![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_0718-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ultimaker 2+ 3D Printer before it was ever used<\/em><\/p>\n BACKROUND<\/p>\n I recently purchased an Ultimaker 2+ 3D printer<\/a>\u00a0with\u00a0some of my prize money from winning a Presidential Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Math and Science<\/a>. \u00a0This is now part of the elementary Maker Space I have been creating the last 2 years with seed money from the Williamsburg PTO<\/a>. Kids can\u00a0come to the Maker Space on Fridays at recess time if they desire. \u00a0Students are instructed that they can come and design, create, or invent something. \u00a0This includes coding. \u00a0I do tell them\u00a0it’s not<\/em><\/strong> for playing educational apps and games. \u00a0Typical choices have included 3D printing, LEGO<\/a>s, additional LEGO robotics, LittleBit<\/a> circuits, duct tape creations, taking apart old computers, code.org<\/a>, claymation, \u00a0Scratch<\/a>, and Scratch, Jr <\/a>coding. \u00a0In this blog post, I am going to focus on some lessons learned and some observations of 3D printing.<\/p>\n STUDENT RESPONSE<\/p>\n Students were fascinated and excited to have a 3D printer from day one. \u00a0Most students had at least heard of 3D printing. \u00a0After the initial setup, I decided I would start having elementary students use thingiverse.com<\/a>\u00a0to print out existing designs. \u00a0Thingiverse is a web site where users submit their own designs that other people can print out and\/or modify. \u00a0 Thingiverse also has an option (if so designed by the person who submits the design) to configure the design. \u00a0For example, students could print a keychain with their initials on it. \u00a0I figured it would be best to start with printing existing designs and work our way up to creating our own objects, which I understand, is a bit tricky for elementary students. \u00a0I also figured that a major goal should simply be\u00a0to experience the ability to print out objects.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Student learning TinkerCAD to create her own design. \u00a0This\u00a0student is very creative and a huge LEGO fan. \u00a0She has been super motivated to come to Maker Space and pursue her own creative ideas. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The student above\u00a0is learning how to create her own object using\u00a0https:\/\/www.tinkercad.com<\/a>, which is a web site where original designs can be created. \u00a0It includes numerous tutorials. \u00a0I was\u00a0very excited to see the first student created design print out, as was she. \u00a0I did tell her that we would be learning together and she accepted that. \u00a0I have stressed that point throughout. \u00a0It is important that students know that \u00a0sometimes designs do not print out successfully and that we are learning 3D printing together.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Epic Fail! \u00a0We have not had success to date printing out models of cars or Imperial Destroyers. \u00a0When the model detaches from the glass, this happens. \u00a0It could be that the PLA\u00a0plastic we use (no fumes) cools and does not stay attached with larger models. \u00a0We may have to raise the glass\u00a0temperature for these larger models\u00a0or use some kind of adhesive substance. \u00a0Printing a build plate adhesion layer, which is a thin layer of plastic that surrounds the print and can be easily removed later does\u00a0seem to help but not enough in some cases. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I told the student that the Dark Side of the Force was at work on his failed Star Wars Imperial Destroyer print.<\/em><\/p>\n The basic workflow we have used is that students go to thingiverse.com and select a design that is not too complex and that consists of one part. \u00a0They download the CAD file that describes the object. \u00a0They next “slice” the file using a free application called Cura<\/a>\u00a0(also from Ultimaker), which takes the 3D CAD drawing file and creates a printing directions file for the specific 3D printer. \u00a0Some students have also learned how to\u00a0scale the object up or down in Cura.<\/p>\n Students or my parent helper (see below) take the printer file and transfer it to an SD card that can be inserted into the printer. \u00a0I just purchased a second SD card so we can have one object printing and copy files to there other SD card at the same time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Parent helping students create 3D prints. \u00a0Two sixth graders babysit this parent’s 2 year old son for an hour during Maker Space. \u00a0While this may not directly be considered part of Maker Space, in a broader sense it is, because we are \u00a0giving students experiences with things they are good at and are also personally interested in. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n We load up the SD card(s) with files that are ready to print and I then print them during the following week during the day and overnight.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3D printer in action<\/em><\/p>\n I wrote up the process directions for older students in 2 versions. \u00a0One is simple and does not include customizing designs.<\/p>\n 3D Printing Directions Simple (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n The other includes making customized items.<\/p>\n 3D Printing Directions Full (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n We have created a Google Document<\/a> to keep track of the 3D prints.<\/p>\n There have been some interesting things happening with 3D printing and students. \u00a0One of these is a constant parade of students, mostly sixth graders, that continually stop in the tech lab to check on the 3D printer and what it is currently printing. \u00a0With its open design, it is easy and fascinating to watch the Ultimaker 2+ \u00a0print. \u00a0I find myself doing the same thing. \u00a0Gradually, more and more students have become interested in printing an object they choose. \u00a0I assume that word gets around when students \u00a0show their printed objects to other students.<\/p>\n For whatever reason, many of the students that are constantly coming into the lab to check on the 3D printer have learning disabilities of some type. \u00a0Many of them are also very talented with all things mechanical and many (but not all) also are\u00a0boys. \u00a0For whatever reason, these students\u00a0have been fascinated with 3D printing and I have encouraged their interest. \u00a0One boy, in particular, I have made my 3D printing helper and he is mastering the process and becoming quite good at helping other students. \u00a0I think that for students who find traditional schoolwork challenging but have other mechanical and hands-on talents, that opportunities to excel in\u00a0school\u00a0<\/em>with\u00a0\u00a0things they are good at<\/em> is very empowering and positive for them.<\/p>\n The SPED teacher of many of our the “3D printing kids” shared with me that it was hard, at times, to motivate the students during their math class. \u00a0We decided to try and use their newly found and intense interest in 3D printing to help with their math motivation. \u00a0Two natural mathematical concepts are great to illustrate with 3D printing. \u00a0One is scale and the second is x, y, z coordinates. \u00a0Students came into the lab and we showed how the printer uses x, y, z coordinates to print. \u00a0We also had students scale some sample objects up and down to get at ratio, scale, and multiplication. \u00a0This led naturally to measurement as well because Cura shows the dimensions of the current object and you scale by replacing one of the x, y, or z dimension measurements with a new value, which is then scaled proportionally in the other two dimensions.<\/p>\n One thing the our Maker Space has really shown me is the importance of and joy in empowering kids to instantiate\u00a0their own ideas, have a job they are good at, and pursue their own interests. \u00a0More photos follow of students either using 3D printing or showing some of the objects they have made.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ultimaker 2+ 3D Printer before it was ever used BACKROUND I recently purchased an Ultimaker 2+ 3D printer\u00a0with\u00a0some of my prize money from winning a Presidential Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Math and Science. \u00a0This is now … Continue reading ![](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_1271-e1484924787222-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_1160-e1484150965824-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_1266-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_1009-e1484150913752-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_1019-e1484936415881-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_1267-e1484151017533-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_1263-768x1024.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_0826-e1484150795497-768x1024.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_1007-e1484150878323-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kidsengineer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/IMG_1262-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/p>\n