Projects

If you are new to using 3D drafting and printing technologies with your students, you may want to check out some exemplar lessons that can help you develop your own best practices for implementation in your own teaching contexts. I have found that there are limited resources for high quality 3D design focused lessons. This page is focused on sharing some vetted resources for how this type of technology can be used instructionally. It is important to note that the majority of the lessons shared here are focused on using the technology for more effective, engaging and rich mastery of content objectives, not just learning how to use the modeling software. This is significant, as the solid modeling software is not just a tool to serve itself. Instead, when used effectively, solid modeling can be a way for students to virtually (and through printing, physically) construct knowledge about a topic or idea, while developing and honing their drafting and digital collaboration skills. This bundling of opportunities for students to develop both their 21st century and content mastery is one of the advantages of instruction that incorporates elements of solid modeling, and it can make for some very engaging lessons in your classroom!

Tinkercad Instructables

The Maker community makes use of instructables for sharing step-by-step how-to’s for a myriad of builds and techniques. The Autodesk Tinkercad community has a number of instructables dedicated to lessons that involve solid modeling through Tinkercad. Some of the ones that look the most interesting include:

Here are direct links to some great instructables from Autodesk that provide overviews for how to roll out specific 3D centric lessons using Tinkercad.

Thingiverse Education Page

Thingiverse is a Makerbot created webspace for sharing 3D designs and ideas. Thingiverse Education provides over a hundred free lessons that make teaching with a 3D printer easier and more effective for a variety of grade levels and subjects. It also provides a community where educators can exchange best practices or remix projects. Thingiverse Education hosts a searchable database of lessons that focus on using 3D drafting and printing technologies to make a variety of subjects come alive. Take a look at the Thingiverse Education page to sample some of their curricular offerings that align to your teaching context.

Dragon Genetics

One of the lessons I have had great success with that involve bundling 3D design with my science content is dragon genetics. Students learn patterns of Mendelian inheritance by designing a baby dragon based on the characteristics of the mother and father dragon. Students receive an egg that contains the genetic makeup of the parents, and apply their understanding of patterns of inheritance (dominant, recessive, co-dominant and sex-linked) to determine the phenotype of the offspring. They then use Tinkercad to draft their dragon, sharing their .STL files on a group document, along with a persuasive writing element about why their dragon should be brought to life! Designed from resources shared by Matt Fritz on the Thingiverse education page, if you teach introductory genetics, this one is worth checking out!

Copy of Dragon Genetics 2017

Terrain 2 STL

Terrain2STL is an interesting site that can take topographic maps and turn them into printable .STL files. We used it to print a model of Mount Everest and to explore solid modeling parts of the California coast. I can imagine using this with students to explore watersheds or geography. How might you use it in your classroom?

Map Making with Tinkercad Shape Generators

The Tinkercad shape generator is an interesting feature that took me a while to begin exploring, but once I did, I became increasingly excited by the possibilities. There are options to create solid models of all the states in the US, or the countries in Europe. Could this be used to create 3D printable US map puzzles? To create models of the 13 original colonies? To show the journeys of early explorers? We used shape generators to create the gears, wheels and axles of our solar cars to visualize an engineering challenge. To make the shape generator even more powerful is the fact that it is community based, you can build your own, and it seems to be growing. Don't miss this cool Tinkercad feature and put it to use in your next solid modeling lesson!

Common Sense Media

Common sense media has a bank of teacher created lesson plans and ideas. Teachers have shared lessons for grades 3-10 in a variety of subject areas. 3D snowflakes in 3rd grade science? Using Tinkercad to tell stories using stop-motion animation in grade 7? Yes please! Check their resource bank through this link!

Makerbot for Educators Guidebook

Makerbot has an division focused on the use of 3D printing in education. You can sign up to download a free copy of their educators guidebook here.

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