Introduction to SketchUp

In my previous posts documenting the journey of our 3D printing education, I discussed the methods I used for discovering and providing some background knowledge to students on our printer.

My 4th graders were incredibly excited to begin learning the 3D design software on our desktop computers. After completing a lot of research, and talking to our district office, I narrowed it down between Tinkercad and SketchUP. I've been familiar with SketchUP from previous projects when I used the software for my students to complete a math project a few years back, and ultimately that was the software we agreed upon to use with our intermediate students for our Makerbot Replicator Mini.

When it came down to introducing the software to my 4th graders, I knew one of the most important things I needed to do was give my students time to PLAY! Before introducing my students to the first couple of tools, I just gave them 15 minutes to explore. Not only does this get some of the curiosity out of their system, but we know that this generation of students learn best by exploring. Once their exploration time was completed. I gave them their first challenge, which consisted of creating some basic geometric 3D shapes. You can grab your own copy, HERE.

The following week, I introduced another challenge in class. Most of my students had even returned announcing how they downloaded the education software at home with their family! For week 5's lesson, my students had more creativity to create, but they had to incorporate more tools and demonstrate what they had learned from the first 3D challenge. I was blown away by what my students were creating. They definitely exceeded my expectations! This made me extremely excited for their 3D project that would be introduced after spring break. Grab your free copy of my 2nd challenge, HERE.

4th grade Ss @hpointschool exploring @SketchUp in prep for some 3D design challenges. Time to fix my lessons. pic.twitter.com/g9sNyTAOsz
— Mrs. Thorne's Tech (@TechieThorne) March 17, 2015

Happy designing!

History of 3D printing, Week 3

Highly possible scenario:

Student: "Mom, Dad, we just got a 3D printer at school!" 

Parent: "That's great, but how is this going to help you in school?"

Student: "Well, let me share with you some ways it can be used."

As I mentioned in previous posts, I wanted to refrain from having the 3D printer treated just as another "toy" in the classroom. Or, for others to look at it as a "waste of money." As adults, whether it be parent or teacher, we learn from our students. They are our next generation of course! What is technologically mind blowing to them now, I can only imagine what resources will be like when they leave college and begin their future careers.

Following the questions that remained from our digital KWL chart in week 2, I thought it would be fun to research the history and industrial background information in the form of a scavenger hunt.

At the beginning of class, we began with a video from Make. My students have been very curious about the filament inside of the printer, so even though they may not have quite understood all the printing terminology, they still had the visual process of how the plastic is made.

We then followed the filament discussion with some videos of our 3D printer and the samples I had made, giving the students an up close visual of how the printing gets completed in layers. How because it is hard for everyone to see the printer in action at once. I decided to use my camera on the iPad to airplay the live feed to our Apple TV. The students were able to work on their next activity while also viewing the printing process.

Going paperless again, I created our scavenger hunt template in Google, that was then shared with the class so they could make a copy. Working in teams, the students completed the scavenger hunt in preparation for a final whole class discussion. I provided links and infographics for my students to search through because of time constraints, but this could easily be a lesson linked into "how-to" research lessons.

We had a final discussion at the end of class to review the information and the interesting facts that they had found.

Now the questions I still have yet to make a decision on...
1. Do I plan a group project or make the 3D design project individual?
2. Do I focus the project around the idea of a "need" in society or an invention?
3. Do I focus the lesson around learning the 3D design software instead?

I worry about this because I know how interested the students are in having a 3D model of their own, but being stretched between 2 schools, I stress the time it would take to get the designs printed in time for the end of the school year.

Collaborating on Google Docs for a partner 3D scavenger hunt while iPad air playing the 3D printer to the screen! pic.twitter.com/tHQIvWdZFz
— Mrs. Thorne's Tech (@TechieThorne) March 5, 2015

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.

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3-D! Week 1

Some of the schools in my district were surprised with a new addition to our labs...

Have you guessed what it is yet? We have a 3D printer! Under the cloth is a very lovely, MakerBot Replicator Mini!

Immediately, the gears in my brain began turning to develop a plan for integration into my technology class. I was constantly pondering what grade level I would use it with and where would I even begin, but I finally decided to introduce this to my 4th grade students first since my 5th grade groups would be starting innovation lab first.

I began researching and came across some links posted to Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything. Kathy has listed tons of resources that can definitely get someone started in the right direction. However, one of the challenges I began to face was that no matter where I searched, mostly all of lessons or project ideas that I would stumble upon were for jr. high students or higher, not for elementary. So in order to organize my ideas better, I began pulling ideas and resources that I found into a document. Now, I'm definitely a lesson plan as you go individual, just because I will constantly think of new ideas in the car, on a run or I will stumble upon something on social media. Although, one of my main reasons that I don't lesson plan far in advance is because my students are constantly surprising me with their knowledge on topics or willingness to go look information up between classes so they can be prepared.

So, after gathering my resources and knowing this tool was probably new to most. I decided to begin my introduction to 4th grade with a mystery "what's our fragile futuristic tool?" activity. Once the tool was guessed, we began drawing what we thought a 3D printer looked like. That lead into a big discussion until it was finally unveiled and followed by a fun Kahoot survey to see what students may have known.

This activity took up our entire technology time and definitely left the students excited to come back and learn more!