Help my Engineering Students Design the Future of Building!

My Students

I teach engineering and 3D modeling to middle school students. The students love using the computer software to digitally create 3D objects, but have no way to see them in real life. It would be great to have a 3D printer so that students can "print" their designs and see them come to life.

My students come from a wide background and population area.

My school is the newest school in the district being built in the late 1960's. My classroom has gone under some major changes in the last few years, it used to be a wood shop classroom, now it is a wood shop/robotics classroom/computer lab. I still have access to the wood shop, but my focus is on 21st century skills (robotics, programming, 3D modeling, engineering). The students are excited about the program, and have lots of fun learning through building in my classroom. It is a fairly new program to the school, and I will be the first teacher to take the program to the level it will be at this school year.

My Project

Students use the program AutoDesk Inventor in my classroom exclusively for 3D modeling. Once the have created their 3D models, they will be able to print them out and take them home. This is a much better representation of the work they have completed on a computer than a standard 8.5-11 paper printout. The 3D printers are truly the next level of technology and exposing students to this technology at a younger age helps prepare them for the workforce once they get older and out of school.

My project will help build the future of America.

These students will be the ones who design your bridges, playgrounds, shopping malls, and anything else that needs a computer to help design it. My students will be leading the pack when it comes to 3D modeling and design by the time they get to the 9th grade. This project will help them take their learning experience to a level above and beyond that of a normal school setting.