Because of our work, we're in makerspaces all the time and we often get to see an impressive variety of STEM-related projects.
If you're reading this, you probably already know that STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math; you probably also know that STEM subjects are typically taught in a project-based, hands-on way. Students are encouraged to try, fail, learn, and try again. Iterations are part of the process.
And sometimes we get asked to share the types of projects we're seeing. It's a bit hard to generalize - after all, some of our clients have students as young as Pre-K, while others have middle, high school, and university students. But it's fun to share, and it's fun to learn from others who are doing these interesting projects, so let's take a look at some we've seen!
Of course, a lot of STEM classes have projects related to transportation. This is where you'll find mousetrap cars, boats, model airplanes, and gliders. You can judge projects based on distance traveled, specific elements of design, creativity, and more. A focus might be on methods of propulsion, or on how much weight the vehicle can carry. We've seen competitions where students had to modify a small 3D printed boat, in order to carry the most pennies possible.
Catapults. Crossbows. Siege towers. All of these are old weapons of war, but they've found a much happier purpose in teaching students about simple machines like levers and pulleys.
And of course, you don't have to present these as war machines. We've seen some really fun elementary school projects, where students worked together to 3D print a pumpkin as the projectile for a catapult. After all, pumpkin launchers are an important part of farm festivals every fall. Why not 3D print the pumpkin?
This is likely one for your more advanced students, likely high school. Design and 3D print parts of a robotic arm - can your students make it grip, lift, and move small objects?
Along the same lines are autonomous rover-type robots, or line-follower ones. If you haven't joined Lego League yet, you might want to give it a try!
Building bridges is a classic part of STEM instruction. Using a variety of materials - anything from spaghetti to balsa wood - see if your students can build a weight-bearing bridge either on their own or as a group. One of our clients who ran this type of project set 50 pounds of weight as the minimum in the rubric. Wouldn't you know it: the winner clocked in at 750 pounds!!!
Another has their middle school students 3D print "skyscrapers", where each level of the building is different, but of course they all have to mesh together and create a cohesive whole.
You might also get students to work on structural domes and arches as STEM projects in this category. It's super interesting to find the differences in load rating in all these structures.
Often the projects presented in an environmental sciences class are quite well-suited to younger students. You might find students creating water filtration systems with a few simple 3D printed components. Or they might build a small terrarium, and 3D print some of the pieces they need.
And there are many, many opportunities to incorporate 3D printing with animal science STEM projects. We've seen university projects where students 3D-printed giraffe feeders for the Houston Zoo. At the elementary level, students might design an automatic fish feeder, or customized bird feeders. They might also create items that enrich an animal's experience, like hamster wheels, puzzle feeders, or aquarium accessories.
Another type of project we've seen is holders of all kinds. Think phone holders and phone cases. One of our makerspace clients has his students create handles for pint glasses. You can have students create guitar hooks, brackets, or fasteners to hold hanging flower baskets.
When you take all of these project ideas, and realize that each one can be customized nearly an infinite number of times, you'll understand why one of our clients says that judging creativity is his biggest challenge.
The makerspaces running these projects use our software to connect their 3D printers, users, and print files. 3DPrinterOS means they can allow access - or withhold it - depending on the individual student's level of skill. The makerspace staff can track iterations and help students troubleshoot any issues. And they run multiple 3D printers - of all different brands and styles - from their desk.
Go ahead and ask us for a demo! We'd love to show you how it works in real life.
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