OpenSCAD Projects for Junior High Teachers

thingiverse

**Student WorkSheets** This is a collection of worksheets (not shown in the preview above, but are in the download) for 10-14 year old students (or just CAD beginners in general, junior or senior) to get started in OpenSCAD. This is a very versatile design tool that will not only reinforce the number line and 3-D spatial concepts, but also allow the imaginative and curious students to quickly expand their design capabilities. Truly open ended! OpenSCAD works with 3 definable geometric shapes- cubes (which can be transformed into any rectangular dimensions), cylinders (which can also be transformed into cones) and spheres, defined and positioned with a simple, but very powerful, scripting language. It incorporates functions to add and subtract the above shapes to build a project. OpenSCAD is not a drag and drop design tool, but will provide students with Scripting/Programming experience, mathematics (Number Planes, 3-D Geometry and Logic) extensions, and lead to the ability to export designs (in .stl format) ready for printing! Great learning reinforcement and the absolute answer to the student groans in Mathematics classes of "When are we ever going to use this math??" and in Science "That idea is really cool, can we build it?" and in Technology "Let's make a part to do the job". Projects can truly become interdisciplinary!! The work sheets have an extremely simple introductory project, "The microphone", then two easier projects, followed by the "Table and Chair" and the "Cricket Set". Slightly harder are the "Coffee Cup" and "Toy Cars". However these sheets can obviously be changed/overhauled to suit a particular teacher's program (files are in OpenOffice format), and indeed the whole unit can be rewritten and adapted as required. Adults who maybe a bit rusty with their mathematics, may find even their appreciation of the beauty of mathematics is rekindled! Mine was! Enjoy!!!