Fifth Graders 3D Print a Playground for Annual Project

IMTS

Share this Article

Playgrounds are a quintessential part of childhood. They’re where kids get exercise, indulge their imaginations, develop motor skills, learn social skills and build friendships. In Scituate, Massachusetts, fifth-grade students are involved in an important project – designing a playground for the town. It’s a project that takes place every year, and students are required to research playgrounds online and around town, design a playground on graph paper, calculate costs, and present a proposal to the board of selectmen.

This year, the students were able to present more than just a sketch of a playground on paper. A Scituate Education Foundation (SEF) grant was responsible for funding a 3D printer and software for the school, and the students used the MakerBot to design and 3D print a physical representation of their playground concept.

“Fifth-grade students have been able to access and design 3D playground prototypes using Tinkercad software and a Makerbot printer,” Elementary Technology/STEM teacher Liz Dorgan told Wicked Local Scituate. “This was a great addition to the spring playground project. They were able to design a project that is realistic and to scale, use age-appropriate CAD software, print a 3D model, and develop 21st century skills.”

The skills learned by the students are important ones, and there’s no better way to teach kids about technology than to have them work on a project that incorporates something they love – and for most kids, a playground qualifies. The students get to dream up their ideal play space and present it in a tangible way, and they get to feel important and grown-up by going before town officials with their ideas. They’re learning important budgeting and planning skills, and this year they also got to learn critical technological skills that they will carry with them throughout their further schooling and adulthood.

“[The use of the printer] combines creativity, problem solving, and computer skills,” said Dorgan. “3D printers for elementary schools offer the first step for gearing children toward a STEAM- oriented (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) future. Through a combination of basic 3D modeling and assisted 3D printing, students become equipped with the essential tools to explore a STEAM career.”

The 3D printer is currently located at Jenkins Elementary School, but will be shared with all Scituate elementary schools and will be used for additional projects next year.

Other SEF grants-in-action include “iXL Math” for individualized math review, “Polymerase Chain Reaction” for DNA analysis, “Robotics and Storytelling (Ozobots)” for coding, and “Storyboard That!” for digital storytelling and visualization.

Having a 3D printer available is a benefit to teachers as well, as they must learn 3D design and 3D printing skills themselves in order to teach their students – a focus for MakerBot, which includes education as a major strategy. Tinkercad is also recognized as one of the best CAD programs for kids and new learners.

Many teachers are encountering this technology for the first time, as today’s generation of students is the first that is actually being taught these skills in school. Putting a 3D printer in an elementary school also fosters connections between the elementary school students and middle and high school students, who already have access to 3D printers – the older students can work with the younger kids to teach them 3D printing skills while building new friendships and mentoring relationships. The benefits of 3D printers in schools are obvious for the skills they impart, but their impacts go much further than just pure education.

Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.

[Source/Images: Wicked Local]

 

Share this Article


Recent News

Liquid Metal 3D Printing Sector Emerges with Fluent Metal’s $5.5M Investment

3DPOD Episode 191: Amy Alexander, 3D Printing at the Mayo Clinic



Categories

3D Design

3D Printed Art

3D Printed Food

3D Printed Guns


You May Also Like

3DPOD Episode 190: Generative Design for 3D Printing with Novineer CEO Ali Tamijani

Ali Tamijani, a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, has an extensive background in composites, tool pathing, and the development of functional 3D printed parts,...

Featured

3DPOD Episode 189: AMUG President Shannon VanDeren

Shannon VanDeren is a consultant in the 3D printing industry, focusing on implementation and integration for her company, Layered Manufacturing and Consulting. For nearly ten years, she has been involved...

3DPOD Episode 188: Clare Difazio of E3D – Growing the Industry, and Growing With the Industry

Clare DiFazio’s journey into the 3D printing industry was serendipitous, yet her involvement at critical moments has significantly influenced the sector. Her position as Head of Marketing & Product Strategy...

Featured

Printing Money Episode 15: 3D Printing Markets & Deals, with AM Research and AMPOWER

Printing Money returns with Episode 15! This month, NewCap Partners‘ Danny Piper is joined by Scott Dunham, Executive Vice President of Research at Additive Manufacturing (AM) Research, and Matthias Schmidt-Lehr,...