Elementary 3D Printing Intro Week 2

Now that the gossip has started about the 3D printer in our building, one of the first questions my students had of course was....are we going to be able to print anything?

They are definitely not afraid of the 3D printer and I love that they are so curious! Before we begin to start designing 3D files, I stressed to the students that it was extremely important for them to learn about how this educational tool works, the history behind it and the purpose for industries having one.

For week 2 of our introduction, I figured I would use the traditional KWL chart, as an informal assessment to observe the information they retained from the following week, but also to see what questions they still had to guide me for week 3.

Being in the technology lab, I try to remain as paperless as possible. So I used this as an opportunity to continue to build their Google collaboration skills by having students complete the KWL with a partner in Google Docs. Following their completion of the K and W portion, I then projected a Brainpop video on 3D printing from their educator site. After viewing the video, students then continued to add to the L portion of their document prior to our class discussion.

Most questions that students still had unanswered were:

• Who invented the 3D printer?
• How does the filament get molded?
• How much heat is needed to melt the filament?
• Can you print in multiple colors? 
• Does a 3D printer automatically fill in the hollow spaces to make the object a solid? 

This would lead us into a lesson for week 3! 

Printed example how 3D printing can be used in the Jewelry Industry. 

Twisted bracelet from Thingiverse.