Drawing on the popular online game Minecraft, which sees 126 million active users every month, IDF member Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) has developed its own educational version Dairycraft.
This free online learning resource serves as an ongoing tool available to teachers, students and parents to support virtual and in-class learning.
The content is designed to bring core concepts from the Ontario curriculum to life in one of the most popular gaming environments in the 4–18-year age group. Lesson plans challenge students to get creative and collaborate to complete tasks relating to three core learning pillars: local, versatility and nutrition.
The map has been free to download and import on Dairycraft.ca since November 2020. In March 2021, Microsoft approved the map to be embedded directly into their two core platforms— Minecraft Marketplace and Minecraft: Education Edition.
The Marketplace map went live in late March and has been downloaded more than 2.2 million times around the world. Anyone with a Minecraft account can download Dairycraft.
In April, Microsoft released the approved classroom lessons in the Education Edition. This platform is exclusively for teachers and is a highly respected and frequently used tool especially in this virtual school environment.
Exciting and educational courses – all about dairy
To access the three lessons, visit the links below:
- Grade 1: A day on the farm
- Grade 4: How nutrients affect the body
- Grade 5: Matter – changing states
For more dairy resources for schools, visit the IDF School Milk Knowledge Hub.
