My students are enthusiastic about technology and the things they can make with a 3D printer to improve their lives and learning experiences.
All fifth grade students at my school come to my classroom for science instruction.
Instruction ranges from discussion and note taking to labs, experiments, and research. It is important to me to encourage and teach my students how to find answers to the questions they have. Our school is a Title I school.
The environment of the school is one of encouragement and optimism. Our school motto is, "Be a reader, be a writer, be a problem solver." This motto carries over into my classroom. Students in my science classes are inquisitive and full of questions. They are energetic and love to explore.
My Project
I have used 3D printed models to demonstrate ideas of science such as bones in the human body. My students latched on to the idea and have been asking questions ever since. I have a small, but unreliable 3D printer and have offered to begin an after school club. The objectives of the club are to "create awareness and understanding of current 3D printing technologies and introduce students to 3D printing as a tool for creativity and increased spatial awareness." During the 3D printing club, students will learn about the current uses of 3D printers in the world, learn procedures for using a printer, become familiar with open source modeling applications, and finally print the products they have designed. The response to the club has been phenomenal, but with my limited resources, I am not able to support a large group. With the addition of this printer, the group can flourish and projects can be incorporated into instruction as well.
Donations to the "3D Printing Science" project will change my students' lives for the better because it will teach them at a young and life building age that there is truth to the phrase, "if you can dream it, you can do it." Being able to make something that you have designed on a screen out of a roll of plastic is an empowering feeling and can be a stepping stone for larger ideas that will help them change the world.
Half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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