Math Maze

The Math Maze was my very first Minecraft project. Developed at the request of one of our consultants at the WCDSB, they needed a Minecraft maze activity where solving enriched math problems would allow students to progress through the activity by solving the puzzles, and find their way out of the maze.

At that time (this is going back almost 8 years), I considered myself a pretty decent builder and maze maker, but I was very much a novice when it came to redstone and command blocks. A considerable amount of YouTube viewing went into this production, as I quickly learned how to wire up my puzzles and traps. It formed the basis for my understanding, interest and passion for creating interesting redstone and command block contraptions. 

One large potential wrench in the works was my own math skills. I'd never been particularly good at math, and since finishing my two mandatory math credits in high school, my math skills had quickly deteriorated to a grade 3 level. In my 25 years in various jobs and careers, I found I'd never needed more than that, so there had been little opportunity or reason to improve them. Thankfully, our consultant came to the rescue with a large stash of grade 5/6 level enriched math problems (and solutions!) which I was able to simply plug into the activity! 

The students found the finished product challenging and engaging, and we used the opportunity to have the students provide helpful feedback for improving the activity.

While it is possible to complete the maze without doing the math, it was designed in such a way that it is easier to complete by solving the puzzles. There is also a teacher area, where you can find the answers to all the questions. The Math Maze is available to anyone who would like a copy (just contact me).