Kickstarter: Market Day 2025

 

Our term has ended at Auroa School for Term Two.  As we have been sharing on this blog we have been preparing for our 2025 School Market Day.

This year there has been an adjustment made in the format, the students have created videos promoting each of their products with a focus on innovation and personalisation.   

The videos for each product can be viewed via the School Website under the heading of 'Kickstarter.  There are currently four different tabs on the school website featuring the videos from five different classrooms.   These videos feature products that are manufactured by our students which will be available later in the year.   You can click on the link to the Auroa Primary School Website here - and then add the Kickstarter links from there.

Auroa School Step Master Dance Battle 2025

Each year we have a major event for our students - again this year we held our School Stepmaster Dance Competition.   Today in school we held the competition and had five competitions - Medium Girls and Senior Girls, Junior Girls, Boys and Staff.   The above link for Sonic Vision Studios has the video for todays amazing competition.

Major School Event: Stepmaster Competition 2025

 

Tomorrow at Auroa Primary School we are having one of the biggest events of our school year - our annual Stepmaster Competition.   This involves the use of our School Stepmaster Machine with the students competing against each other to determine our 2025 School Champion.

You can watch the competition via the Sonic Vision Studios Youtube Page.

You can also scan the QR Code that is below.

3D Printed Flexi Animals 2025: Progressions 2

 

Challenge: To produce a unique flexi fidget toy.

Background: We started documenting this process early this term when a student who was looking for extension activities wanted to create her own version of the flexi animal, and we used a process created by a former student in the form of flipped media.

The student has progressed her design to the stage that is shown left.   In it the student has created a four step flexi toy - not of course in the shape of an animal, but in the shape of a Christmas Tree.   The student adapted the design as it was a ploy for a product for our 2025 Market Day Project.   This was done as the student reasoned that this would be an incentive for someone to purchase another item (a candle) as they would be able to also have a Christmas decoration.   We have detailed a huge amount of Christmas themed decorations and each year we update them on this blog.   You can click on link to examples here.

The student is at the point that the intention of the initial project was to master the art of flexi-animal making and has nearly completed these.   The technique that she has applied to this project can then be related to others and the a full range of designs could be created.

The same process and learning was applied to the caterpillar design, featuring a students name shown left.   The font for the name was the start created for each caterpillar segment.   The student has learned from experience that they have needed to increase the size of the linking pieces.

Size: The Christmas Tree measures 100mm across at its widest point, is 120mm high and currently 10mm thick.  We could potentially reduce the latter and this would reduce the print time considerably.   The caterpillar is 170mm long and is 50mm high and 10mm thick, again this could potentially be reduced to make this print less chunky.

Timeframe: Two and a quarter hours for the print as it stands, for the Christmas tree.   The Caterpillar has a two hour timeframe for the print having the five sections to it.   Both of these were completed with 'fast print' settings.

What we would do next/Next Steps for Student: Over the past three weeks the student has undergone a process of learning the technique to apply to a range of prints and design which is centred around the designing, creation of and applying of a the 'linking' to a print.   Once this has been mastered it has multiple applications and as detailed in the slideshow it is possible to make any range of design with the same basics.

3D Printed Junior Progression: Jewellery

 

Background and Details: Market Day 2025 Project

It started with a brainstorming session for students for this years 2025 School Market Day which has the themes running through it of personalisation and innovation.

As we have students who have proven to be adept and enthusiastic 3D Printers we researched different ideas related to this.   One group of students found the example shown left, which they felt would be in their skill range, and would be feasible to produce using our Schools 3D Snapmakers via Tinkercad.

However when tasked with consider the personalisation thats where the students then developed the idea further.

By using the main Tinkercad interface there is a cube shape available as one of the major design shapes.,  Combining this with the adding of text easily allowed the students to insert their names onto each of the blocks to form a series.     This allowed the clear personalisation that is one of the goals.

The next step was to get the students to consider how they could expand on this and push their designs further.   They had the ability to create something detailed and effective by using the 'scribble' icon that we have used constantly in the classroom, this allowed the students to create images that in turn could then be converted in printable images that could be inserted onto the blocks.   

The combination of both allowed the creation of beads that were personalised with the students name and then interspaced with the beads that had the illustrations on them.

The size of the beads was relatively small, being essentially 1.5cm cubes so that the print time for each one was approximately 15 minutes.   

Further experimenting will be completed with these designs, as they currently can be made out but require additional refinement to ensure that they have clarity as is the case at times with the details in 3D printing we typically use the default setting of 'fast' to ensure that the task can be completed and at times the accuracy for the prints may not be there.   

The practicality is that we typically share the machines with other students and classrooms and we need to consider that in both the size and the frequency of our printing.

