Digital Age Skill: 3D DESIGN - Upper Elementary
3D DESIGN - Upper Elementary
Description of the Lesson
Overview
Students will construct a nametag lanyard using the TinkerCAD (www.tinkercad.com, free) online design software. Each student will complete their own project, but given the difficulty of learning 3D design, they are encouraged to help their peers as long as they don’t do the work for them. This project is intended as a starting point for their 3D design skills. TinkerCAD has many lessons and tutorials they can learn from as they progress in their skill level.
OBJECTIVES
Students will learn the basics of placing, adjusting, and combining shapes within TinkerCAD to create their design and customize to suit their individual styles. Students will navigate in 3D and manipulate objects as they work through the design process to develop their understanding of computer aided design.
ISTE Standard
ISTE Standard: 4B - Students use age-appropriate digital tools to design something and are aware of the step-by-step process of designing.
NE Standard
FA 2.1.1.c - Explore various editing tools on existing media to create media arts (e.g., capture, copy, paste).
FA 2.1.2.a - Introduce cooperation, negotiation, and communication in creating media arts (e.g., collaborative posters (glossary)).
FA 2.1.2.b - Practice manipulating media and context for personal expression in media arts productions.
Rubric Used for Assessment
Example Student Artifact(s)
Student Example of 3D Print
Lesson Design Reflection
LESSON PLAN - Innovative Designer Upper Elementary 3rd-6th Grade
3D DESIGN
Students will construct a nametag lanyard using the TinkerCAD (www.tinkercad.com, free) online design software. Each student will complete their own project, but given the difficulty of learning 3D design, they are encouraged to help their peers as long as they don’t do the work for them. This project is intended as a starting point for their 3D design skills. TinkerCAD has many lessons and tutorials they can learn from as they progress in their skill level.
OBJECTIVES
Students will learn the basics of placing, adjusting, and combining shapes within TinkerCAD to create their design and customize to suit their individual styles. Students will navigate in 3D and manipulate objects as they work through the design process to develop their understanding of computer aided design.
OUTSIDE RESOURCES
Students will be using TinkerCAD (www.tinkercad.com, free) for this activity. Depending on how a teacher would have the students sign up, they may need a social media account or can create a unique account through the sign-up process. https://www.tinkercad.com/teach
Due to the learning curve of this assignment, I have also created a series of YouTube videos to walk through the steps of this project. The playlist can be found here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-darrTbFKgsPiZuqkNaIFbvJRifeBC0k
STANDARDS
State Standard(s): Nebraska Media Arts Standards
Content Area: Elementary Computer Science
NE Standard(s):
FA 2.1.1.c - Explore various editing tools on existing media to create media arts (e.g., capture, copy, paste).
FA 2.1.2.a - Introduce cooperation, negotiation, and communication in creating media arts (e.g., collaborative posters (glossary)).
FA 2.1.2.b - Practice manipulating media and context for personal expression in media arts productions.
ISTE Standard(s):
ISTE Standard: 4B - Students use age-appropriate digital tools to design something and are aware of the step-by-step process of designing.
HOOK/ATTENTION GETTER
To help grab student interest, the teacher created example will be shared with the class via a projector to show what the final project can look like. If time permits, it would also be beneficial to have the students watch the teacher create one from start to finish in a matter of minutes.
After showing students how I navigated the 3D workspace I would pass around several printed nametag lanyards to let them touch and see them close up while explaining they are going to make something very similar.
The YouTube videos could be shown to the whole class to talk about what kinds of things 3D printers can make and yet they all start with the same process of designing (sometimes by sketching on paper) and thinking the process through to create a final product.
Hershey’s Chocolate Printer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slksoDJPJ94
3D Printed Cars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daioWlkH7ZI
3D Printed Concrete Castle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSJXaPGLmIk
3D printed Welded Bridge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJf3gKyqwww
If you have a 3D printer, let the students watch in action so they can see how it works. Time lapse videos can show the process quickly as well to help them understand how it works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqQAjkZOBeY
STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS (The YouTube Playlist could be used to guide this as well)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-darrTbFKgsPiZuqkNaIFbvJRifeBC0k
Students will log in to their TinkerCAD accounts and create a new 3D design. Once the students have a blank workspace, we will discuss features that will help them along the way using the TinkerCAD resource sheet for keyboard/mouse shortcuts and begin creating their nametag lanyard. The final project should have dimensions that are outlined in the design process to ensure proper sizing throughout the project.
Nametag lanyard base:
Using the pane at the right side, click a red box to pick it up, move it onto the workplane and click to drop it.
To resize the box to our dimensions, click the white boxes to change the dimensions.
Students can click and drag or click and type to get exact dimensions
Height is changed to 3mm, length is 100mm, depth is 20mm
The height could be 2mm, but 3mm seems to be stronger and less prone to warping or breaking although it does increase print time.
Insert an orange cylinder below the red rectangle.
Resize the cylinder to fit our needed dimensions.
Students can click and drag or click and type to get exact dimensions
Height is changed to 3mm, length is 20mm, depth is 20mm
Line up the cylinder and the rectangle at the left side.
Click the red rectangle, hold down shift, and click the orange cylinder
Press “L” on the keyboard or click the “Align” tool at the top right of the screen
Align the bottom left dot and the left side middle dot.
Create a rounded end on the rectangle.
Click a blank spot on the workplane to clear your selection.
