Schools Reinventing Los Angeles is an extension of the Schools Reinventing Cities program in partnership between Minecraft Education and C40 Cities. The program empowers school students across the globe to propose solutions for a more sustainable and resilient urban future, and to share these ideas with their class, teachers and city leaders.

All students UTK-12 are invited to participate in Level 1 by building a solution to sustainable cities and communities in the Level Up Los Angeles Season 3 world. They are tasked to craft a three-minute video showcasing their solution to the prompt and submit their videos to be scored by a panel of judges. The top 4 teams from each region (North, East, South, West, XS) and division (Elementary (3-5), Middle School (6-8) and High School (9-12)), qualify to advance to Level 2: Region Rumble.

• Details
• All LAUSD students UTK-12 can participate.
• Level 1 will be conducted virtually and asynchronously.
• Teams will submit a video showcasing their solutions via a Google Form. Videos must not exceed 3 minutes.
• Submissions will be scored using a predetermined rubric.
• The top four teams from each region (North, East, South, West, and XS) and division (Elementary: Grades 3-5, Middle School: Grades 6-8, and High School: Grades 9-12) will be selected based on their scores.
• These teams will be invited to advance to Level 2: Region Rumble.
• Qualifications:
• Teams must consist of 4 or 5 students from the same grade level to qualify for Level 2: Region Rumble.
• If a team of 4 is selected to advance, the school must recruit a fifth member to ensure fairness and consistency in the competition.
• All students participating must have a Publicity Authorization and Release Form on file at the school, which must be available upon request.

• Details
• Teams advancing to the Region Rumble: Playoffs are selected based on their top scores from Level 1.
• Playoffs will be conducted virtually and synchronously.
• Teams will receive the prompt in advance.
• Each team must sign up for a designated time slot to complete their 30-minute build challenge and record their 3-minute presentation.
• Qualifications:
• Students in Grades 3-12 qualify to participate.
• Teams must consist of exactly 5 students, all from the same grade level.
• All students participating must have a Publicity Authorization and Release Form on file at the school, which must be available upon request.

• Details
• Teams advancing to the Region Rumble: Semi-Finals are selected based on their top scores from Playoffs.
• Semi-Finals will be conducted virtually and synchronously.
• Teams will receive the prompt in advance.
• Each team must sign up for a designated time slot to complete their 30-minute build challenge and record their 3-minute presentation.
• Qualifications:
• Students in Grades 3-12 qualify to participate.
• Teams must consist of exactly 5 students, all from the same grade level.
• All students participating must have a Publicity Authorization and Release Form on file at the school, which must be available upon request.

• Details
• Teams advancing to the Region Rumble: Finals are selected based on their top scores from Semi-Playoffs.
• Elementary Division:
• Finals will take place virtually. Teams must sign up for a designated time slot to complete their 30-minute build challenge and record their 3-minute presentation.
• Elementary Division team designs will be presented at the in-person event, where champions will be announced.
• Middle and High School Divisions:
• Finals will be held in-person, where teams will compete, present their solutions live, and the champions will be announced.
• Attendance Requirements:
• Team coaches must accompany their students to the in-person event.
• If a team cannot attend the in-person event, their participation will be forfeited, and the next qualifying team will be invited to compete.
• Opportunities for Champions:
• Champions from the Level 2: Region Rumble Finals may have an opportunity to compete at the national level.
• Qualifications:
• Students in Grades 3-12 qualify to participate.
• Teams must consist of exactly 5 students, all from the same grade level.
• All students participating must have a Publicity Authorization and Release Form on file at the school, which must be available upon request.

• All students and teachers have access to Minecraft Education and are invited to participate in the challenge. Teachers will have access to an educator’s guide, with accompanying Student Guide, Rubric and lesson materials.
• Once you have access to Minecraft Education, download and open the Los Angeles world to start your challenge journey. Here, students will find in-game characters that will assist them on their journey before they start building.
• Review the rubric before you start so you understand what the judges are looking for.
• Submit your project through a video recording that is no more than 3-minutes in length and clearly explains the following:
  • The research into the problem
  • How your team designed your solution
  • How your solution solves the prompt

Minecraft is an open-world game that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive environment where the only limit is your imagination. Minecraft Education differs from the regular video game version as it is aimed for use in the classroom and contains features such as classroom mode and assessment tools that enable powerful learning experiences. To learn more about Minecraft Education in the classroom, watch this video.

