Junior Printing Resource: Original Design Updated

Challenge: To produce a 3D Printed object to assist students to count.

Background: We have been working on this print for some time, looking at ways to use a 3D Printer to create a unique resource to target counting of objects for our junior school.

Our original version of this project featured a caterpillar shape so that the students could focus on the numbers from one to ten.    The next part of the project was to identify a resource that could be used and applied to junior students who were using a number sequence to rote count and skip count in twos, threes and then other number combination.

The teacher concerned had identified some other aspects that she wanted.   With the original numbers from one to ten the caterpillar had a single foot with each segment.   The teacher wanted a pair of feet with the two skip version so that they would be able to count one on one to ensure that the skip counting could be correct.

In the original design the segments were 20mm by 20mm however these of course represented a single digit.  In the two skip count version the segments were 20mm across by their size increased to 30mm allowing the two digit numbers to be displayed.   

The intention is to also produce other skip counting versions in this series - with a three and five of particular focus.    We are now doing to deploy a set of these counting devices next year within a junior (five year old) classroom and have the class and students test and see how robust there is.

Size: The entire two skip counting version measures 290mm across and each of the segments are 30mm high.  There are of course 11 in total (the linking is responsible for additional length and a head is at the start of the caterpillar.    The junior school teacher feels that the size is perfect for the five year old class.

Timeframe: Four hours for the extended version.   We are viewing these prints as long term resources that we are expecting to have a high level of use.  We don't want to make the designs any smaller or less robust than they are and this will also depend on how they last in the classroom.   We believe they will last long term with constant use.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the student: The student who is responsible for doing this design has been constantly refining it under the direction of a (junior) teacher.   They have done an outstanding job of responding to feedback and specific direction from the teacher to resolve any issues that are apparent and to get the design 'right'.   This will be an ongoing project with input from the teacher concerned, the student who has designed the print, and the junior school students involved moving into the testing phase in 2023.