Define: Goals (Schurz Maker Lab)
Organizational need
Schurz High School wants to widen the STEM pipeline for their students, to get more students to identify
as scientists and engineers. The greater organizational need is for more students to be proficient in
modern technological tools, and empower them to make personally relevant products.
In particular, Schurz is looking to expand its Makerspace offerings, and put its new 3D printer (Makerbot
Replicator) and 3D carver (Shapeoko) to use by creating and implementing a Maker lab program. The
Maker Lab is an experimental space that uses peer mentorship and modern 3D technologies to aid
students who haven’t discovered they can be engineers in producing engineering-based designs.
Learning task
Schurz Makerspace students (aged-15-18) will use mathematics and computational thinking as part of the
iterative design process to create and print 3D personally relevant artifacts that will increase their
engineering competency.
Skill hierarchy
Terminal objective:
After participating in Schurz Makerspace learning environment, learners will be able to manufacture a 3D
artifact using design software that is printable on a Makerbot or Shapeoko, within two weeks that is both
personally relevant and helps them to identify as engineers.
Performance objectives
Objectives
After participating in Makerspace, learners will be able to….
1 Find a “cool” object
2 Talk about ideas/seek feedback
3 Make sketches
4 Take measurements
5 Edit Sketches
6 Design 3D prototype
7 Use 3D printer
8 Use iterative design process
9 Repeat steps 4-8 as needed
Problemsolving?
Rulebased?
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Auto
mate?
Y
Y
Y
#1-Find a cool object (non-recurrent)
Performance Objective:
After participating in Makerspace, student learners will be able to choose a cool object that
has personal relevance and prepare to create it for this project.
#2-Talk about ideas (seek feedback) (recurrent)
Performance Objective:
After participating in Makerspace, student learners will be able to fully engage in the
collaborative process, by asking questions, giving and receiving peer feedback and
engaging with student experts, as they prepare to design their personally relevant artifact.
#3-Make a sketch (or sketches) of a potential plan (recurrent)
Performance Objective:
After participating in Makerspace, student learners will be able to sketch a preliminary
outline of their 3D artifact, using paper and pencils, showing that they can translate their
ideas on paper.
#4 Take Measurements (recurrent or non-recurrent)
Performance Objective:
After participating in Makerspace, student learners will understand how and what objects
to use, if any, as a basis for measuring for design. Because the tool must fit the
measurement task at hand, the student will be able to show resourcefulness in sourcing the
tools. Students will know who to ask, and if in a bind be able to improvise (e.g. use a length
of string to measure distances) and make educated estimates based on the measurement of
things they know.
#5 Edit Sketches (recurrent)
Performance Objective:
After participating in Makerspace, student learners will realize that ideas are flexible and
changing. Based on preliminary measurements, student learners will be able to cross out
ideas that don’t fit the task, edit models, or make new sketches if necessary. They will also
be able to make adjustments to scale, and reconsider materials used, if needed. Their final
sketch designs will reflect accurate measurements.
#6 Design 3D prototype using design software (recurrent or non-recurrent)
Performance Objective:
After participating in Makerspace, student learners will be able to use the basic tools of the
Sketchup design software and know the software’s limitations. Student learners will be
able to design beginning with easy things first, such as simple shapes (triangles, rectangles,
circles) and then move to dissecting other simple shapes to create more complex shapes.
Student learners will be able to make approximations in order to accommodate software
and hardware restrictions.
#7-Print
Performance Object: (Non-recurrent/recurrent)
After participating in Makerspace, student learners will be able to use the 3D printer,
unaided, to print their personally relevant artifact, according to their design specifications.
#8-Test (Iterate)
Performance Object: (Non-recurrent)
After participating in Makerspace, student learners will use the iterative design process to
test and ascertain if their 3D-printed personally relevant artifact successfully reflects their
intended sketched design.
#9-Repeat
After participating in Makerspace, student learners will repeat steps 4-8 if their personally
relevant artifact falls short of its design specifications. If artifact meets specifications, the
project is complete.