C40 is a network of mayors of nearly 100 world-leading cities collaborating to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis. Mayors of C40 cities are deploying a science-based and collaborative climate action to help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. To learn more about C40 Cities, watch this video.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. To learn more about SDGs, visit their homepage.

Minecraft Education is available to all Los Angeles Unified students through their school student account.

1. Open the Minecraft Education app
2. Select Sign in
3. Sign in with your LAUSD Single Sign on (SSO) email and password

Download the latest version of Minecraft Education on iPad, MacBook, or Chromebook. For technical support, please contact Information Technology Services (ITS) at lausd.org/its

In partnership with Microsoft, LAUSD has launched a two-level esports competition with Minecraft Education during the Fall/Winter of 2023. All PK-12 classrooms are invited to participate. Embark on an epic adventure and get ready to collaborate, compete, and reshape the future of Los Angeles to help our city thrive in the midst of climate change.

Important Dates

• November 17, 2023 - February 2, 2024:
  Level 1 - Schools Reinventing Los Angeles (Asynchronous)
• February 8, 2024: Level 1 - Finalists Announced
• February 14-21, 2024: Level 2 - Region Rumble PLAYOFFs (Virtual)
• February 28-March 5, 2024: Level 2 - Region Rumble SEMI-FINALs (Virtual)
• March 13-March 14, 2024: Level 2 - Region Rumble Junior League FINALS (Virtual)
• (IN-PERSON) March 21, 2024: Level 2 - Region Rumble Junior League Awarding Ceremony
• (IN-PERSON) March 21, 2024: Level 2 - Region Rumble Varsity League FINALs and Awarding Ceremony

Materials

• Flyer ❘ Trailer
• Educator Guide ❘ Lesson Plans
• Student Guide ❘ Student Resources | Student Getting Started Video
• Level Up Los Angeles World
• Rubrics
• Submission Form (LAUSD only)

LAUSD Schoology Course

LAUSD educators, join our Level Up Los Angeles Schoology Course to view information and receive the latest updates about the Level Up Los Angeles eSports Competition with Minecraft Education. View information to join Schoology Course here.

The Challenge

ELEMENTARY PROMPT: Los Angeles is experiencing problems because of climate change. There are droughts, heatwaves, fires, and unhealthy air. Help our city become more climate friendly. Choose a climate problem and share your best idea with a Minecraft build that helps everyone in our neighborhoods adjust to climate change.

SECONDARY PROMPT: Los Angeles is facing climate change emergencies such as drought, extended heatwaves, wildfires, and unhealthy air quality. Together, we can make changes to help our city thrive in the midst of climate change. Identify a climate emergency and build an innovative solution for your community that can improve how people adjust to climate change.

Champions and Recognition

National Championship - Battle in the Rocks at ISTELive 23

In June 2024, the Climate Justices and Blazing BEVA Builders were invited to present and compete on the ISTELive 24 mainstage! The Climate Justices spoke on a student panel and the Blazing BEVA Builders won the first ever ISTELive Minecraft Education National Championship, Battle in the Rocks! Watch the ISTELive 24 Video Recap.

LAUSD Champions

Congratulations to the 2024 Champions!

 

LAUSD Recognition

About Level 1 & Level 2

Details and Qualifications

Level 2: Region Rumble

Level 2: Region Rumble will consist of three rounds where the 16 regional finalist teams will go head-to-head in live competitions, eliminating all but two teams who will compete in the finale on June 3 for the title of 2023 Level Up Los Angeles Champions.

