Lesson Requirements

• A working 3D Printer (most schools are provided a Prusa printer).
• Filament to both print during class and extra spools to pass around (the wider variety, the better).
• Parts from a 3D print such as nozzle, hotend, etc (can buy knock off parts for pretty cheap). I had a broken 3D printer that was nice to demonstrate printer movement and operation.
• A series of interesting prints before class starts. Some of these can be prints half way to show infill patterns or failed prints to show students what can happen if a print fails.

Lesson Outline

• Some prerequisites for this lesson is to have a 3D printer print something during class. This makes the students more excited. I choose to create a simple model of the schools mascot through svg import on fusion 360. The entire print takes approximately 40 minutes (I got it down to 25 minutes with some slicer settings) which includes heating the printer, filament changes for colors and waiting for the bed to cool down. I typically started the print 20 minutes before class so the print finished some where near the end of class but not too close.
• As the students walk in, let them take a look at the 3D printer printing then repeatedly tell the students to take a seat. Let the students know that whoever is the best student will get the finished print.
• You could start with a question of the week and should have enough time but I did not.
• Ask the students if they had heard the word manufacturing and if someone could explain it. Emphasize on the process of physically implementing a design.
• Talk about a variety of manufacturing. Ask the student what it means to subtract then talk about subtractive manufacturing. Ask the student what it means to add then talk about additive manufacturing.
• Highlight the process of 3D printing with filament, heating, drawing a pattern and moving up (layers).
• Use the broken 3D printer to give a basic example of filament, extruder, hotend and nozzle as well as the concepts of movement with xyz. Highlight the use of the computer and relate it to the first lesson.
• Pass around nozzle and extruder as well as 3D prints. Tell the students not to play with the prints and to be sure to pass them along. Emphasize on the layers of the 3D prints.
• Relate material to data formats and highlight the use of an .stl model and how it is used by the slicer to create .gcode.
• Talk about the variations in 3D printers.
• Talk about filament and filament types with their pros and cons. Pass around a roll of PLA filament and TPU filament.
• Highlight the limitations of 3D printing such as bed size, nozzle size and supports.
• At this point (if not already) the print should be finished and cooled (or slightly warm). Let the students pass around the 3D print that finished (if another class is coming in then be sure to start another print).
• Pick an appropriate student to take home the 3D print. Any remaining time can be used to of the students line up and each take a turn looking at the 3D printer print the next classes print.

Lesson Results

As expected, all of the students excitedly watched the printer print. Most classes were respectful, engaged, and listened quite well. They enjoyed looking at the different 3D prints and material (some even asked some pretty good questions). Most students were a little bit bummed that they weren’t going to 3D print but the whole class was interested in what was being printed. Some classes were a little more difficult (most notably the second grade classes) due to the presentation format but I do think it’s good to give as it’s the standard class format. One downside is that picking one student to get the print makes some of the students super sad but I guess that’s just how it goes. I think everything went pretty well for the most part. A good success.

Lesson Material