3D printing in the classroom for most teachers is NOT something they think about. I didn’t really… then I saw a 3D printer in person for the first time about 4 years ago. Not only did I see one, but I saw one being presented as a useful tool for educators and how to use it in the classroom. From that moment on, it’s all I could think about. HOW can I get this for my classroom? Here is my story…..
3D Printing in the Elementary Classroom
So what finally got me to get on board with 3D printing in the classroom with zero background knowledge? This by the way… is something I typically do…. setting out to become an expert in something merely from interest all the time.
Running into a vendor at a STEM Expo presenting the printer with software for students and teachers to choose from “done for you” print designs that come with a guided STEM lesson was the first time I ever considered 3D printing. I was hooked on that. I didn’t know how to design a print on any interface, or how to get it from the computer to the printer. So this… already done and STEM lessons to boot! Yep.. that’s my speed and students will be stoked! MySTEMKits was that vendor I first met. AMAZING…. especially for the teacher with no experience 3D printing in the classroom.
How I manifested THREE 3D printers
So after seeing the My STEM Kits company… I had to have a 3D printer! One problem… I needed about $2000 for the printer, supplies, and the software. I was determined. Really… I was. The first thing I did when I came back to school after that Expo, was to start hounding our Science Curriculum Director and then my principal… finally…. I filled out a Donors Choose grant for a 3D printer. A few months later, I ran across a contest by Konika Minolta and the My STEM Kits Company.. filled that one out! Then a few months after that, I ran across the GE Additive Grant which was seriously giving educators a printer, software, and access to the Polar Cloud which is a cloud for 3D prints that anyone can join and use to share.
Manifestation is Real
See… I know manifestation can seem a little… woo woo, but what happens when you manifest is that you start looking everywhere for that thing, you think about it, you notice it more, and you learn more about it. That was happening to me! I literally had three bids out in the world for grants to acquire a 3D printer in the classroom.
What happened first? Mr. B… don’t know who he is and will never know, completely purchased a $1600 Donors Choose for me to have a 3D printer. That was my first one. About a month after that, I WON the Konika Minolta contest and got a second 3D printer. By the end of that school year, I had also been accepted into the GE Additive program, and my third upgraded printer arrived!
Benefits of 3D Printing
It wasn’t until I became part of the GE Additive program that I actually knew how to create a 3D print or teach children how to. In that program, I got access to the MOST AMAZING software… Maker’s Empire. Seriously… this is like the most amazing teachable application. As a teacher, I create classes of students with their learning management system. Each student starts with their own account that is connected to Google. The application takes them to a game room set-up to go through steps and challenges for learning how to 3D print in the classroom. I totally did it, too! 3D printing in the classroom creates the biggest achievements and confidence with students.
Today with Maker’s Empire… my best creators are 1st graders!!! They love it! Because they can login from anywhere, it can be done remotely. Currently, my school system is working in a hybrid format. My students at home can create designs, and I can then print them from my teacher account. The next step is just getting the print to them! If distance learning becomes the whole system format, I can still do this. I just plan to bring one printer home. It’s really that easy! Read all about this on the latest blog post from Maker’s Empire.
3D Printing Inquiry
We are all mesmerized when the printers are printing. We love watching them! Do you know what happens every time from students and adults? Tons of inquiry!! Everyone watches and guesses what it might be that the printer is printing. When I realized this, I decided we needed to put a printer in a place with high traffic. The library was the perfect place! Many students and teachers just stop and stare, think, question, inference, and just enjoy watching! There is so much that can be done with a 3D printer! Every elementary school needs one!
Always Use a Design Process
Before I allow any student to print, we are always printing for a reason. Most always… we are printing to solve a problem. Students use the Engineering Design Process or Design Thinking to design with… ALWAYS! To make this process work in remote, I created a STEM Journal for Google Slides so that students can use it to create designs. Grab the STEM Journal for Google Slides here. This journal can be used for any design, not just 3D printing in the classroom.
As always, if you would like to know more about my complete classroom set-up for STEM/STEAM grab my FREE STEM guide with 9 tips for any classroom, not just STEM teachers. When I started with STEM, I was an English Language Arts teacher, and it created the most engagement EVER! Listen to my 3D printing story on my latest podcast for more information on 3D printing! I am super passionate about it!
Find out more about how I started in the ELA classroom and began using STEM in a recent blog post… STEM Teacher Evolution.
