3D Printing and More in the Library Media Center

Since receiving our MakerBot 3D printer through many generous donations with DonorsChoose.org, we have been able to do some exploration and have now started our more serious projects.  I was so nervous to begin with about how to work with the 3D printer, but I feel really comfortable using it now AND also feel comfortable allowing students to use it.  Any chance I can, I want to have the kids to do all of the making, converting and button pushing.

Anytime the MakerBot is printing we draw a crowd! 

Tinkercad is web based so kids can access on various computers

This week in the CMS Library Media Center, we printed the geodes our 6th grade science students made in Tinkercad during their investigation of the contribution of minerals to rock composition.  We have had quite an interesting array of designs.

Next week, we hope to begin printing the winning 3D product designs that our 6th grade social studies classes are creating as they learn about economics and environmental issues.  

In a few weeks, our next, and more ambitious, project is to use the FREE 123D Creature iPad app to design monsters that will inspire our writing.  Right now, we are in the testing phase by creating test designs and attempting an export from 123D Creature and then into MakerBot.

One of our students suggested we make a video of a MakerBot build and speed it up, so I told her to have at it.  She set up the iPad in front of the Bot and we recorded away.  After a bit of editing in iMovie here you go.....