Week 6

Assignments

Task 1: * Use any of the tools presented in the master class (see Tools to create 3d shapes with laser cutters below ), and create a 3D object using any of the joint techniques presented: finger joints, stacking… * You can use either a CAD tool to build your 3D object, or you can use any of the tools to build objects such as boxes.py. * Put all the parts together, and snap a photo * If needed do not be afraid of using e.g glue. Task 2:Show a picture of your creation in your learning diary. You can add few pictures and short explanation of the process if you desire.

Process

1. I plan to use laser cutter to make snowflake pieces. Kids can put all parts together.So the first step is to drew a hexagon with a side length of 30mm in Laser Maker.
2. Design a rectangle.With a thickness of 3 millimeters and a length of 2 centimeters, design the width of the rectangle proportionally.
3. Considering that students need to assemble it, the six corners of the hexagon were adjusted to be round, and text was added in the middle of the snowflake.
4. After completing the design, I duplicaed the design to 15 pieces. Then I exported the file in DXF format and opened it in LaserSoft. 5.Click”Load current file”and then cutting
5. Cutting
6. After cutting, I removed the pieces and checked the fit of the slots to ensure they connected snugly.

Reflection

-How can your press-fit / 3D object be used in education? How could other teachers use it? * My laser‑cut press‑fit snowflakes can be used in many fun and educational ways.Students can learn about shapes, symmetry, patterns, and geometry while putting the snowflakes together. They also practice fine motor skills, problem‑solving, and patience. Other teachers can use them for:Math lessons (symmetry, angles, fractions)Art & design (patterns, color, decoration). -How could you integrate it into an activity that aligns with your curriculum or standards? * I can integrate this into a curriculum activity by combining art + math + engineering. Students design their own snowflake patterns, use simple digital tools to prepare the file, cut it with a laser cutter, assemble it, and explain the symmetry and shapes they used. -Have you ever built an education portfolio? Why or why not? What could be the possible advantages? * Yes, I have created a simple education portfolio before.I use it to record my teaching ideas, activities, student work, and reflections.The advantages are: It helps me organize my lessons and projects;It shows my growth as a teacher; It makes it easy to look back and improve activities;It can be shared with other teachers for collaboration. -When you execute a learning activity, how do you evaluate its success? * When I run an activity, I evaluate success by:Observing if students are engaged and interested;Checking if they understand the key concepts (like symmetry or shapes);Seeing if they can complete the task independently or with little help;Listening to their feedback and questions. -How do you keep track of possible modifications or improvements? * I keep track of improvements by writing short notes about: What worked well;What was difficult for students;What I would change next time. -Do you include them in your education portfolio or learning diary? * Yes.I usually record these in my education portfolio or learning diary so I can make better activities in the future.During the process, operating the laser cutter gave me a deeper understanding of how to factor in kerf and material thickness, allowing me to adjust the slot width and design dimensions appropriately. This process helped me pay more attention to detail and precision, especially when drawing the slot array in Laser Maker, as it made me realize the relationship between design and actual manufacturing.

Tools

• LaserMaker
• LaserSoft