Help me give my students a 3D printer to create 3D models of the concepts they learn about all year. We do many projects using 3D modeling which allow my students to visualize and create what they learn!
My team consists of 80 seventh grade students that are enthusiastic about science! They come from a variety of backgrounds and have widely varied interests. They come into class every day cheerful and wanting to learn. We participate in many hands-on activities so that we can better understand the world around us and engage in the science of today in order to be able to share the world of tomorrow. We work closely with the other seventh grade team to ensure that we are getting the best possible education in the science curriculum by pooling our knowledge and talents.
The classroom environment is collaborative, creative, and innovative, where the students enjoy working together to explore ways to become responsible, caring, and respectful members of our community.
Science is a big part of our lives, and the more we understand the world we live in, the more we can protect and better the planet for us and future generations.
My students take learning seriously and strive to make the best of the opportunities they're given to learn and grow in the classroom, in the school community, and in the world.
My Project
3D printing brings to life many concepts that tend to be very conceptual and abstract for students. It allows them to visualize and manipulate the components that make up the concepts they are studying. We have several units throughout the year where we learn engineering skills at the same time we are learning biology and chemistry by using 3D printing. The students learn basic CAD programming when creating representations of what they learn.
Students become really engaged in their learning when they can create models of the concepts that they are learning in class.
One great example is our study of chemical bonding. The students learn about the structures for atoms, lewis dot structures, and covalent and ionic bonding. We bring these concepts together by building models of atoms that connect to form different molecules. The students have to study the Lewis dot structures of each atom, figure out how the atoms bond together, and then create the pieces to fit together correctly, showing the type of bonds and the correct number of valence electrons in each atom. By doing this, the students get a deep understanding of the building blocks of everything. This is just one example of how the students learn by creating models of the concepts we learn!
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