How to host the Minecraft Hour of Code experience

  • 7 minutes

You can host an Hour of Code experience at any time throughout the year. Select the best day and time for you and your students. You can lead the event right in your classroom or in a computer lab. You can even do it as part of a school assembly, after-school event, or parents’ night open house. In preparation for your Hour of Code experience, you need to ensure you have access to Minecraft Education, which can be accessed in these download instructions.

Before the Hour of Code

Prepare yourself for an Hour of Code experience by exploring the instructional resources. Each of the Hour of Code experiences has its own lesson plan, EDU guide, solution guide, and more. Review these resources to help best prepare for your Hour of Code experience.

Hour of Code 2023: Generation AI

Hour of Code 2022: Escape Estate

Hour of Code 2021: TimeCraft

Hour of Code 2020: Inclusion

After reviewing the materials, consider playing through the game yourself to gain better understanding of the game play. This also allows you to better understand the student perspective of the experience.

Review these video tutorials for the game play.

How to run your Hour of Code

This format can be used to structure your Hour of Code experience. As the name implies, the Hour of Code should be facilitated over a 60 minute (1-hour) period.

  • Introduce yourself (2 minutes)
  • Introduce the theme of the lesson (1 minute)
  • Share your screen and show the video trailer (2 minutes)
  • Introduce lesson concepts (10 minutes)
  • Share your screen, open the world, and play through the tutorial and first activity. Have students follow along (10-15 min)
  • Have students independently complete the rest of the activities (20 min)
  • Lesson conclusion and reflection questions (5 min)
  • Remaining time for questions and answers from students

For more information on the specifics of each of the Hour of Code experiences, you can utilize these training guides.

During the Minecraft Hour of Code

Utilize both the educator guide and the corresponding presentation to guide your students through the experience.

During the event, you or your students might come across difficulties. Remember, it’s okay to say:

“I don’t know. Let’s figure this out together.”

“Technology doesn’t always work out the way we want.”

“Learning to code is like learning a new language; you won’t be fluent right away.”

Feel free to adjust and adapt the materials to best meet the needs of your students.

After the Hour of Code

Provide an opportunity to students to discuss the reflection questions (located in both the educator guide and the HOC presentation):

  • What was your favorite part of the Hour of Code?
  • What was the most challenging part of the Hour of Code?
  • What is one new thing you learned today?
  • How did you use computational thinking to solve problems?
  • Would you like to try Minecraft Education again?

Celebrate the accomplishment of participating in Hour of Code!

  • Print certificates for students.

Hour of Code 2023: Generation AI certificate

Hour of Code 2022: Escape Estate certificate

Hour of Code 2021: TimeCraft certificate

Hour of Code 2020: Inclusion certificate

  • Share photos and videos of your Hour of Code event.
  • Post on social media with #hourofcode, @codeorg, and @PlayCraftLearn tags
  • Include in an email or newsletter for parents with these fliers.

Hour of Code 2023: Generation AI flyer

Hour of Code 2022: Escape Estate flyer

Hour of Code 2021: TimeCraft flyer

Hour of Code 2020: Inclusion flyer