Thanks to 3D Printing, 3Doodler pens, and other maker space tools, 3D Giving Day participants made these stories tactile, in some cases for the first time ever. The finished products were then donated to libraries, hospitals, preschools, or other individuals so they could experience beloved images in a whole new way.

We are excited to share the success of 3D Giving Day with you, and we have compiled some of our favorite examples below.

A group of teens at the Library Station in Springfield, Missouri created a tactile version of Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear. Once completed, Library Station Youth Services Manager, Phyllis Davis, read the finished version aloud to blind and visually impaired preschoolers at Shining Stars Early Childhood Center. The kids interacted with the 3D prints through touch, providing further context to the visuals most of us take for granted. The local NBC station was also there to cover the reading.

“We’re helping other people so they can have the same feeling that we have when we read the books,” said San Gabriel, CA sixth grader, Krystal Osorio. “But instead of reading they are going to feel with their hands.”

3Doodler ambassador Naomi Harm put together a 3D Giving Day lesson plan for Coffee for the Brain’s 25 Days of Making. One week later, she brought the 3D Giving Day concept to more than 1,000 attendees at the SLATE Conference in Wisconsin Dells, WI.

Want to see more about 3D Giving Day?

Check out the links below in the footer, and in the spirit of sharing, please post them on social media! @3Doodler #3Doodler

The post Giving… In 3D first appeared on 3Doodler.

We know that they can hardly contain the excitement as October 31st inches closer. To help you bring some focused fun to your lessons, we have compiled a list of STEM projects with some Halloween flare. They can be adapted as needed for your hybrid learning needs.

Spooky STEM Activity for All Grades!

STEM Challenge: Catapult Pumpkin Launch

Have you ever heard of a pumpkin launch? We have just the activity to help you do it in your classroom.

Share the Goal

Pairs of students will create a pumpkin launcher that shoots mini pumpkins the farthest in the classroom. There will be at least 2 rounds of the pumpkin launch so that each partner can launch the pumpkin.

The components of the catapult

1. Split students into pairs.
2. Have the students discuss and write down two hypotheses regarding the launch, such as whether a half a pumpkin would go farther or less far than a whole pumpkin, or if any modifications, such as the size of the catapult, could affect the distance the pumpkin goes.
3. Have them each Doodle parts of one Catapult Stencil to make a small scale pumpkin launcher. *Students can split the stencil in half and take turns Doodling the component pieces together to make the final product.
4. Once the Doodled pumpkin launcher is completed, have students come to the front of the classroom.*Safety first: Before handing out pumpkins for the first launch, ensure nobody is in the line of mini pumpkin fire!
5. Hand out one mini pumpkin, then have each pair launch their pumpkins in the classroom one by one.
6. One student from the pair will launch the pumpkin, and the other student from the pair will use a measuring tape to see how far the pumpkin was launched from the catapult. The teacher can note the measurement on the board for each pair in the rounds of launching.
7. Allow the pairs to modify their design in between rounds based on inferences made during the launch.
8. Repeat steps 4-6. *Note: you can do two rounds of the pumpkin launch, or as many rounds as you’d like.
9. Finally, have students calculate the average distance between their launch rounds based on the numbers written on the board.
10. Announce the winning pair!

Hooray for Halloween Lesson Plans

If you’re looking for a full scale lesson plan to bring the ghoul into school, these are sure to spark some high-spirited engagement in the classroom!

Fibonacci Spiderwebs Lesson Plan

Use our creepy, crawly Fibonacci lesson plan to help students understand mathematics! They will gain a better understanding of the Fibonacci sequence, its presence in nature, and create their very own spider webs based on the golden spiral. Be sure to use the Doodled spider webs and spiders to decorate your classroom for Halloween!

TIME REQUIRED: Two 45-60 minute sessions
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 3rd to 5th

Elemental Superheroes and Supervillains

In our Elemental Superheroes and Supervillains lesson plan, students will creatively explore elements from the periodic table. Students will work in pairs to design their own 3Doodler contour superhero or supervillain mask, which will embody the qualities and associations of their assigned periodic element. Have students wear their masks after the completion of the lesson plan to bring the Halloween spirit into the classroom!

TIME REQUIRED: Three 40-minute sessions
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate
RECOMMENDED GRADES: 6th to 8th

Are you excited to bring Curriculum from the Cauldron into your classroom? Please let us know on social media, and be sure to share pictures of your students’ projects!

@3Doodler #3Doodler #3DoodlerEDU

The post Curriculum from the Cauldron: Halloween STEM first appeared on 3Doodler.