Click the right side of the rectangle.
Press the right arrow key on the keyboard 10 times to move it 10mm to the right.
Hold down the shift key on the keyboard and click the left half of the orange rectangle
Press the “Group” tool at the top right or use “Ctrl+G” on the keyboard to merge the two shapes into one.
Create an opening for a string or keyring.
Insert a striped cylinder below the rounded rectangle. This is used to create negative space or a hole in a shape.
Resize the striped cylinder by typing the exact dimensions.
Height is left at 20mm, length is 4mm, depth is 4mm
Line up the striped cylinder and the rounded rectangle at the left side.
Click the red rectangle, hold down shift, and click the striped cylinder
Press “L” on the keyboard or click the “Align” tool at the top right of the screen
Align the bottom left dot and the left side middle dot.
Click a blank spot on the workplane to clear your selection.
Click on the top of the striped cylinder to select only it.
Press the right arrow key 4 times to slide it to the right.
Hold down shift and click on the red rectangle.
Press the “Group” tool at the top right or use “Ctrl+G” on the keyboard to merge the two shapes into one.
To double check the cylinder made and opening, use the view cube at the top left and rotate the workplane to the top. The students should be able to see the workplane through the opening.
Add elements to customize the nametag lanyard.
Click on the “Workplane” tool at the top right of the screen.
Move the workplane square to the workplane and click on top of the red nametag lanyard base.
If done correctly, the workplane changes color to orange and is now elevated to the top of the nametag lanyard base.
Using the items from the library at the right, find and click on the “Text” tool.
Place the text tool on the nametag lanyard base.
Change the color to make it easier to see on top of the nametag lanyard base.
Change height to 2mm by clicking and typing in the “Shape” box or by clicking the middle white dot and dragging down.
Replace “Text” with the student name.
Depending on the length of the name, use the corner white boxes to resize the name to fit on the nametag lanyard.
Use the viewcube to make sure the name fits entirely on the nametag lanyard base.
Add elements to further customize the nametag lanyard with shapes, etc.
This is a great time to talk about the size of items, how they are attached to the nametag lanyard and how likely they are to break off if they are too small or too large.
Demonstrate how to add negative space, custom shapes, and items from the library to give the students many opportunities to create a custom design.
Stress copying/pasting/duplicating to speed up the design process as well.
Higher level customization (see final product and video for examples)
Students can duplicate complex patterns
Students can use negative space in their nametag lanyard
Shape generators allow for complex designs, but need to be navigated through menus
Final review of nametag lanyard design
Final design measurements should be as follows
Length - 110 mm
Depth (Front to back) - 20mm
Height - 5mm
Press the home button at the top left to reset our view.
Click on the “Workplane” tool at the top right of the screen.
Place the workplane tool on an empty space on the workplane and click to reset it back to the original blue workplane.
Use “Ctrl+A” to select all the elements in the nametag lanyard design. There should be a box around the nametag lanyard only.
If the selection box is very large and goes outside the workplane, there are probably elements the students accidentally added to their design that need to be deleted.
If the box is only around their nametag lanyard, then use the group tool to merge all the shapes together.
Rotate the view cube and ensure that all elements are on the nametag lanyard and not floating above or too tall. Place the mouse arrow over the white boxes to verify measurements. Make adjustments as necessary to ensure proper height and attachment.
Sharing and/or printing.
Use the export tool at the top right to create an STL file for 3D printing.
Download an STL to their device for printing and/or sharing
Use the “Send To” tool to download a picture or order share with other users.
To order a 3D print.
DIRECT INSTRUCTION & GUIDED PRACTICE
This lesson is meant to be guided by teacher providing examples via direct instruction, and students then working independently with teacher assistance as needed to complete each task. Each step is meant to be modeled as it is introduced and additional examples are provided throughout the process.
This lesson could be taught step by step with a teacher modeling and assisting each step. The teacher would project their design, demonstrate each step of the design process, and the students would work to complete each step after the teacher does.
The lesson could also be taught using the series of YouTube videos to allow the students to work independently and at their own pace through the process. If YouTube is used, students could have multiple tabs open and watch each step, pause the video, and switch back to TinkerCAD to complete each step.
Students will use TinkerCAD (https://www.tinkercad.com/) to design their nametag lanyard.
Teacher will either teach with guided instruction or allow students to work independently with the aid of instructions or YouTube video.
Students will work on their own to complete each task with teacher assistance as needed.
Once students have their design complete, they can save, share and/or 3D print if a printer is accessible.
The teacher will model how to save/share/export for the desired outcome.
WRAP UP
As a culmination of this project, the students ideally would be able to print their nametag lanyards and they could be displayed around their school. A photo could also be printed of each and displayed if a printer is not accessible.
The photos of their projects can also be shared on social media or through school media outlets depending on school policy.
After students have successfully completed this task, they should be given time to expand their design skills either by trying some of the lessons on TinkerCAD or by constructing their own designs as a teacher assists them with more difficult parts as needed.
Personal Reflection
Overall I think the lesson went well. The design process on the computer is difficult at first and has a steep learning curve. I had students working in table groups and they were more than willing to help each other with the condition they could not do work for their friends, but were allowed to explain what needed done and help teach their peers.
Something I may try is to create a video of me teaching and explaining the process so students can work at their own pace and replay each step as needed. I could monitor their progress by walking around the room and assisting as needed.