Stand up Maps of Countries 2015

thingiverse

These students created stand-up maps of countries as part of a cross-curricular "culture fair." See the PDF file for more details on this project. Part of this project was that kids made stand-up maps of their chosen country and added to them something representative or the country name. The Mexico model I am using as an example, while the other models were created by students using Tinkercad. Standards NGSS Overview and Background Students in 7th grade took part in a cross-curricular "culture fair." As part of this project they made stand-up maps of countries chosen by them. They also added to these something that was symbolic or represented the country name. Lesson Plan and Activity The students used online maps found using internet searches, they had to locate images which can be converted into an SVG file online for free. To trace monochrome images students use Google Drawing. The original map is then deleted and it can be traced over by adding line shapes so the whole map shape appears as an image which is download able in an SVG format file. These maps were added into Tinkercad using a computer design program called a Computer Assisted Design or CAD tool where kids also had to make certain things higher. This was needed so the models will be at least 10mm high when finished and will stand up after being printed by the computer designed machine. They then drew onto these maps different objects like the Eiffel tower. When printing a student needs to see they did add all required objects including drawing some sort of text. If students did not this might cause failure. Project: Stand Up Maps of Countries Objective Designing an interactive 3D model, by creating stand up maps and having it so these kids made one of any country around the world they liked. Audience Grade range would be between grades four to ten, with little or no prior computer design training at this point in their schooling. Preparation The cross-cultural fair required several different studies all working together as a group like math class, reading skills for example were all incorporated and needed in some form by students into these designs. Steps Search online and locate the image map they have to choose. Using that the model needs be converted first from the computer generated graphic and the computer 3d printing machine must print it out for this. These free online applications make the design and layout on a picture to SVG in minutes, this can then go into another one and also save in PDF. To download any map use these free software downloads available that you just need to locate and load the images to your device then you are all set for it to convert the whole picture. If it does not have some black in the middle then trace a line across with different drawing tools using the internet app Google Draw which will add lines over a white image but can turn out great in PDF when traced correctly so as this tracing process needs doing once again. In the computer program they had to use Tinkercad to design stand-up maps, these need to be at least 10 mm tall. When students trace monochrome map online it first gets loaded then turned over to SVG format file that can download straight onto their machines with internet apps or websites available. Students have been instructed on what to make the shape look like which in this example was the USA, but if a picture did have several pieces the shapes also had to be linked together so that as well there's no room for it being broken up into two different pictures at printing stage and printed separately instead of all the countries connected when finished with these designs by the students. The steps kids will go through can easily download, draw lines, or any image of an existing place like in Japan, for example they would take those images and use computer 3D tools which make objects turn out pretty awesome once done. Embellish The Tinkercad design can be added text shapes from a library and images that will get uploaded to show symbolic objects as they appear within maps or add to map symbols which represent the actual real-world place it represents such as mountains in a shape, animals, pyramids or monuments in various 3d representations which will be part of this project by these students. Results