We also have the opportunity to look at using filament that is different in its composition, the students have expressed a desire to work with different colour combinations including metallic and rainbow prints.   This will be further expanded on in upcoming prints and projects as we approach Market Day,

3D Printed "Scribble' Shoe

 

Challenge: To create something with a basketball theme that was unique for a potential market day item.

Background: Various associated deadlines are being met for the students as we prepare for our school Market Day 2025, with the often mentioned focus on being personalised and innovative.   This is sometimes a challenge as there is a wealth of material out there freely available.

A case in point is basketball themed items which we have identified as something students are enthusiastic about and we mentioned already how this group have used inspiration from exisiting NBA logos and design to personalise some for their local clubs or sports teams.   The challenge for the students was to increase the personalisation.

The student has attempted to resolve this by using the 'scribble' option for Tinkercad.  We have talked about this design tool previously - that it allows the students or creators to essentially create any shape at all (as opposed to something linear).    In this instance the student wanted to create a basketball shoe, however they addressed the issues of purpose by including the ring at the top and then including their name in the form of the middle of the line of the print.

The students design shown is there first attempt at the task, they have already indicated that they are going to produce alternative versions of this print with additional detail to get the dimensions better, however they were thrilled with their first attempt.

Size: The print measures 90mm long and is 70mm high at the top.   The width of the print is 10mm.  Suitable for the dimensions of the print.

Timeframe: Seventy five minutes.   Given the dimensions of the print, and the fact that this was a successful print on 'fast' settings this is the right size for the project.

What we would do differently/next steps for the students: The student wants to refine the design to try and get the dimensions correct and more detailed, so that the print looks a better piece.

3D Printing Projects Currently in Development

 

We are approaching the end of the school term here in New Zealand, the second term of four.   We are preparing our students for the 2025 School Market Day.    Our focus for our students is innovation and personalisation.

You can keep track of our projects for this year by using the search bar to the right and using the keyword '2025 Market Day'.

At the same time we are always looking for examples and ways to encourage the students.   We continue to have students who purchase or locate items from local stalls and markets and items that are ordered from overseas significant - and we look for the opportunity to either be able to replicate this very closely or to produce the entire print again from using sites such as Thingiverse.

We have a school of students looking for projects and using a variety of our technology.    In the example two of our senior students have taken the design for a snooker or pool table and attempted to replicate it.  The print is of a significant scale and detail and the current version is taking twenty hours to print, is measuring 140mm across, 100mm wide and is 100mm high.    There is also the logistics of getting sorted balls for the game and potentially cues to strike the ball.   There is an inbuilt ball return system which is visible when the rafting is removed.

We also continue to encourage our class of juniors to work on their own idea and designs.   In the example shown left the student had been experimenting with using the Tinkercad 'scribble' option to work on a basic design.   It is her first attempts at creating something unique.   Given the size of the print and its composition its print time is ideal for a student to create quickly and effective with a timeframe that is realistically able to be printed.

Another example of a Market Day 2025 product for students is this night light that is shown left.  We have already highlighted two other night lights in this years marley day - as groups in our classroom are producing a Minecraft theme night light, which you can see by clicking here - or another version being produced using the laser cutter to create the frame.

In this example the base has been hollowed out and a variety of shapes and images have been cut out of the base.   This currently has an eighteen hour print time.

These prints will be updated at a later point.

Auroa School Event: Stepmaster 2025

 

 

 

At Auroa Primary School each year we have several special events for our students, one of which is our Step Master Dance Competition.  Above is the video for the 2024 competition.   Our students are currently involved in qualifying where in the last week of this term, just over nine days away.    We will be live streaming this competition via Youtube and will put details on this site.

The Step Master Machine is a major piece of hardware for our school that is a focus for our students.   The step master machine was built by students who continue to produce media for the machine in the form of the music videos that students compete with.   You can view the Youttube channel where this work is based by clicking on the link here.

3D Printed Customised Junior Boxes

Challenge: To produce a customised box for a specialised (adult) experiment with an option to mount it on a wire fence.

Background: We have spoken in the past about being available for outside projects and try and encourage this as much as possible to engage with real events and the community.   This box and project has been previously documented on this blog when it started.

While the box shape and details were always correct the issue was how to develop the print so that it could be attached to a wire fence, as it is intended to work in conjunction with an electric fence in a farming task.

The solution came from the design that is shown left.   The main box was connected to a semicircle shape which was linked to a rectangle.  The two shapers were then built to have a small gap between them and the main box, with the idea that the unit could then be attached to a fence as a result.

The resulting connection point (shown left) was the first real development with this student of taking a creative idea and being challenged to improve it.

The addition of the support at the back increased the print time for the project to make it just over two hours (as with every other print on this site this is via 'Fast' print settings.

