3D Printing Lesson Plan: Make Your Own Moby

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

In this lesson plan which is adaptable for grades 3-12, students use BrainPOP resources to explore 3D printing. Students will learn what 3D printers can and cannot do and sketch a useful object that they’d like to make with a 3D printer. Students with 3D printer access will also be able to print their own 3D Moby.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Grade: 11-12

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.7

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

Grade: 03

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.7

Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).

Grade: 04

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.7

Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

Grade: 05

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.7

Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

Grade: 06

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.7

Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

Grade: 07

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.7

Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium’s portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).

Grade: 08

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.7

Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.

Grade: 09, 10

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.7

Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.

Students will:

Identify what 3D printers currently can and cannot print.
Explain how 3D printer technology works.
Sketch a useful object that could be made using current 3D printer technology.

Materials:

Computer with internet access for BrainPOP
Interactive whiteboard
3D printer (optional)
3D Moby .stl file (optional)
Graphic organizer

Lesson Procedure:

The day before implementing this lesson, ask students to find an article online about 3D printing and generate a list of questions they have about the topic. They might also list some things they'd like to create using a 3D printer.
Display the Graphic Organizer on your interactive whiteboard. Encourage student volunteers to share what they already know about 3D printing based on their independent research, and share what they'd like to know. Type their responses into the organizer.
Open a new tab or window on your browser and play the 3D Printing Movie for the class.
Return to the graphic organizer. Is there any information they thought they knew that was incorrect? What new information do they have now? Which questions were answered and which remain unanswered? Are there any new questions that students have?
If you have access to a 3D printer in your classroom, tell students they will have the opportunity to print their own 3D Moby, just like in the movie. Show students what the 3D Moby .stl fileand printer look like and demonstrate how to print.
Pass out copies of the Activity or graph paper, and encourage students to sketch something that is both useful and simple enough to print on a 3D printer.
Allow students to share their ideas and creations with the class.
You can assess student learning using the Quiz.

Extension Activities:

Have students work collaboratively to research the answers to any questions from the KWL chart that were not addressed through the BrainPOP movie. They can use the Related Reading resources to help.

Filed as: 3-5, 3D Printing, 6-8, 9-12, Blended Classroom, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.7, Classroom Projects, Lesson Plan, Printer, Technology