In the year of 1940, John Winston Lennon was born in an English city called Liverpool. Little did anyone know at the time that he would go on to be one of society’s most renowned creative geniuses. He is best known for The Beatles, one of the world’s most influential rock bands, and for being a prominent peace activist. Of Lennon’s lesser known works are his surrealist scribbles, which he made consistently from his early childhood until his passing. During his life he drafted countless sketches and lithographs, a spectacle of his spirited drive to create.

Many don’t know that Lennon expressed the visual arts as his first love, nor do they know that he was an art student at the Liverpool College of Art from 1957-60. Though art wasn’t his primary focus after forming The Beatles, he continued to Doodle throughout the years, and even drew the first sketch of the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover.

Depicted above is John Lennon’s original sketch of the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover.

His favorite style of art was line drawing using pencil, pen, or Japanese sumi ink. In 1969, Lennon started holding art exhibits with pieces from a series titled Bag One, a portfolio that was inspired and dedicated to his relationship with Yoko Ono. The sketches detailed their marriage ceremony, honeymoon, and their fervent pleas for world peace. His peace drawings from that series were used in a number of anti-war movements.

The drawings from his early years until his untimely death in 1980 have been compiled into a book titled John Lennon: The Collected Artwork. John Lennon’s drawings exude his visionary, surrealist personality, and they serve as a testimony to his creative spirit. His music and artwork have enriched millions of lives throughout the years, and will continue to send ripples of inspiration across the universe.

The post Notable Doodlers: Come Together for John Lennon’s Birthday first appeared on 3Doodler.

With 3Doodler pens, it is possible to bring these remarkable illustrations to those who have never seen them before. By feeling 3D outlines, people with visual impairments across the world can experience these classic characters in a new way.

We have teamed up with Build a Better Book to make this dream a reality. We’re asking classrooms, artists and individuals across the globe to join us in making cherished illustrations accessible.

This year, International 3D Printing Day and Giving Tuesday both fall on December 3rd, and we thought this would be the perfect time to share your Doodles with those who have never been able to experience them before. We are calling this day 3D Giving Day, a first-of-its kind humanitarian day centered around giving 3D creations.

3D Giving Day with 3Doodler

For classrooms, this is a low prep activity that will bring meaning and engagement to your students as they gear up for the holidays. For artists and individuals, it can be as simple or as intricate as you’d like!

*Be sure to check our compatibility chart to ensure you get the right filaments and accessories for your 3Doodler pens. We welcome mixed media approaches to the project, so please feel free to use traditional 3D printers, cardboard, clay, etc.

Some Suggested Picture Books For 3D Giving Day (Linked Below)

How The Grinch Stole Christmas!
Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus
Where The Wild Things Are
The Giving Tree
How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The Snowy Day
The Cat in the Hat
Make Way For Ducklings
The Polar Express
Llama Llama Red Pajama
Elephant and Piggie

We are so excited about 3D Giving Day, and we can’t wait to see your gifts to the community.

Please share your 3D Giving Day creations on social media, give Tricia and Mindy a follow, and stay tuned to our emails for more to come!

@3Doodler #3Doodler #BuildaBetterBook #3DGivingDay

The post Giving in 3D: Make Picture Books Accessible with 3Doodler and Build a Better Book first appeared on 3Doodler.

We had a chance to catch up with Naomi, learn about her goals as a leader in STEM education, and hear all about the successes of her events over the summer. She was also generous enough to share her lesson plan with the 3Doodler EDU community.

Naomi, thank you for taking the time to meet with us. Can you please tell us about yourself, the STEM Learning institution you founded, and your goals as a leader in STEM education?

My name is Naomi Harm I am an edtech woman, an instigator of STEM innovation, and a thought leader and influencer. I truly welcome each and every opportunity to share my expertise on project based learning (PBL), student-centered learning, brain-based instructional approaches, and STEM and NGSS activities.

I am also the CEO and founder of Innovative Educator Consulting, a professional STEM learning company that supports women in leadership. We provide innovative education for teachers and administrators that aligns to the ISTE standards.

Our goal is to give teachers everything they need to provide students with experiences that will enhance the pursuit of their future STEM careers. We want to empower students with real life skills so they too can influence positive change, while addressing and solving problems and challenges in our world.

Every summer we offer a multitude of STEM learning events based on the needs and requests of K-12 educators and students. This year, we focused on maximizing creativity, collaboration and communication through STEM design thinking activities. Many mediums were explored, including 3D Printing, coding, robotics, LED circuitry, and Google suite programs to enhance collaboration. Students and teachers created ebooks to share their learning experiences.

The one workshop that left a lasting impact on each and every attendee was the experience of creating a self-driving car prototype with 3Doodler Start and Create pens. Attendees worked in groups through an assembly line scenario, and each participant had a specific task that contributed to the self-driving car prototype. Everyone was actively involved and played a part in the success of the final product. Car stencils were provided as an option to assist with building the car structure, and to inspire design ideas. Some attendees decided to sketch out their own original designs to build their car from to make it truly unique.

