3D Printing in the Junior School - Independent 2023

Due to change in the school organisation for 2023 the classroom for this teacher for this year is students that are Y3/4 these students are eight and nine year olds, for the most part they have had very limited experience and use of 3D Printers and using software to design objects.

We have started the year with some basic designs to get the students excited and to see who might be able to create and design.  As a starting point we used the same template and instructions that we might have expected to have worked with more senior (older) students.

We have a 1:1 iPad classroom, the students are using Flipped Video content for their instructions, videos made on this site in the past by students from various classrooms.

The students within the first week of class were independently producing some basic shaped prints following this formula, successfully.   As a result we are encouraging their design and thinking as much as possible.      We have allowed them to print and keep their first initial prints and brainstormed ideas to look at repairing and making things in the context of the school to keep them designing and making.    Theses prints have come in as short as half an hour, with sizes in the 50mm range.    

The last step as usual is the spray painting of these shapes.   

Some of the student have had to make slight adjustments but these have been minimal.

Further details on this process can be found by locating some of our tutorials and designs linked via this blog here.