Teachers frequently ask us about interesting and engaging 3D-printing projects for the classroom. 3D printing is a great tool for students to learn, but it’s not terribly engaging to download a file online, hit print, and then wait several hours for the printer to do the work. The real fun in 3D printing is in designing your own objects – that’s why we designed the DIY 3D-printed cookie cutter project. It's an easy-to-execute but totally creative activity that will help teach your students valuable technology tools. They will learn the fundamentals of 3D modeling software and 3D printing practices, while still having the freedom to express themselves creatively!
For this activity, students can use a free online modeling software called TinkerCad to design their cookies cutters. To learn more about getting started with TinkerCad, visit our brand new tutorial! For more complex and robust shapes, students can prepare their shapes using design software like Adobe Illustrator before importing them to the modeling software. We would also recommend using a food grade filament for this project.
Check out the video below for a step-by-step look at this project!
Tried this project in your classroom, or have other ideas for classroom 3D printing projects? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
teaching tools, Maker Education, student projects