till soil and plant crops
Test your robot's farming abilities
Turn In:
Code share link in your Learning Journal
Screenshot of your agent working in the farm
Day 3 - Mining & Mars Habitat Construction
Day 3 - Mining & Mars Habitat Construction
Day 3 Wonder Links
Day 3 Wonder Links
Morning Lesson: Robot Mining Challenge
Morning Lesson: Robot Mining Challenge
Goals:
✔ Code your robot to mine Mars resources
✔ Collect mined materials and return to base
✔ Save your work and document progress
Steps:
Open a Minecraft world for mining
Use MakeCode to program your agent to mine
Collect at least 3 types of resources
Deliver resources to your base
Turn In:
Screenshot of your agent mining
Screenshot of collected resources at your base
Mining code share link in your Learning Journal
Afternoon Lesson: Glass-Dome Habitat Build
Afternoon Lesson: Glass-Dome Habitat Build
Goals:
✔ Use world coordinates in coding
✔ Build a Mars greenhouse or habitat with your robot
✔ Save your progress and document your build
Steps:
Open a new world or shared world area
Use MakeCode to build a glass-dome structure
Add a farm or plants inside
Create an airlock entrance
Turn In:
At least 3 screenshots of your dome and interior
Code share link for your habitat build in your Learning Journal
Day 4 - Mars Outpost Design Challenge
Day 4 - Mars Outpost Design Challenge
Day 4 Wonder Links
Day 4 Wonder Links
Morning Lesson: Mars Outpost - Farms & Habitats
Morning Lesson: Mars Outpost - Farms & Habitats
Goals:
✔ Plan and build a functional Mars Outpost
✔ Combine building and coding
✔ Save progress and share your work
Steps:
Choose an area for your Outpost build
Add a greenhouse, farm, or habitat using code or manual building
Include pathways, signs, or other details
Save your world
Turn In:
Screenshots showing your Outpost and features
Code share link for automated builds in your Learning Journal
"Mars Colony in Minecraft (with dome)" flickr photo by Wesley Fryer https://flickr.com/photos/wfryer/53443188417 shared under a Creative Commons (BY 2.0) license
Afternoon Lesson: Landing Pads & Final Touches
Afternoon Lesson: Landing Pads & Final Touches
Goals:
✔ Design a Mars landing pad
✔ Add creative extras to your Outpost
✔ Celebrate your learning with group sharing
Steps:
Design and build a landing pad at your Outpost
Add solar panels, wind farms, or other structures
Prepare to share your Outpost with the group
Turn In:
Screenshots of your landing pad and Outpost features
Code share link for your landing pad
Final save of your Minecraft world to Google Drive
Final Challenge:
Final Challenge:
More Inspiration
More Inspiration
"Mars Colony in Minecraft (AI visualization)" flickr photo by Wesley Fryer https://flickr.com/photos/wfryer/53444527170 shared under a Creative Commons (BY 2.0) license
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