Kristin Bollin

3D printing Lesson Plan

Unit Overview:
Title: Are we structured?
Grade: High School (90 min class)
Big Idea: Structures

Structures: (Base, middle, top)

A structure has an area of itself touching the ground/bottom plane, a connected middle that may or may not
have appendages and a top that reaches upward into space.

Question:

● How do we perceive structures?

● When do we use structures?
● Why is it important to establish structures?

Objectives:

● Student will perceive a basic and or complex structure.

● Student will identify when we use structures.
● Students will understand why it is important to establish structures.

Day: 1How do we perceive structures?

Key Artist: Miguel Chevalier
Materials: Paper, pencil.
What will student do?: Explore what the idea of structures mean.

● Hook/Intro (20 min)

Structures can be physical or social!

● Society (school, politics, economy)

● Family (parents, siblings)
● Buildings (house, school)
● Objects (table, chair, car)
● Living beings (animals, people, plants)

**For every physical structure setting on the surface of the earth (with mass, density, gravity, physicality) it
maintains a base, middle and a top.**

EXAMPLES:
Humans

● Base = feet/legs
● Middle = torso/arms
● Top = neck/head
Family: (this structure will shift as the top tier creates new children.)

● Base = 1stgeneration (grandparents)

● Middle = 2ndgeneration (parents)
● Top = 3rdgeneration (children)
House:

● Base = foundation (cement slab, beams)

● Middle = walls/windows/doors
● Top = ceiling/roof
Table:

● Base = feet
● Middle = legs/stretcher
● Top = table top/ slab
Flower:

● Base = root
● Middle = stem/pedicel/sepal/leaf
● Top = petals/stamen/stigma

● Explore physical/social structures viewable in classroom. Select 3 structures

Draw and label: (35 min)
Base=
Middle =
Top=

● Write one sentence 3 parts of structure to answer the following question: Why is this part of this
structure are important to the (STABILITY) of the entire object?(15 min)
● Put illustrations up for gallery walk/ clean up. (

What will student learn from this? Student will learn to understand parts of objects in order to identify
purpose.

Day: 2 When do we use structures?

Key Artist: Jan Habraken
Materials: Books, computer, peers, paper, pencil, graphing paper
What will student do? Explore structures in a group and then sketch results.

● Student will explore using: books, internet, peers. Students will in a develop a list of ‘structures’ while
in groups. Students will delegate a (record keeper) and (speaker) (5 min)
● Student speaker will verbally list structures to class (5-10 min)
● Student will sketch a chosen structure using graphing paper. Shade in 2D mass, like Tetris. (50 min)
● Pin up sketches-Gallery walk and clean up (10 min)

What will student learn from this? Students will learn basic ideas about various structures. Students will
learn that they develop structures while creating physical things and while interacting with society.

Base = Record Keeper

Middle = Individual members of group contributing to list
Top = Speaker

Were students surprised that they developed a group structure while making a list of structures?

Day 3: Why is it important to establish structures?

Key Artist: Duncan Smith (Photographer)
Materials: Computer Lab, internet access, email account
What will student do?

● Retrieve sketch of structure for reference in TinkerCad (5 min)

● Designate a base, middle and top section of structure. (5 min)

● TinkerCad profile setup (5 min)

● TinkerCad tutorials (20min)
● Create New Design/Create Title (1 min)
● Begin creating base layer of structure. (5 min)
● Create middle and top layers of structure. (45 min)

What will student learn from this?

 ● Patience – creating an image from the bottom up
● Applications for 3D art
● Importance of creating a stable base to build design on top of.

Day 4: Making Structure~~ LETS PRINT

Materials: Computer
What will student do?
● Watch “HOW TO” video.
● Submit final design to Canvas. Submit Screenshot images (SHIFT-COMMAND-4) Designs from
TinkerCad into online forum.
● View individual designs on screen.
● Discuss successful and unsuccessful qualities of design. Q: Will structure stand up and print
successfully?
● Teacher will select 3 finalists- class will then vote on a single design to print as a group.
● Student will follow steps on handout (HOW TO PRINT AT OUR HIGHSCHOOL)
● File will be sent to MakerBot Replicator Mini.
● While waiting for print class will fill out assessment of lesson
o What did you learn?
o What was your favorite part of the project?
o Is there anything we could have done differently?
● After assessment sheet is turned in, students will continue tinkering on TinkerCad.com