Students become highly-engaged in the learning process when they are having fun and can create a product of their own design. We designed lessons that integrated all areas of STEAM in our K-6 school-wide 3D printing initiative. These lessons engage students in collaboration, engineering design, science, math, technology and art. At every grade level students design their own 3D printed objects building on their skill sets. Starting at the 4th grade level students learned to code, utilize the engineering design process, prototyping, peer collaboration, sketching, and sharing their learning with others. Students worked in collaborative groups to sketch, design, prototype and build a 3D printed model of their chosen landform. Teams engaged in discussion and debate over best design practices, as well as collaborating with other groups when problem-solving within their own designs. Students then built upon these skills to create projects with real-world applications and participate in the online 3D printing community and entering online competitions. These students also became ambassadors for 3D modeling in the science classroom by presenting to peers, teachers, and elected officials, as well as providing “tech support” to K-1 students beginning their 3D projects.
Link to slide and teaching materials I shared during the talk.
http://tinyurl.com/kxseykr