The final stage of the project was to test it against a number eight wire fence.   We knew that the size of the box was correct, we knew that the clip would hold the box in place but it was the issue of a successful mounting on the project on a fence.

As shown left the unit/print and design works perfectly as intended.  As we have also discovered with other projects and prints on this blog we know that the prints allow units that can last indefinitely outside.

We have mentioned numerous times the now seven year old project based around displaying prints and numbers outside.  

This project is now awaiting final confirmation from the person who approached the class about the project to check if any additional chargers are required.

3D Printed Projects: Market Day 2025

 

We are looking at ways for students to think about how they can adapt designs for our 2025 School Market Day with the two key components that we are looking for - innovation and personalisation.

In an example shown left the NBA logo and badge was printed out (by a student) with a design that was available as an .stl file on a free website.    

This led to the question being posed how it could be personalised or localised and the result was the student developed a version for his local rugby club based on the design.    Each of the prints took approximately two hours to print and the larger print was 140mm square, the Coastal Rugby was 100 square.   We are encouraging the student concerned to consider how they could add detail (such as develop the rugby ball part of the design, thing about the font and how it looks) and improve its presentation.  We have created versions of this print on many occasions such as this oversized keyring from 2019 or these versions which featured on this blog in 2018.     We also know from experience that these prints have an extremely long life as a working print (as opposed to an MDF type keyring) as evidenced by our update from this year when we identified after seven years of daily use the 3D Print was still maintaining its shape and form.

Another of our groups is looking at necklaces and jewellery as a product.  Again we want to pose the question to the students - where is the innovation how can the print be personalised?

In this instance the student wanted to make a series of message beads that is items that could be linked together that spelt out a unique name.   The student took a regular shape from Tinkercad introduced a letter and additional shapes on it (which used the Tinkercad draw feature) and then hollowed each one out so it could be used and strung together.   The student is now experimenting with the different ways to decorate the top of the beads and also look at what the size that best fits the purpose of.   The example shown show shapes that are 20mm by 20mm.   There is also a range of options that are created for this by different use of filament.

We have spoken how flexi-animals or variations of them have proven to be some of the most enduring ideas and prints that have been created by our students.

We have had previously students create significant media and material related to the process who have moved onto higher schooling - however we asked these students to create unique tutorials to document the process using the 'flipped learning' pedagogy and it was this material that has been used by our students in 2025 to create a range of original designs. 

We have a range of students completing designs in this area - one such example shown above has been a student who is looking to create some form of pendants or jewellery with a star as the basis, and is currently working on her linking.

3D Printed Stands: iPads and iPhones

 

Challenge: To show innovation and creation to produce a unique suitable for a student market day.

Background: This is the focus for our big school event this year a school market day showing innovation and creativity.

We have put our students into business groups and each of these groups has been tasked with some key questions - how can they use technology and innovation to produce something that is creative, unique and personalised.

One of our groups is focussed on having iPhone stands and iPad stands for various devices.   This group has used the Tinkercad design template and then altered it to meet their design needs (which in this instance was to adapt it for the different devices).   The personalisation of the stands has come in the form of lettering at the front, sunk into the sides and also a design feature on the back.

The student was also challenged with design task of making something that was unique and creative.   In this instance the student who created the project, who is a Y3 student, so a student who is seven years old, wanted to have the hand reaching out from the back of the design.

The 'iPads are the best' slogan at the back was intended to be more of a example of what could be done rather than something that needed to feature for the design (and a point of difference for the selling process will be the personalisation of this and other text).

We previously had created numerous iPad stands including this one with built in storage from 2018.   Another version of this was completed in 2019 with a slightly different design.

A secondary project and potential product came from the same process, however the base design was adapted by the student for an iPhone stand.  We have produced a number of iPhone stands in the past, which you can locate via the search bar on the right hand side of this blog.

In this example the phone stand has had a similar process undertaken to ensure that it is completed successfully.   This means as well as the basic stand shape there is a persons name built into the base of the design, where the phone sits, the back as a personalised message and the addition of some basic graphics and details.

Size: There are two seperate prints in this project.  The iPhone is of course the smaller one measuring 80mm wide and 80mm deep.   It was also 80mm high and the wedge extended out 20mm and the lettering and illustrations raised 5mm from the back of the design.  It took two and a half hours to print.

The iPad stand measures 120mm across is 90mm long and 90mm high.    The wedge was 20mm high and the graphic at the back of the stand measures 10mm out.   

The iPad stand took four hours to complete.   Given the dimensions of the prints, the purpose of the print these are able to function as required.

3D Printed Flexi Animals 2025 Junior Progression

 

Early this week we wrote about a student who was using media created by a previous student to undergo the process of creating original flexi-animals.  These designs and creations have been amongst some of the most unique and popular designs from our students.

