Have to Have a Habitat

thingiverse

Human: Animal reports are outdated and boring, like old shoe box dioramas. Let's take the second grade science standard on describing habitats and make it more exciting with 3-D printing! I designed this project using Tinkercad because it's easy to use and can be accessed from our school Chromebooks. Standards: CCSS ELA: W.2.7, W.2.8, SL.2.5 NGSS: 2-LS4-1 Overview and Background: This lesson is not just about learning the basics of 3-D printing, but uses desktop fabrication to support students' understanding of animal habitats. Objectives: Next Generation Science Standard 2-LS4-1: Observe and compare the diversity of life in different habitats. With this standard as a guide, your students will also learn 3-D design and desktop fabrication by creating habitat scenes. Audience: Second grade students, with or without experience in 3-D modeling. This lesson can be adapted for any grade level studying habitats or creating small scenes. Subject: Biology Habitats Skills Learned (Standards): CCSS ELA: W.2.7, W.2.8, SL.2.5 NGSS: 2-LS4-1 Lesson Plan and Activity: Students begin by observing plants and animals in various habitats, noting key features. Each student completes a research report on their habitat, including labeled sketches that are later used when designing the model. Students design their habitat models independently or with partners. To avoid frustration, encourage them to simplify their models in the style of Minecraft. If students lack modeling experience, this step can be done whole group or in small groups, with the instructor creating designs based on student input. Habitats are printed, painted, and displayed alongside student reports. If printing every habitat model is not possible, screen capture and print their design work on Tinkercad to adorn the cover of their reports. Duration of Lesson: 5 sessions for research and design 5-10 sessions for printing and design modification Preparation: Students should have an understanding of what defines a habitat. Introduce the basics of Tinkercad whole group, focusing on its user-friendliness, and encourage students to explore and experiment. Rubric and Assessment: Assessment can be based on the written report, model design and preparation, and/or brief oral interview to measure learning. Display completed models in a prominent area of the school to highlight the learning aspects of 3-D printing and encourage other teachers to follow suit! See the attached Suggested Assessment Guidelines above for more. Handouts & Assets: National Geographic Kids is a great resource for students to begin their research. (http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/) References: Check out this Discovery Education lesson for more guidance on implementing this project: http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/habitats-of-the-world.cfm