Sycamore fifth graders bring snowflakes to life with 3D printing
Fifth graders at Sycamore Avenue Elementary combined creativity, literacy and technology in a recent project. Students designed their own snowflakes using Tinkercad, a 3D printing software. They applied what they learned about snowflake structure, including the fact that no two are alike and that all six branches must match, after reading “Snowflake Bentley”, a narrative biography about Wilson Bentley, the pioneering photographer of snowflakes.
Library Media Specialist Ms. Ladick guided students through the project, helping them understand that making mistakes is part of the learning process, just as Bentley experienced in his work. She selected students’ designs to be downloaded into Prusa 3D printing software and printed on the school’s 3D printers, turning the students’ digital creations into real-life snowflakes.