What benefits have you noticed with using 3Doodler pens in the educational events and workshops that you host?

3Doodler pens definitely create more engaged learners, and with the pens there is a lot of room to personalize the learning. Every final product is different and unique. At risk students, special needs and English-language learner (ELL) students become instant leaders and peer coaches through the collaborative activities with 3Doodler pens.

Both the educators and students liked that the project didn’t involve screen time or computers. I found this statement so enlightening!

Engineering Design Challenge Lesson Plan

You can follow along with Naomi’s lesson plan right here.

Be sure to share pictures of your classroom prototypes on social media!

@3Doodler #3Doodler #3DoodlerEDU

To stoke the fires of inspiration in your classroom, be sure to follow Naomi Harm on Twitter!

The post Teacher Spotlight: Naomi Harm first appeared on 3Doodler.

At 3Doodler, our purpose is to inspire and enable everyone to create. Whether you’re a proud owner of your very first 3Doodler, or you’re a teacher looking for inspiration for your next class, the new the3Doodler.com is your one stop for all things 3Doodler! For returning users, everything you love can still be found on our website, now organized under 5 content hubs.

Schools

We’ve worked alongside teachers to build our Education hub to help make finding what you need easier than ever. Take advantage of education discounts (site-wide) by registering for an EDU account today.

For existing EDU customers that had accounts on our old site, you should’ve received an email inviting you to create a new one. But don’t worry, we migrated all your information, you simply need to create a new password.

If you didn’t receive this email please contact us. You’re already approved so please don’t re-register.

Resources

Our Resources hub is jam packed with free lesson plans, tutorials and stencils to keep you busy for days on end. And in case you’re wondering, we also have an app for that.

Store

You can browse our entire collection of pens, accessories, filaments and project kits with ease. If you’re having trouble deciding which pen is right for you, then visit our store page to learn about the benefits of each! If you’re a teacher, don’t forget to register or login for education discounts!

Shop for Start (Ages 6-13), Create (14+), or EDU for schools now!

Get Started

Have you just bought your new 3Doodler or received one in class? The Get Started hub will help you get up to speed quickly so you can unleash your creativity. Run through some quick basics for your Create+ or Start pen, or browse through our amazing Hot Tips section to see the nifty ways our in-house pros use our pen! If you prefer learning through videos, go ahead and explore our extensive video library or watch and learn from Grace Du Prez’s “Learn 3D Pen Art” video series.

We’d love to hear what you think! If you have suggestions for improvement, or if you’re having trouble locating something, shoot us an email at hello@the3Doodler.com!

The post Welcome to our new website! first appeared on 3Doodler.

Well, we’ve got something special for you that will bring some social-emotional learning (SEL) and design thinking to your students in a fun and engaging way.

Icebreakers and design challenges are fantastic activities to cultivate meaningful experiences at school, both socially and academically. Why not get the best of both worlds with our back to school icebreaker design challenge?

Icebreaker Design Challenge

Materials Needed

1. 3Doodler Pens (1 pen per pair of students)
2. 3Doodler Filaments (5 strands per student)
3. Optional: Scrap paper or cardboard and scissors to use with the filament to make the project mixed media

Icebreaker Design Challenge

• Instruct students to close their eyes and spend one minute reflecting on what they love about school. After the minute is up, with students’ eyes still closed, ask students to reflect on a time where a specific tool at school helped them accomplish an important goal.

• Share the goal: Students will create a model of the tool that came to mind with 3Doodler pens.

• Split students into groups and pass out 3Doodler pens and filaments (and paper/cardboard if you choose to use that as an additional material). Have students take turns creating their prototypes with the pens.

• Circle Share: To encourage listening, have the groups position their chairs in a circle so that all students can easily make eye contact with one another. Have each student share their model and why they chose that specific tool. To facilitate empathy, encourage deeper conversation around what each student shares by asking the group, “Why did they choose that tool to prototype?” or “What point of view are they coming from?”

• Extension: Have students brainstorm on how the tool that benefited them could be improved. Instruct students to modify their model to include the improvement, then repeat step 5 for circle sharing.

This activity aligns with the following ISTE Standards:

• ISTE 4C: Students develop, test and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process.
• ISTE 5C: Students break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.

Building strong relationships with and among your new students is foundational to creating a safe and enjoyable learning environment. In this space, students feel more trusting of their teachers and peers, and more comfortable and confident asking questions and taking risks. Check out this amazing Cult of Pedagogy article to learn more about building strong relationships with your students.