The student started the process of designing these from scratch close to a week ago.   Several days ago the student presented a finished version of the design which is the caterpillar shown left.    As can be shown by the rule to demonstrate scale it came in at 170mm long was 5mm wide and 10mm long.   We had a conversation with the student and looked at increasing the scale of the design so that the linking and the lettering was larger but also reducing the level of lettering.

This resulted in the design shown left.  In it the student has opted for a five letter name as the basis for the shape.   They have increased the size of the linking so that the entire design was 180mm in length.   The heigh of each of the segments is 40mm and the design was 10mm thick or wide.   This resulted in a much more robust design and creation which the student is now testing.

The student final step in this process is to take the original design and apply it to an animal shape so that she can create the animals that she initially wanted to create, using the linking and the design skills that she has progressed with.   The student in this instance is a Y4 student which means that they are eight years old.

DPE at Auroa School: Laser Cut Speakers

 

We have spoken before about how at Auroa School the students complete their own technology (DPE) project, which is also known as tech for Y7/8 in New Zealand.

Auroa School students rotate around a number of activities one of which is based around the use of our school laser cutter.   In this example this years group of students are producing a working speaker where the laser cutter is used for the creation of the shape and design of the speaker.

Students take part in a rotation of lessons for DPE and each rotation takes around six weeks.    One the DPE/Tech day the students spent from 9am in the morning until 1pm working on their projects.   This is a recently completed example.

The speaker is blue tooth enabled and powered via an adapter.    The design is from a pre-provided design.   We have previously posted examples that have been created and produced by students showing innovation and adaptation such as the AT-AT speaker and the plane based speaker which housed the same units but had the students who had created an original shape.

These projects are resourced by the school.

The design for the speaker shown in the photographs measures 200mm across is 100 wide and 110mm high.   

We have also had the opportunity for students to adapt the projects with different designs.    Another example of the same project is the speakers shown left.   The speaker systems and the bluetooth are the same as the example shown above.

For further details information on our school DPE (tech) program you can contact us via the blog and we can provide you with further information.

Market Day 2025 Laser Cut Night Light: Revisited

 

In March last year we were looking at developing the idea of combing the school laser cutter with a set of LED lights to create either a night light or some kind of illumination.     

This year as part of Market Day 2025 one of our groups was looking for an example of personalisation, that could be applied to a project, and we have already a group creating a version of Minecraft themed night light.   We applied the same basic principals to this design, the original of which you can see detailed here on this blog from March of last year.

As this is a prototype version of this print measures 100mm square and is 120mm high.    The current MDF is 6mm thick.    The light affect has been created by using a set of relatively inexpensive fairy lights, which means that the entire unit can be produced for under $5.

The next phase is of course to identify the personalisation of the unit and how that can occur.   The answer to this of course lies in the 3D Printing for the names.   It is conceivable that Sketchup might also be used to incorporate the design into the base of the unit.

The shapes (in this case circles) on the design causes the light to be diverted.  However the students have the obvious, could they locate additional colours (such as lights that change colour randomly) or movement that would affect the display.

In the past we have had groups focussed on light, using shapes to distort the light and using this theme for their projects - including a group who used the 3D Printers to print brackets to hold multi-coloured lights that cycled colours in 2019.

In July of 2024 we looked at producing a small sized light house that was completely created using the 3D Printers you can read that post here.   

3D Printing: Term Two Junior Ongoing Projects

We have our deadline approaching for our videos for Market Day 2025.    Students have until the end of the short term to produce a 'kickstarter' style video.

Each group has a focus and key idea based on innovation and personalisation which are key themes that we are always encouraging our students to experiment and demonstrate.

We are tagging all projects for this year with a 'Market Day 2025' tag and you can likewise search the blog for projects from Market Day 2023.

As detailed previously on this blog students who are working on unlocking the secret to one of our most enduring and popular series of prints - the flexible animals.

We have already featured the creation of the rabbit shown left, however the student has now improved the linking as shown in the picture and they are now going to apply the linking to the designs, once this has been completed any animal can be created using the process, format and linking.

We have numerous examples of these designs shown on this blog over the past few years you can search the blog using the headings 'flexi animals'.

We have now completed a sample prototype for one of the first groups the 'Minecraft' themed night light.

We are previously AR/VR this name badge, however following a two and a half hour print we now have a badge that could be used as part of the design process.  All the remains now for the prototype is to spray paint the base and the box (under supervision using our adults/staff).   
 

The students can then complete the video component of the project in preparation for our market day.

3D Printed Dolls House: Video Explanation

 

This video is the overview of the 'Dolls House Project' that our students were involved in significantly during Term One of 2025. This is the summary of the entire project, the project is explained indepth in the slideshow below.