Grade Level (of this example): 8 Content : Biology, ecology, evolution, genetics Summary Students in 8th grade science studied how organisms adapt to environmental pressures. They then synthesized their knowledge to create their own creature with unique adaptations. Along with descriptive posters and text, students used Tinkercad to modify animal models to display their new adaptations, or created their own designs from scratch. They then 3D printed their models and shared their creations as part of their final presentations.
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Grade Level (of this example): middle school
Topic/Content Standards (for this example): History- How people lived in early civilizations in Middle East Summary of Project: This is a group project. The students chose a town from Ancient Times in the designated region. They researched it and came up with a general layout and listed the types of structures and areas that would be there. They create a buildable layout which emphasizes important structures and doesn’t repeat common ones like houses. Students each take a different part of the village and make the structures. Students present their work to the class and describe how the things they create represent the actual structures. Another part of the project involves reading literature from the time (Bible passages) and acting out the roles.
Grade Level (of this example): 3 - 6 Time required: 4-6 hours Content Standards (of this example): ELA - Informational writing, oral presentation Math - Using arithmetic to solve problems about money STEM - Earthquakes and impact on human environment
Designing an earthquake resistant structure was a culminating activity to a weathering and erosion unit. Students worked in groups to review prior learning about earthquakes before designing, building, and testing their structures within assigned parameters. At the end, students designed a Google slide to advertise their structure.
Grade Level (of this example): 8th Time: 9 classes, 45-50 minutes each Content Standards (of this example): ELA- creative writing, literary analysis STEM - robotics During a unit on Shelley’s Frankenstein, students were given this prompt: “Explore your own fears and create autonomous robots that demonstrate or represent those fears.” Students worked individually to design robots, build them, and then write a story about their monster. During robotics work periods, students helped each other answer questions and debug programs. As they worked, they entered a daily reflection, complete with writing and a photo, into a shared document. At the end of the project, they shared out their work with their classmates.
Grade Level (of this example): 11 Time: 10 hours over 1 month
Summary of Project: Students created a capstone project with a thesis on the effects of war on an individual’s humanity and a 3D art object affirming their thesis. In a combined Social Studies/ELA block, students studied several major wars, as well as literature set against the backdrop of actual modern wars. Students drew from a variety of resources used throughout the unit, such as All Quiet on the Western Front, daily poetry reading etc. Click here for the full extensive list. Students exhibited their work in the library where it will be on display - first to the students during a Humanities block, then to all students throughout the week. During class display block, students alternated between freely observing others’ work and exhibiting their own work to the others who were roaming.
Grade Level (of this example): 5
Topic/Content Standards (for this example): 5th grade ecosystem science standards; measurement Summary of Project: Students will design a model of an efficient compost bin using Tinkercad or another CAD software program. Depending on the size and complexity of the models, you could print each student's design or print one design per class. Notes from contributor: This project is part of the STEAMTrax Designing an Efficient Compost Bin module. Prior to working through the module, students spent several weeks learning about ecosystems and the flow of energy through an ecosystem. Students (in groups of 4) observed and recorded the physical and behavioral characteristics of the plants and animals in their classroom ecosystems.
Grade Level (of this example): K-8 Topic/Content Standards (for this example): STEM: transfer of potential/kinetic, energy, gear ratios, friction, design practices Students will design and build a classic mouse trap car that meets any criteria designated by the teacher. Multiple video and print examples are available online for students research examples - consider imposing a limit on number of resources to focus the students. Students work individually or in small groups to build a car with a body, axles, and wheels with traction. Cars must have one mousetrap and a functioning string. Presentation and evaluation can incorporate a display of the working model for the class, or student projects can compete in any of the following: speed, distance on a flat or inclined surface, trajectory, load-bearing over a set distance.
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Grade Level (of this example): 6, 7, 8 Time: 2-3 hours/week, 9 weeks = 18-27 hrs Content Areas (of this example): Science, Art, ELA Project Summary
Student teams researched and selected a problem in their community, then designed and tested their solution. Teams participated in our Science Expo to share their projects, write-ups, and results during a poster session. Students researched groups they would like to invite such as the Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Quality and Water Conservation Society. We also invited the local high school, all staff and admin, Instructional Coaches, School Board and local businesses that would benefit from hearing about their projects.
Grade Level (of this example): 4-10
Content Standards (of this example): Learning parent functions, graphing inequalities Summary of Project: Students learn common functions in math by creating a pop up booklet that tells a creative story with graphs. Utilizing parent functions and/or inequalities, students are able to make a variety of trajectories for the characters and scenes in their stories and demonstrate them in pop-up form. For example, the square root function could represent a plateau, or a quadratic function could depict a large hill. By the end of their story, students will have a better understanding of the parent functions and their characteristics. Students can use measurements in the downloadable pdf below to create a basic template, or use a scaled version of their own making. Examples provided here were cut by hand, but for a professional look, students can use a drawing program to create the graphs, and a vinyl cutter to cut the pages. Students may work individually to create their own stories, or combine pages to make a group story. This project will take about two to six hours to complete and can be presented as a library of booklets or as an individual storytelling presentation. Students do not need any prior experience making pop-ups but should be proficient with scissors or craft knives or have access to a vinyl/paper cutter. |