Minecraft STEM Academy

15 Weeks of Building, Engineering & Real-World Problem-Solving

Minecraft becomes more than a game—it becomes a laboratory for science, engineering, architecture and innovation.

In this 15-week academy, students investigate real STEM concepts and then use Minecraft to design, build and test their own solutions. From structures and transportation systems to sustainable communities and space exploration, every challenge requires students to think creatively, make purposeful design decisions and improve their work through testing.

This is not simply free-build time. Each session combines a hands-on STEM lesson with a guided Minecraft engineering challenge.

Workshop Details

• Ages: 9–14
• Dates: Wednesdays beginning August 26, 2026
• Time: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
• Length: 15 weeks · 30 instructional hours
• Location: Baldwin, Florida
• Class size: Limited to only 5 students
• Tuition: $750
• Step Up for Students scholarships accepted

What Students Will Explore

Throughout the semester, students will investigate:

• Structural engineering and strong building design
• Architecture, scale and spatial reasoning
• Bridges, roads and transportation systems
• Simple machines and mechanical problem-solving
• Renewable energy and sustainable communities
• Agriculture, ecosystems and environmental science
• Water management and disaster-resistant design
• Space exploration and extraterrestrial habitats
• Urban planning and future-city development
• Engineering design, testing and improvement

How Each Session Works

Each two-hour session includes:

1. STEM Investigation
   Students explore the science or engineering concept behind the week’s challenge.
2. Design Brief
   Students receive a real-world problem, requirements and building constraints.
3. Minecraft Build Challenge
   Students plan and construct a working solution inside Minecraft.
4. Testing and Improvement
   Builds are evaluated against the challenge criteria and improved through iteration.
5. Showcase and Reflection
   Students explain their design choices, discoveries and solutions.

Students Will Learn To

• Apply science and engineering concepts to practical challenges
• Plan before beginning a large project
• Build within specific requirements and limitations
• Use scale, measurement and spatial reasoning
• Test ideas and learn from designs that do not work initially
• Explain and defend their engineering decisions
• Collaborate, communicate and give constructive feedback
• Transform imaginative ideas into purposeful solutions

Sample Challenges

Students may be challenged to:

• Build a bridge capable of spanning difficult terrain
• Design a home that can withstand an environmental hazard
• Create a working transportation network
• Develop a sustainable farm and food system
• Plan a city powered by renewable energy
• Control and redirect water through an engineered system
• Design a protected wildlife habitat
• Build a livable research base on another planet
• Create a complete future community as a final project

More Than Playing Minecraft

Minecraft naturally encourages creativity, but this academy takes students further. Every build begins with a question:

What problem are we trying to solve—and how can we design a better solution?

Students learn that successful engineering is not about making something look impressive. It is about understanding the problem, developing a plan, working within constraints and continuing to improve.

What’s Included

• 15 weeks of expert, hands-on instruction
• Guided STEM lessons and demonstrations
• Weekly Minecraft engineering challenges
• Planning materials and design briefs
• Access to the equipment and technology used during class
• Individual guidance in a five-student learning environment
• A final Minecraft STEM showcase project

Who Is This Academy For?

Minecraft STEM Academy is designed for students who:

• Love Minecraft and want to use it in a meaningful new way
• Enjoy building, designing and solving problems
• Learn best through visual and hands-on experiences
• Are curious about engineering, architecture or science
• Want the freedom to create within purposeful challenges

Students do not need advanced Minecraft or engineering experience. They simply need curiosity, imagination and a willingness to keep improving their ideas.

Tuition

$750 for the complete 15-week academy

Enrollment is limited to five spaces, allowing every student to receive personal instruction, support and feedback.

Step Up for Students scholarship funds are accepted. To pay with scholarship funds please select Step Up in the payment methods in the cart. You will have to also process the payment in the STEP UP EMA system.