3D scanning technology is becoming more readily used and affordable, and primary schools can now integrate this into various projects across the curriculum. 3D scanning is a perfect complementary technology to 3D printing. It allows pupils to design and create more complex shapes and integrate or adapt existing products, developing their problem-solving skills and […]
3D scanning technology is becoming more readily used and affordable, and primary schools can now integrate this into various projects across the curriculum.
3D scanning is a perfect complementary technology to 3D printing. It allows pupils to design and create more complex shapes and integrate or adapt existing products, developing their problem-solving skills and creativity at an early age. 3D scanning also opens up a whole range of resource applications for the Primary classroom and allows for a sustainable replication of objects to enhance pupils’ learning.
Find out how you can integrate this developing technology into your classroom at Key Stage 1 and 2:
1.Bring the museum to your classroom door
How much would your class love to hold a replica relief from a Roman Villa or get hands-on with an Egyptian sarcophagus? Now they can, with Scan The World, and you don’t even need to own a 3D scanner.
Scan the World holds the world’s most extensive collection of culturally significant 3D printable objects. All objects are free to download.
Originating from 3D scans of the original object, Scan The World allows pupils to explore their cultural heritage and how the world was shaped through cultural items.
The British Museum has a similar collection. Just download and slice the files, upload them to your 3D printer, and you could be holding a printed Lewis Chess Man piece or a replica of an Egyptian bust.
- Design and Make using 3D scanning
3D scanning comes into its own when integrated into the Art and Design curriculum. Students can scan existing objects, incorporate them into other designs, and create modified designs for adaptions.
Other design ideas are board games, tealight holders, and ergonomic bike handles.
You can find resources for all of these here.
- Bring fairytales, myths, and legends to life in literacy or English lessons
Bring fairytale characters to life using clay or playdough models and get pupils to create their own short animations. The clay models can be 3D scanned and then printed to create robust, reusable figures that can be used in drama and film productions based on existing stories or stories that pupils have self-penned.
As the figures are made of PLA, they can be reused repeatedly to create any number of stories or animations, allowing for a more sustainable, cleaner, and more cost-effective resource than clay or playdough, which can be messy and expensive.
- Scan and recreate teaching aids
Any solid form can be 3D scanned, meaning you can reproduce learning aids through 3D scanning and 3D printing of everyday objects.
Make maths more hands-on by 3D scanning different shaped objects, which can then be 3D printed at different scales, leading pupils to practice their measuring skills and learn about angles. Take it further by asking pupils to use the measurements to calculate other properties of the shapes, such as area and volume.
Equally, for foundation and nursery play, everyday items like fruit and veg can be scanned, and 3D printed to allow students to create their own fictional worlds!
- Bring biology to life with 3D scans of the human body
Similarly to Scan the World, if you don’t have access to a 3D scanner, your pupils can still benefit from the wealth of free 3D scans online.
Many of these 3D cans are dental and medical scans, such as skeletal scans or scans of the human heart.
Download these and 3D print them to use as teaching and learning aids when teaching about teeth, eating, and the human body. Here are some excellent examples to get you started.
Do you want a 3D printer or 3D scanner in your classroom?
Formed in 2014, The CREATE Education Project aims to give young people access to innovative additive manufacturing technology through supporting educators.
They run a popular technology loan scheme, meaning that teachers can try the technology in their classroom before fully committing to investing. To find more information and to apply for a technology loan, click here.
They also offer free webinars for teachers in 3D printing. These webinars run monthly and can be found here.
If you wish to speak to one of their team, please ring 01257 276 116 or email [email protected]
