For teachers who are new to 3D printing, Makers Empire’s school products include everything you need to successfully integrate 3D technology into the classroom. With our 150+ lesson plans, professional development, class management tools, training and ongoing support, you’ll be able to start using 3D printing and 3D design as authentic teaching tools efficiently and effectively.
Once you’re up and running with 3D printing in the classroom, however, you might find yourself incorporating 3D design and 3D printing into your teaching in unexpected ways. As you grow more confident with 3D technology new ideas will occur to you, and you may find yourself adding a 3D design component to all kinds of subjects to strengthen engagement and to deepen learning.
Wondering how to use 3D design and 3D printing as authentic teaching tools? Here are three real-life examples of teachers using Makers Empire and 3D design and 3D printing in their classroom:
3D Technology in English Class
Meltem Albayrak DiLeo is the STREAM coordinator at Holy Trinity Catholic School.
Recently, her school integrated Makers Empire ‘Mazes’ lesson plan, into their 8th grade Honors English class. What was the connection? Her students were reading the best-selling novel Maze Runner by James Dasher. Maze Runner is set in a Dystopian future and focuses on a group of teenagers who try to map and then find their way out of an ever-changing maze. What a great way to teach across the curriculum and to create links between subjects!
Check out the creative mazes her students made. Some of them include tricky secret passages and multiple levels:
3D Technology in Art Class
Christopher Burdman is a STEM Specialist / Lead Teacher at Tynan Elementary School in the Boston School District and a Makers Empire Ambassador. You can read his frank and engaging account of his 3D printing journey: So You have a 3D printer – now what?
Recently, Christopher shared some photos from an art unit he is doing with his students. They are using Makers Empire to create Pixel Art projects. These designs are not being printed in 3D but simply printed in color on photo paper.
“The kids are loving it and it’s another great way to engage with Makers Empire’s software,” Christopher says.
Check out his students’ colorful designs:
3D Technology and the Zoo Excursion
Megan Koop is classroom teacher at Blakeview Primary School and a Makers Empire Ambassador. You can read her guest post, How 3D Printing Helped My Students Design a School Nature Play Space.
Recently, Megan’s grade 2 class visited their local zoo to learn more about specific animals and their needs and the design of individual animal enclosures to accommodate these needs.
Megan says, “year 2 students planned and created their own enclosures, designed their own animals on Makers Empire and then 3D printed them for their enclosure.”
Check out her students’ awesome animal enclosures and their 3D printed animals:
Feeling inspired?
