Our community is dedicated to democratizing digital fabrication learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. UNPLUGGED is our timely approach to digital fabrication learning that includes this curated lesson collection for teachers and parents as they work with students at home.
If you have a lesson or can adapt a lesson that can be done without access to a Fab Lab, please share it with our community. Fully analog lessons that can teach digital fabrication processes with common items found at home are also welcome.
Create an Obama Poster
Students will engage with concepts of leadership and service and reflect on MLK and Obama’s legacy in a variety of different ways before creating their own ‘Obama Hope’ poster.
Exploring Arduino
This is a 5 days track focus on learning basic circuits theory and fundamentals in addition to Micro-controllers (parts and operation). Also, we will make some advance applications using the…
Digital Circuits
This is a 5 days Track focus on learning basic circuits theory and fundamentals in addition to Micro-controllers ( parts and operation ). Also we will make some applications using…
Mini T-Shirt Cannon
Engineer a mini T-shirt cannon out of a toilet paper roll and rubber bands to shoot marshmallows at a target or into a crowd! Safety note: This activity requires…
Cardboard Backboard
Learn how to make a cardboard backboard out of household materials. Once assembled, complete the attached statistics worksheet and see how many shots you can make. Apply digital fabrication skills…
Unplugged: Make and Animate- The Thaumatrope
Makers create Thaumatropes with low tech methods and materials. Suitable for fab lab projects from home.
Unplugged: Projecting Geometry for Precision Cutting and Assembly
In this lesson you’ll learn how to make complex and precise geometric assemblies – like the skateboard halfpipe seen here – without the need for a laser cutter. Inherent to…
Unplugged: Design a Biomechanical Cyborg
This activity is a perfect blend of science and creativity as students work with their partner(s) to create their version of a cyborg appendage (or device). This part must mimic the workings…
Unplugged: Cardboard Container
Students are introduced to the Engineering Design Process by creating a cardboard container to hold the contents of their pocket. In this rapid prototyping activity, each step of the EDP…
Unplugged: Makers Making Good- Stopping the Spread
Designed for distance learning, home schooling, and maker machine independent learning. Using household materials, students prototype devices to help stop the spread of infectious diseases.
Coding 3D Models Using Tinkercad Codeblocks
Inspired by contemporary South African baskets and hats, this activity explores craft through computation, 3D modeling and 3D printing. Students will use object-oriented computer programming, meaning they will place a…
UNPLUGGED lessons will:
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Make use of materials and tools found at home.
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Specify learning objectives that are clear and measurable.
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Provide details in each step so that many others can follow.
Tag your lesson with “Unplugged,” so we can feature it in the collection. You can also “Remix” a lesson from another contributor if you have an idea to make it analog. Thanks for helping make this time away from our Fab Labs and maker spaces educational and inspiring.
Kinetic Stories: Bringing Art to Life with Simple Machines
This lesson invites students to merge creativity, storytelling, and engineering through the design of a moving automata. Students explore how art and motion can work together to express ideas, emotions,…
November 7, 2025
RulCompass = Ruler + Compass
This is a prototype of a mathematical tool designed using Digital Fabrication for Students. When teaching Geometrical Construction to 13-year-olds, students typically need to purchase a compass, which can…
November 5, 2025
Decimals (Rounding off)
In this lesson, students explore rounding off decimals using number lines. In the past, number lines was drawn on the whiteboard to help students visualise rounding positions. To enhance…
November 3, 2025
The Art of Tessellations
In this art lesson, students are introduced to the concept of tessellations through the works of M.C. Escher. They learn how repeating shapes can fit together without gaps or overlaps,…
November 3, 2025
Armenian History: Easy with FabLab
During the lesson, students consolidate their previously acquired knowledge. For this purpose, a puzzle map is used, marking the regions of Great Hayq, an ancient Armenian province. This activity emphasizes…
November 2, 2025
Vector Addition with Laser Cutting
[PRE-CLASS] Cut pieces with laser cutter; vectors should be cut from 3.15mm Trotec MDF, while board can be assembled with either 3.15mm or 6.25mm Trotec MDF. Review 2D vectors with…
November 1, 2025
The Workings of Mechanisms
Students will be able to experiment with different kinds of mechanisms and observe how their different pieces interact and work together.
October 31, 2025
Mapping Canadian History Through Borders
In this lesson, students will explore the evolution of Canadian borders from 1837 to the present day through an interactive mapping game. Using a stencil of Canada, they will visualize…
October 31, 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…
October 29, 2025
Drawing techniques: Orthographic projection
Students learn to draw orthographic projections using the three principal views of an object (front, top and right side view). We use the glass-box concept to show how views are…
October 26, 2025
Eco Spectroscope – See Quantum Fingerprints of Light
Participants will learn about spectroscopy and the significance of spectra in understanding light and matter. They will observe how different light sources such as natural light, LEDs, and oil lamp…
September 22, 2025
Recycling Paper into Art & Decoration
In this lesson, students explore sustainability by recycling paper into art and decoration. They begin by discussing the importance of recycling and selecting paper as their focus, then practice sorting,…
September 22, 2025
Bag Tags with Inkscape and xTool
Students will create a bag tag. Students will use Inkscape to create a design to engrave on a 3×3 shape of their choice. Students will make provision for a hole…
September 19, 2025
FCH – Clayprinting
The “Clayprinting” activity is part of the FabConnectHer project, which supports young women to build skills, get inspired, and find opportunities in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and maths). In…
September 17, 2025
FCH – Earring bottle caps
The “Earring bottle caps” activity is part of the FabConnectHer project, which helps young women get inspired, learn new skills, and find opportunities in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and…
September 17, 2025
FCH – Floating Light
The “Floating Light” is part of the FabConnectHer project, which supports young women in learning new skills in science, technology, engineering, art, and maths (STEAM). In this lesson, students make…
September 17, 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.