Studying Lighthouses with Minecraft

My daughter sent me a beautiful picture today. It was a picture of a lighthouse. One she built using Minecraft. I have a particular fondness for lighthouses. Perhaps it is because of the old song my grandma Mimmie used to sing called “Jesus is the Lighthouse.”

Or it might be because lighthouses are just an amazing analogy for Christians. Jesus is the ultimate lighthouse, and yet we are all called to be lighthouses ourselves. Harbingers of danger and light in a fallen world. Here’s another great (more modern) song called “The Lighthouse” by Rend Collective.

To start your study of lighthouses, have your children read this book about the architecture and function of lighthouses. Then assign each child this crafting adventure.

Build a lighthouse near the shore. Experiment with ways to magnify the light and maintain visibility from a distance.

1) Discuss (or write about) the differences between your lighthouse and a real, live lighthouse.

2) Discuss (or write about) the similarities between the way your lighthouse functions in Minecraft and the ways you can live as a light for Christ.

3) Discuss (or write about) the architecture of your lighthouse.

If you have more than one child building a lighthouse, have each child “show and tell” about their lighthouse in a round table presentation.

Enjoy some Great Books about Lighthouses

Keep the Lights Burning, Abby

Lighthouses of North America: Beacons from Coast to Coast 

Lighthouses: A Photographic Portfolio Book

Guardians of the Lights: Stories of U.S. Lighthouse Keepers

The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge: Restored Edition by Hildegarde H. Swift

North American Lighthouses Coloring Book (Dover History Coloring Book)

Lighthouses of the World (Dover History Coloring Book)

Lighthouses for Kids: History, Science, and Lore with 21 Activities (For Kids series)

Birdie’s Lighthouse by Deborah Hopkinson

Fun Lighthouse Printables and Activities

Free Lapbook for The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge from Homeschool Share

Draw a Lighthouse in Four Simple Steps from How Stuff Works

Want more Minecraft ideas for your homeschool? Check out our 31 Day series!

Homeschooling with Minecraft

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