MY 3D MODELING & PRINTING BACKGROUNDI received a frantic email one night in December, 2013 around midnight from one of my most active members on my robotics teams. He let me know he had come across an offer from Makerbot to put their Replicator 2 in classrooms for free. It involved me putting in a request on www.donorschoose.com and I got on it immediately, by the next day, my request was approved and fully funded and my Makerbot was on the way!
We were SUPER excited! We had discussed 3D Printers before and wished we had one for class and robotics. We had dreams of all the awesome things we could create with it - prototypes and pieces of robots, parts for Engineering class projects that we didn't have, the opportunities to make our 3D creations become tangible works of art. Our dreams were coming true! We received our Makerbot and my students have made pulleys, and prototypes, robotic hands, fundraiser and giveaway items, trophies and prizes, and they've learned how to design items on their own, teaching me new things I haven't had time to research and learn on my own. Their drive and creativity has impressed me beyond my expectations. |