Explore the 2019 Summer Collection
maker Paideia Unit – “Human Innovation: Moving from the Paper Age to the Cardboard Age and Beyond”
Based on early human innovations and transitions from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age to the Iron Age, make tools that represent how technologies change based on changing materials…
IN THIS COLLECTION
The following teachers have contributed to our community in thanks to Nation of Makers, Constructing Modern Knowledge, Hawken School, and the Hamilton County Department of Education:
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Danny Smith, Davis Aerospace & Maritime High School, Cleveland, Oh
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Tanya Tarver, Lakeside Academy, Chattanooga, TN
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Sarai Torres-Ruiz, 21st Century Community Learning Center, Manati, PR
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Kristin Burrus, STEM School Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN
about OUR WORK
In celebration of teachers and all the preparation they do over the summer to improve their instruction, we launched Fab Days of Summer, a resource giveaway of materials and equipment. By partnering with several organizations, and through participation in conferences and offering professional development across the U.S., the Fab Foundation provided teachers vinyl cutters for their classrooms thanks to the generosity of Roland.
This collection of lessons was developed by these teachers in the use of their new machines.
Interactive Beginning Sounds: Exploring Letters with Scratch & Scratch Jr
In this lesson, students develop early literacy skills by identifying and pronouncing beginning sounds, with a focus on the letter “B.” Students engage in phonics learning as they connect the…
April 30, 2026
Engineering a Sensor-Based Plant Care System
Students design and build a smart plant monitoring system using an Arduino, a sensor, and an LED. They collect and analyze data such as light levels to determine when a…
April 29, 2026
Fun Quiz on Binary with MicroBits
This is an optional extension activity after the teaching of binary numbers. In the introductory arithmetic module, students learn the four operations of numbers, the PEMDAS or BODMAS rule,…
April 29, 2026
Ergonomic Screwdriver Project: Designing and 3D Printing a Compact Hand Tool
In this lesson, students investigate ergonomics, anthropometrics, and user-centred design by designing a compact screwdriver handle for use in confined spaces. Students begin by comparing everyday products and discussing which…
April 26, 2026
Exploring Plant and Animal Cells Through 3D Models
In this lesson, students explore the structure and function of plant and animal cells using 3D printed models as a hands-on teaching aid. Students interact with physical representations of cells…
April 26, 2026
From Waste to Growth: Designing Biodegradable Seed Starters
In this interdisciplinary lesson, students engage in a design challenge to create a biodegradable seed starter using everyday materials. Students explore how waste materials, such as food scraps and paper…
April 26, 2026
Interactive Storytelling: Exploring Choices Using a Joystick
In this lesson, students create a simple interactive story using a joystick and Arduino. The joystick represents choices in the story, and the Arduino displays the outcome of those choices…
April 26, 2026
Plastic-Free Power: Build Your Own Biobag!
In this hands-on, project-based lesson, students explore the science of materials and sustainability by designing and creating their own reusable bags from homemade bioplastics. Using simple ingredients: water, gelatin, glycerin,…
April 22, 2026
Once Upon a Screen: Digital Story Illustrations
Students will use ScratchJr to create a simple digital illustration of a story’s character, setting, or events and explain how it helps tell the story.
April 22, 2026
Morse Messenger
In the beginning, Samuel flipped a switch. And again, and again. 44 miles away, his assistant heard an eerie sound, and soon understood the words, “What hath God Wrought?” …
April 20, 2026
Snap-a-word Builders: Creating words brick by brick
In this hands-on phonics lesson, students explore short vowel sounds by building and manipulating CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words using 3D printed interlocking letter blocks. Students practice isolating, blending, and segmenting sounds…
April 20, 2026
Plant Saver
During the lesson, students learn the basics of physical programming. The objective: create a simple system that will inform us about the condition of the soil in houseplants. …
April 19, 2026
Popsicle Stick Presto
This project will lead a group of aspiring drivers through the steps to build a rolling chassis out of popsicle sticks, assemble it with a breadboard, Arduino uno, A motor…
April 19, 2026
Way of the Wind Turbine
How does a wind turbine create electricity out of thin air? Prototype one and find out! In this lesson a miniature prototype will be designed and built to observe wind…
April 17, 2026
Educational Toy Design Challenge
This unit (6 lessons) immerses students in the full MYP Design Cycle through an authentic, real-world challenge: designing an age-appropriate educational toy. Students act as professional toy designers, researching early…
April 17, 2026
How to Not Take the Slate for Granted
This lesson is for instructing beginning video production students using multiple recording instruments for the first time, and will guide them through using a clapboard or “slate” to create an…
April 16, 2026STANDARDS-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.