December 4, 2014
Making Microscopes | 3D Printing in the Classroom
At the beginning of the year I came across an article about a group of scientists who made microscopes with a 3D printer. Their design was simple. A small clip with a glass bead in it that fits over the camera of a smartphone or tablet. The size of the bead determines the strength of the […]
November 20, 2014
3D Printing and Twitter in the Classroom
Twitter can be a really good learning tool. I’ve known that for awhile, and I have learned much from my own Twitter account. I have even used it as a learning tool in some college classes that I have taught, but I have avoided it in my fourth grade class. That has changed this year. […]
November 20, 2014
Classroom MakerSpace
I suppose it was inevitable. Once I started tinkering with 3D printers in my classroom I would need a more purposeful MakerSpace than a box in a cabinet. That box in the cabinet that was becoming quite unruly. It was full of soldering irons, LEDs, pipe cleaners, glue guns, and a hodge podge of leftover […]
November 6, 2014
Stop Motion Animation with 3D Printing
My students are in the midst of making mockumentaries on the 3D printed insects that they have “discovered” in our classroom ecosystem. It has been nice teaching this for a second year in a row. Teachers always do it a bit better after the first time. This year I also have the benefit of a […]
October 22, 2014
Blue LEDs, Who Knew?
Sometimes curiosity is the best teacher. Admittedly, most of the time curiosity is a much better teacher than I am. However, understanding and using the curiosity of my students actually makes me a better teacher. If I can get my students curious about a topic and structure a lesson that gives them an opportunity to […]
October 9, 2014
3D Printing in Third Grade | Feeling Successful
One of the best things about maker education or education technology is how they can push kids who are used to having school come easy to them to a place where they have to work. Nobody likes to be frustrated and too much frustration will make a person want to quit. But it is those […]
September 25, 2014
3D Printing the Sonic Bloom
Last week a 3rd grade teacher (Ms. Klingel) popped into my classroom and told me she had an idea for a lesson. She was wondering if I would be willing to help incorporate 3D printing into the lesson. After a few minutes of figuring out what she wanted to do we had an idea for […]
September 18, 2014
Design and Process: 3D Printing in the Classroom
After our first earbud holder was printed last week my students really got excited about making their own. It didn’t take long before the 3D printers were up and running, printing several earbud holders at once. This provided many learning opportunities for all of us. Using Cubify Draw for the first time, I really had […]
September 11, 2014
First Print of the Year
It’s a new year, and I have chosen a new theme for my blog. I have also decided to write about more than just 3D printing in the classroom…maybe. I doubt I will vary too much from 3D printing in the classroom because it is so amazing, but I realized that last year I had […]
July 3, 2014
3D Printing in the Classroom: Recipes for Success
A short time ago I received my copy of The Invent to Learn Guide to 3D Printing in the Classroom: Recipes for Success. I’m very excited for a number of reasons to have this on my summer reading list. I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Thornburg and his lovely wife when I was at […]