Do you love this activity? Please share your classroom prototypes with us on social media!
@3Doodler #3Doodler #3DoodlerEDU

The post Break the Back to School Ice: Design Challenge + Social-Emotional Learning first appeared on 3Doodler.

One of the greatest intellectuals who documented his reflections on the arts and sciences was the late Renaissance prodigy, Leonardo da Vinci.

Regarded as one of the greatest painters of all time, da Vinci spent a significant amount of his life designing inventions in his journals and diving deep into studying science, technology, engineering, mathematics, anatomy, architecture, sculpture, music, cartography, literature, astronomy, geology, botany, writing, and history, to name quite more than few! His journals are filled with machine prototypes, drawings of human bodies, plants, geometric figures, and much, much more. His margins, interestingly, are filled with notes written backwards and from right to left, which is theorized as being a product of his dyslexia.

Though the majority of his prototypes were not made due to limitations of metallurgy and manufacturing at that time, his designs of flying machines and other large-scale inventions are a testament to his technological ingenuity. Of note, some of his smaller inventions did make it into manufacturing, including a machine that measured the tensile strength of wire.

Leonardo da Vinci’s popularity has only increased over the years, and his famous Mona Lisa painting is said to be the most popular painting in the world. His influence on the arts and sciences has been profound, and he will be forever remembered and revered in our collective memory.

Do you keep scribbles in your science notes? We’d love to see all of your Doodly diagrams.

Please share your STEM scratch pad with us on social media!

@3Doodler #3Doodler #3DoodlerEDU

The post Notable Doodlers: Old School STEM Sketches with Leonardo Da Vinci first appeared on 3Doodler.

Every year on the third Saturday of August, National Honey Bee Day honors honey bees, beekeepers, and bee enthusiasts all across the globe. This day is a perfect time to spread awareness of the profound influence that honey bees have on our everyday lives, and to also share the importance of protecting these magnificent creatures.

So, what can you do to honor our buzzing bee friends on this special day?

We have just the activities for the occasion.

• Make a Doodle that’s as cute as a bug with this stencil by @sydtropolis.
• Bring some STEM learning to Honey Bee Day by learning bee anatomy. Can you identify the anatomical parts on your Doodled bee?
• Spend some time gathering local wildflower seeds. Make a plan to spread them to promote honey bee pollination.
• Plant some bee-loving plants in your yard or on your porch. Bees love lavender, alfalfa and clover!
• Get your morning coffee or tea buzz on with honey instead of a different sweetener.
• Research what is happening with bees in the world and share what you learn with a friend. A great resource for learning about bees is HoneyLove.org, the non-profit that manages National Honey Bee Day.

You’ll be very busy bee Doodling adorable bugs, gathering seeds, and tasting the delicious honey made by our pollinating pals.

Bee sure to share your Honey Bee Day activities with us on social media!

@3Doodler #3Doodler #HoneyBeeDay

Doodles by Sydnee Davidson @sydtropolis

The post Busy Bee Doodles for Honey Bee Day first appeared on 3Doodler.

We have what purr-haps may be the most fun and engaging STEM challenge of all time for International Cat Day, which takes place on August 8th.

And it is inspired by a famous fable featuring a funny and furry feline… The Cat in the Hat, written by none other than Dr. Seuss.

How about that!

Cat in the Hat STEM Challenge

Materials

• 3Doodler Start pen (1x per person, or 1x per team)
• 1x 24-strand pack of Simply White filaments
• 1x 24-strand pack of Cherry Red filaments
• 3Doodler Start DoodlePad (1x per person, or 1x per team)
• The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss (read it to bring some litter-acy to the STEM fun)

• Doodle the Hat: Doodle circles and lines together in layers of red and white for your hat
• You can use the circle on your DoodlePad as a stencil, and the grid to Doodle lines for assembling the circles to make your hat.
• Engineer the tallest hat you can without it toppling over
• STEM learners can compete against each other, either in teams or one-on-one

Steps

• Ready, Set… Ensure the participants have the pens and the filaments ready
• Go! Have the participants start at the same time
• Avoid Cat-astrophe! Carefully engineer each layer to ensure it stands strong
• Make Hiss-tory! Share the winning cat hat on Twitter! #3Doodler @3Doodler

Critical Thinking Tip: If your Doodled Cat Hat falls, assess the structure of it to see where the design can be improved.

We can’t wait to see your STEM cat hats!

Do you love this festive STEM activity?

Please let us know by giving us a shout out on social media. We will cherish your feedback fur-ever!

@3Doodler #3Doodler #3DoodlerEDU

The post STEM Challenge: This International Cat Day, Curiosity Doesn’t Kill the Cat first appeared on 3Doodler.