Huddle up my gen alpha teaching fam! It’s time to max your classroom clout with these rizzed-out 3D printing ideas and take student engagement from mid to gucci, leaving no crumbs! No cap. No printer. Just fax.
3D printing has come a long way in recent years. Today’s printers are faster, more reliable and more affordable than ever and this is great because more people are getting into it, and teachers are no exception.
3D printing is a great way to engage younger kids in the classroom, and many schools nowadays have libraries with 3D Printers, 3D Printing labs, and even 3D printers in the classroom. With back-to-school season in full swing, here are three exciting ways to incorporate 3D printing into your gen alpha class curriculum.
1. COOKIE CUTTER NAME TAGS
Name tags are a great way for kids to get to know each other while creating a personal artistic statement. Here’s a fun new way to do it!
Overview: Students design their own cookie cutter, and then make air-dry clay cookies to paint and decorate. This is a multi-day process that students can really get involved in.
The first week of our 3D Design and Printing Unit celebrated with cookie making with cookie cutters made with @CookieCad https://t.co/OSFWVseXRU pic.twitter.com/o7g7ldo2hV
— Karie Huttner (@huttnerk) - Twitter
How it works: Students can draw their own cookie cutter. Then, upload their drawings to a 3D printing design software, we suggest Cookiecad, to make a 3D printing file. 3D print their cookie cutters. Each student can then stamp their designs onto air dry clay and then paint their designs. Students can even bake sugar cookies at home, or at the school’s kitchen (when possible), with their custom cookie cutters.
Helps kids develop skills with: Design, planning, hand-eye coordination, following instruction, project flow, creative expression.
2. CLASSROOM CURRENCY (IRL gamification)
Overview: Individuals, teams, and the entire class can earn units of a fun-colorful 3D printed currency that they can redeem for individual or group prizes. Kids can design their own currency, and good behavior can mean new and exciting 3D filament colors are “unlocked.”
How it works: Students design their classroom “currency.” They decide what actions merit “good behavior” on both personal levels and as a group. They assign values to these actions. The class draws up a poster outlining what actions merit what value of currency. Students can redeem currency weekly at the classroom “store” for fun prizes and group activities. Classroom tallies points won at the end of year to determine a class prize.
Helps kids develop skills with: social awareness, teamwork, problem-solving, introductory civics values.
3. CLASSROOM MASCOT
Classroom mascots are a fun way to engage kids creatively and help build a sense of looking out for the common good.
How it works: Students create designs and vote for their favorite mascot idea. Once a mascot is agreed upon, students can name it and then create a 3D printing file for it, we suggest something like Tinkercad. Students vote and choose a colorful filament (from Cookiecad), to print the mascot. The mascot can go home with students like a class pet, go on adventures, and students can care for it. At the end of the year, students can each have a 3D printed mini-version of the mascot to keep.
Helps kids develop skills with: empathy, planning, creativity, awareness, teamwork.
TIPS FOR TEACHERS: GETTING STARTED IN 3D PRINTING
Getting started in 3D printing can be overwhelming. Here are some tips and ideas to get you started.
BUYING A 3D PRINTER FOR THE CLASSROOM
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Consider a company with good support, live chat, and industry longevity. We like Prusa and Bambu.
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Don’t worry about a multi-color printer, unless you have a specific reason to get one
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If you’re looking for speed, Bambu has some good options
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Get good filament: PLA is a good option as it’s non-toxic, comes in more colors and is easy to print
3 3D PRINTERS WE LIKE FOR TEACHERS
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Prusa MK4S $1099 well built quality machine, great customer service
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Bambu Lab X1-Carbon $1199 easy to use; includes all the bells and whistles
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Bambu Lab A1 mini $199 small footprint, quick printing, easy to use
ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ABOUT COOKIECAD
Melissa Kaye is a classically trained pastry chef and 3D printing enthusiast who loves bringing 3D printing ideas to life. As a pastry chef, Melissa was designing and selling so many custom 3D printed cookie cutters that her husband wrote custom software for her which is now Cookiecad Designer. Together they run Cookiecad which provides 3D printing filament and software to improve the 3D printing experience. Cookiecad is known for making some of the most colorful and easy-to-work-with 3D printer filaments on the market, used by chefs, teachers, artists, and makers. Melissa’s three kids are also avid 3D printing enthusiasts.
To get the Cookiecad designer, go to: https://app.cookiecad.com
To get Cookiecad filament, go to: https://cookiecad.com/filaments