Important Dates

• May 17, 2023 (Virtual) - Level 2: Onboarding Session (will also be recorded); 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• May 22, 2023 (Virtual) - Round 1: 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• May 25, 2023 (Virtual) - Round 2: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• June 3, 2023 (In Person) - Finale: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

2023 Regional Finalists - Level 1: Building a Better Tomorrow Materials

Congratulations to each and every student team who submitted a project for Level 1, we received over 300 video submissions with almost 800 students who participated! Though the judging process was difficult, we have identified 16 regional finalists who will advance to Level 2: Region Rumble. Preview the advancing teams’ videos below and stay tuned for Level 2: Region Rumble kicking off on May 22.

Level 1: Building a Better Tomorrow Materials

• World File
• Educator Guide
• Introductory Lesson Presentation 2023 (select ‘Use Template’ to create a copy, customize and view speaker notes)
• Student Getting Started Video
• Student Guide
• Student Resources
• Rubric
• Submission Form (must complete using LAUSD single sign on account)
  
  

Level Up Los Angeles Minecraft Education Informational Launch

• RECORDING: Informational Webinar
• PRESENTATION: Informational Webinar
• NOTE: Participation in Level Up Los Angeles is for LAUSD Educators and is voluntary without compensation. LAUSD Educators can join our Schoology Course for the latest updates. Click here for the Course Access Code.

Beginning February 21, 2023, Los Angeles Unified will launch a city-wide Minecraft Education challenge providing students with an opportunity to navigate through a customized virtual representation of Los Angeles, interacting with experts as they consider, “How can we envision connected, equitable, inclusive and sustainable communities in Los Angeles that moves all our residents forward without leaving anyone behind?” and learning about sustainable city living through local experts. This prompt is aligned to the Instructional Technology Initiative’s efforts around leveraging Computer Science for good, along with global collaboration through the lens of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and more specifically the C40 Goals for Los Angeles as part of a network of global cities to confront the climate crisis.

​As teachers plan interdisciplinary tasks connected to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), students will build virtual proposals in Minecraft Education encapsulating their vision for Los Angeles’ future. These proposals will then be submitted for consideration by a panel of judges.

What is Minecraft Education?

Minecraft is an open-world game that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive environment where the only limit is your imagination. Minecraft Education differs from the regular video game version as it is aimed for use in the classroom and contains features such as classroom mode and assessment tools that enable powerful learning experiences.

To learn more about Minecraft Education in the classroom, watch this video.

The Challenge

MAIN PROMPT: How can we envision connected, equitable, inclusive and sustainable communities in Los Angeles that moves all our residents forward without leaving anyone behind?

REGIONAL PROMPTS: Below you will find focus areas for each region that tie in to the main prompt. It is recommended that your students build for the Region where your school is located. If students have more time later, they can build for other regional prompts of their interest.

 

 

How to Participate in the Challenge

• All students and teachers have access to Minecraft Education and are invited to participate in the challenge. Teachers will have access to an educator’s guide, with accompanying Student Guide , exemplars with connections to the curriculum, and ongoing professional learning sessions.
• Once you have access to Minecraft Education, download and open the Los Angeles world to start your challenge journey. Here, students will find in-game characters that will assist them on their journey before they start building.
• Review the rubric before you start so you understand what the judges are looking for.
• Submit your project through a video recording that is no more than 1-minute and 30-seconds in length and clearly explains the following:
  • What problem are you addressing?
  • Your research into the problem
  • How you designed your solution
  • How your solutions solve the problem you selected

 

Important Dates

• Informational launch: January 25, 2023; Register on MyPLN Key Words: Level Up
• Challenge begins: February 21, 2023
• Challenge ends: April 28, 2023
• Finalists shared: April 12, 2023

 

What is C40 Cities?

C40 is a network of mayors of nearly 100 world-leading cities collaborating to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis. Mayors of C40 cities are deploying a science-based and collaborative climate action to help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. To learn more about C40 Cities, watch this video.

What are SDGs?

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. To learn more about SDGs, visit their homepage.

Get Started with Minecraft Education

Minecraft Education is available to all Los Angeles Unified students through their school student account.

1. Open the Minecraft Education app
2. Select Sign in
3. Sign in with your LAUSD Single Sign on (SSO) email and password

Download the latest version of Minecraft Education on iPad, MacBook, or Chromebook. For technical support, please contact ITD at lausd.org/its