Monthly Archives: October 2014

3-D Printing: a Contemporary Learning Tool in #ACPS

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I like to feature educators and students from across Albemarle County Public Schools to illustrate the innovative work in which our teachers and learners engage. 3-D printing is becoming a workforce tool in ways that I would never have envisioned four years ago. From printing “one-hour” crowns for teeth in dental offices to orthopedic implants, this tool of advanced manufacturing is changing the world of work, medicine, and even homes. Just google 3-D printing!Our middle and high schools all have 3-D printers that teachers are using with students for a variety of design purposes in STEM+ activities. Students with access to 3-D printers use math, engineering, tech, and science skills but also content and competencies from the arts, history, and language arts. I’ve seen mouthpieces for band instruments, a working telegraph, parts for a Sailbot, pulleys, and geometric equations printed in 3-D. Young people use 3-D printers in our schools as tools for learning how to design, engineer, create, and build. As children and teens use these tools, they practicing and develop contemporary workforce competencies of collaboration, creative problem-solving, critical reasoning and communication, not just learning content. They are becoming more capable because of excellent teachers who support them as learners. And, we know this learning can’t be captured on a multiple choice test. Instead, the work our learners produce in 3-D fits well with both traditional projects and performance assessments.

Chris Shedd, Burley sixth grade teacher, represents the cutting edge of STEM + social studies work that’s possible because of access to a 3-D printer. Here’s a post Mr. Shedd wrote to share his sixth graders’ projects.

3D Printing in Social Studies by Chris Shedd, Burley Middle

photo6photo7 photo8 Burley students are mastering 3D printing technology. They are researching and creating 3D models to enhance their learning, collaborate with another local middle school, and even to help a group of college students. The 3D printer offers a great opportunity for students to develop new technology skills and to use their creativity.

Last semester students began using a 3D printer in my social studies class. Students researched and created 3D models of structures including Jamestown, Monticello, the Rotunda, the Mayflower, and Burley. One student created an almost exact replica of a specific Civil War bullet. Nine Burley students attended the Tom Tom festival to show off their work to the public. Many students made 3D models for their Creative Projects and researched their historical significance.

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This semester we have an exciting partnership with an 8th grade class at Sutherland Middle School. Burley students are going to research and recreate spy gear from the American Revolution. Sutherland students are going to look at modern spy gear and some of the science behind it. We are hoping to have our classes Skype with each other, share what we have learned, and discuss how spy gear has changed over time.

Burley students are also creating models from natural history for Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA. Randolph’s Natural History Collection is considering buying a 3D printer and scanner. They want to scan items from their collection and paint them. They have asked Burley students to create 3D examples to test their paints. So far students have created a snail, a trilobite, fossilized dragonfly, a crab, and a lobster. Three copies of the snail have already made it to Randolph College, and they liked it so much they have requested more copies. Mrs. Schoppa, Burley design and engineering class teacher, has been helping us keep up with the printing of objects. I am hoping some of her students will create models for Randolph as well.

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All students have modeling software on their computers. I encourage students who are interested to download Autodesk 123 D. It is a free, basic CAD program. Give it a try!