The Fab-in-a-Box Lesson Collection serves as an excellent starting point for introducing the Fab-in-a-Box cart to both learners and educators. This collection of engaging lessons is designed to get everyone started with digital fabrication, using the cart’s 3D printer, laser cutter, and vinyl cutter. For xDesign How-To Videos Click Here!
Fab-in-a-Box Automata: Deep Dive
This lesson introduces learners to the fascinating world of automata; kinetic sculptures powered by simple mechanical systems. Through hands-on fabrication using laser cutters, vinyl cutters, and 3D printers, learners will…
Fab-in-a-Box Casting & Molding: Deep Dive
Learners will design a two-part, two-step mold from scratch using a blank xDesign template.
Fab-in-a-Box 3D Printed Trick Dice: Deep Dive
Learners will be designing dice that roll unfairly, on purpose! They’ll be using xDesign to engineer internal features that shift the weight of a die, affecting how it rolls.
Fab-in-a-Box Spinning Tops: Deep Dive
Learners will experiment with physics while designing and fabricating a custom modular spinning top with interchangeable parts.
about Fab-in-a-box
Fab-in-a-Box provides an affordable, turnkey solution that includes all necessary tools, materials, and comprehensive teacher guides. Optimized for various settings—classrooms, after school programs, clubs, scouting groups, summer camps, museums, libraries, and community centers—this curriculum empowers users to dive into the world of digital fabrication with confidence and ease.
IN THIS COLLECTION
The Fab-in-a-Box Lesson Collection offers three distinct engagement levels, making it adaptable across various formal and informal contexts, regardless of the audience’s age. Each level is designed to cater to different time constraints and ability levels, with handouts generally provided for all. The Exposure level requires the lightest effort and shortest time, with many pre-supplied files and materials. The Engagement level involves a medium effort, longer duration, or more advanced concepts, with adjustable files for parametric design. The Deep Dive level demands the most effort and longest duration, often spanning multiple sessions with minimal or no pre-supplied files, and may include multiple parts. Activities include vinyl cutting for stickers and paper pop-ups, laser cutting for invention kits, stamps, and botanical presses, and 3D printing for spinning tops, dice, and casting & molding projects. Some activities, like automata and gliders, utilize a combination of tools, ensuring a comprehensive hands-on learning experience.
xDesign how-to videos
Explore our collection of concise how-to videos on designing in SOLIDWORKS xDesign for the Fab-in-a-Box cart. These videos, which can be paired with the Fab-in-a-Box lessons, provide practical guidance for both learners and instructors. Watch the videos here.
Accessible Museums: Tactile and Object Based Exhibit Exploration
This lesson is written for High School aged learners interested in museum studies, accessibility, and/or education. It is written for use in a multi-day museum classroom context, but can be…
February 10, 2026
Digital Storytelling – Sequencing of Events Using Scratch Platform
In this lesson, the students use Scratch to create and sequence digital story scenes in pair. Through this hands-on activities, students practice using time connectives (First, Next, Then, Finally) and…
February 7, 2026
Four Tiered Code & Stitch Making Activity
This is an activity that can be conducted in makerspace for interested students. Students with different level of coding experiences will be able to find suitable levels of task to…
January 21, 2026
Bright Ideas: Lighting Up Art Through the Design Process
Students design and build a functional paper-based electrical circuit using copper tape, LEDs, and coin cell batteries. The circuit is integrated into an original artwork (symbol, illustration, or abstract design).…
January 19, 2026
Traffic Light Centers
As education assistants in the elementary school setting, we frequently observe students’ need to confirm that their work aligns with the parameters and expectations established by the teacher. However, these…
January 10, 2026
Creatures from the Island of Corso 3.0
This creative STEM and maker-based lesson is inspired by the book Criaturas da Ilha de Corso, written by Angela Lago, José Roberto Torero, and Pedro Hamdan das Pedras. In the…
January 4, 2026
Transport for Lucia the Snail
This hands-on STEM workshop is inspired by the children’s book Lúcia Já Vou Indo, written and illustrated by Maria Heloísa Penteado. In the story, Lucia is a snail who is…
January 4, 2026
Lights, camera… action!
This is a lesson where students explore circuits, storytelling principles and build a scenario to present their story. The idea is that a group of students imagine and create a…
January 2, 2026
New Year Greetings with electronics
The main goal of this lesson is to create a simple electrical Christmas toy that lights up when pressed. During this lesson, we’ll explore simple electrical circuits, how they…
December 28, 2025
Emotions in Motion – مشاعر في حركة
This session explores the role of emotions and how they can be expressed through colors, shapes, and sounds. Children engage in an interactive activity using the Makey Makey electronic kit…
December 17, 2025
Awarness Card – بطاقــة توعويـــــة
During this workshop, participants will assemble a simple circuit using conductive tape and chibitronics LED. Participants will learn about sustainability and awareness about energy conservation. خلال هذه الورشة، سيقوم…
December 17, 2025
AI Storytelling – سرد القصص بالذكاء الاصطناعي
In this workshop participants are going to be introduced to AI & Storytelling, they will use Yarn platform that utilizes AI features to make a story about empowering women in…
December 16, 2025
Renewable Energy Lab Tutorial for UNIHIKER K10
This kit is a scientific exploration kit based on the UNIHIKER K10. It is equipped with components such as a wind power generator, a solar panel, and an energy storage…
December 16, 2025
Speed Rolling Down A Ramp | Smart Science Projects
This hands-on science and technology course guides students to recreate Galileo’s classic inclined plane experiment using Micro:bit, BOSON light sensors, and self-made cardboard structures. Students will first master the principle…
December 16, 2025
Protect our teeth
Understand the structure of your teeth and develop good habits to take care of them.Caring for your teeth should start with daily habits, developing good practices for using and protecting…
December 15, 2025
Programmable Electronic Musical Instruments
Students will construct their own electronic musical instruments, and get introduced to block programming to make their instruments play sounds.
December 14, 2025STANDARDS-ALIGNED
Community contributed lessons aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) offer formal educators innovative pathways to teaching content knowledge. The Fab I Can Statements are a resource to develop technology-literate learning progressions to align with content standards.
FAB TESTED
Periodically lessons are adapted and tested by the Fab Foundation team based on a call for submissions from fabbers, educators, and makers. Our inaugural set of lessons for the SCOPES-DF project were Fab Tested in 2016 and are tagged Fab Tested on the website.
OPEN-SOURCE VALUES
Lessons are distributed under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC license, that permits free use and re-purposing by others.