Thrifting and 3D Printing with CEP811
I have never used a 3D printer before, but had access to one for this project. Instead of spending money on a Makey Makey, I decide to give 3D printing a try. I would love to integrate the 3D printer into some of my lessons at the elementary level, but I worry what problems I will encounter during this process. Will all the students be able to use the programs for 3D printing design? Will we have enough time to use this technology in the curriculum? How do I introduce 3D printing in a way that is accessible and not intimidating? After reading several articles from teachers who have experience with this and adding them to a notebook in Evernote, I think the main problems will be with the printer itself, or time constraints.
3D printers can present frustrating problems, especially when you are just learning to print with them. Sometimes they can clog up, have an error, and ruin a job. Humidity can even cause problems during the printing process. After reading about the potential issues and beginning my play time with the printer, I began to question myself. Maybe I should have purchased a Makey Makey…
I did not find very many elementary teachers using 3D printers in the classroom. Most of the teachers using them are teaching a technology class, rather than trying to incorporate this technology into the elementary classroom. I would like to continue searching for ways that elementary teachers are using 3D printers across the content areas. How are teachers using it in Social Studies, Math, or Science classes?
I plan to structure my lesson around either geometric shapes or volume. I think 3D printing would be a perfect way to have 4/5 students apply the concept of volume to a final project. It provides them with a great deal of creativity, while also forcing them to think about measuring and volume in a real-world way.
My husband and I are regular thrifters. We love finding treasures at Goodwill and a second-hand shop here in Iowa, called “Stuff”. For this project, I shopped my house. I would like to have my students look through their homes for geometric shapes: cubes, rectangular prisms, cylinders, spheres. Once they have selected an object, I envision having them recreate their object using the 3D printer or create another similar object with the same volume. Here are some of the objects I found around my house:
I researched many different programs for designing 3D printed objects. I think Tinkercad will be the best option for me to use and explore with this initial project. It is free and simple to use. Other elementary teachers have found success in teaching it to students aged 10-12. Tinkercad has built-in lessons that are short and user friendly, especially for someone who has never 3D printed before (someone like me).
After spending time tinkering on Tinkercad, I am confident my students will be able to create geometrical objects using this program. It also has “Project Ignite”, which allows teachers to create classrooms and track student projects. This would be a great tool for monitoring student progress. Tinkercad is just what I need to create a 3D printing lesson for elementary school students!
Steps:
After completing lessons on Tinkercad, design your desired geometric shape. My geometric shape was a rectangular prism.
Select your shape under the “shape” menu.
Drag your shape into the grid work space.
Click and drag the white squares to adjust your design accordingly. My shape was 88mm x 25mm x 30mm.
Save your project onto an SD drive. Make sure to give it a relevant title.
Place SD card into your 3D printer and select the title of your project.
The 3D printer should begin printing. Check in regularly to monitor the progress of your print.
This short video shares how I plan to integrate 3D printing into a 4/5 elementary math lesson. It shows my process of finding a geometric object, measuring it, and designing a replica of it in Tinkercad.
The printing process:
My final prototype!
Image 1: Shows my thrifting/found objects and illustrates that geometrical shapes can be found all over. Objects can be re-purposed for lessons, we just have to get creative and use what is around us!
Image 2: Shows a screenshot from Tinkercad of one of my tinkering designs. While learning and playing with Tinkercad, I created several different designs. Experimenting and playing is a part of the learning process. I did not have to print these initial designs. I try out designs, play, and make mistakes.
Image 3: Shows the 3D printer in action! It was fascinating to watch my design come to life!
Image 4: Shows my final prototype next to my nail file, which was repurposed for this project.
*All images taken by me.
