Add a Face to Mt. Rushmore

thingiverse

This project is based on a writing assignment that one of our teachers used to give to students. Students had to choose a figure from American history and write about why their choice deserved the honor of being added to Mt. Rushmore. To add a new twist, we're incorporating 3D printing into the assignment by having students sculpt the face of their chosen figure using Sculptris. This will be their first experience with computer sculpting, and they'll learn how to use the Draw and Crease brushes in the process. The Mt. Rushmore model is available on Thingiverse, and I've added a blank section for an additional face. As a test run, I created an example using Albert Einstein's face, which turned out decently well considering it was my first Sculptris sculpt. **Sculpt GL is a web-based sculpting app that will work perfectly for this project: https://stephaneginier.com/sculptgl/** The idea here is to challenge students to think creatively about American history and its figures. By having them design and 3D print their own face, they'll gain hands-on experience with computer-aided design (CAD) software. **Update:** Sculpt GL outputs STL files, which makes it easier to combine with the Rushmore model in Tinkercad: https://stephaneginier.com/sculptgl/ The project will consist of three main activities: 1. Students will choose a figure from American history and write a speech that could be given when their face is unveiled and dedicated. 2. They'll use Sculptris to sculpt the face of their chosen figure, learning how to use the Draw and Crease brushes along the way. 3. Once they've completed their sculpture, they'll export it as an OBJ file, convert it into an STL file using MeshMixer or an online converter, and then import it into Tinkercad to combine it with the Mt. Rushmore model. The goal of this project is for students to understand the significance of Mt. Rushmore and the importance of preserving American history. By creating their own 3D models, they'll develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and creativity. **Project: Add a Face to Mount Rushmore** Objective: Students will choose someone from American history who deserves to be added to Mt. Rushmore. Audience: This project is designed for an 8th-grade class that has learned about American history up through the 20th century. Preparation: Students should have basic knowledge of American history and some experience with CAD software. Steps: 1. Students will choose a figure from American history who deserves to be added to Mt. Rushmore. 2. They'll write a speech that could be given when their face is unveiled and dedicated, explaining why their chosen figure is worthy of the honor. 3. Using Sculptris, students will sculpt the face of their chosen figure, learning how to use the Draw and Crease brushes in the process. 4. Once they've completed their sculpture, they'll export it as an OBJ file, convert it into an STL file using MeshMixer or an online converter, and then import it into Tinkercad to combine it with the Mt. Rushmore model. 5. They'll resize and rotate their face to ensure proper placement on the mountain. Results: This project was completed with an 8th-grade class that had no prior experience with Sculptris or CAD software. It took them two periods (about 90 minutes) to complete their sculptures, with varying degrees of success. The weakest part of their sculpting was the eyes, which many of them made by drawing like they would for a 2D picture instead of modeling eye sockets. Importing the faces into Tinkercad proved to be a challenge, as Sculptris outputs files in OBJ format that need to be converted to STL. The files were too big for online converters, so I ended up transforming them with Meshmixer. It would be better to complete the project using just one program. Despite some glitches, all students were able to complete a 3D model, which are available here.