Making a Mardi Gras-Inspired Patch Using Algorithmic Design
What is an algorithm? How can algorithms be used to create cultural designs and 3D models? This lesson explores these questions by using visual programming to help students explore computational…
Ring Ceremony: Custom 3D Print Rings
Rings are customizable, simple objects to 3D print. Over the course of five classes (hours), students will design and print rings to wear and share with classmates. This lesson uses…
Biomedical Engineer – Middle School Remix
This lesson reflects on “Everyday in the life of a Biomedical Engineer” What does a Biomedical Engineer do? Biomedical Engineer Conduct research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists,…
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…
Lesson Landing Pad: 3D Printing
This is a new type of lesson page! Instead of serving as a place to find a singular lesson about 3D printing, this is a page that will serve as…
tarukantohku: Digital Design Rooted in Storytelling Tradition
The purpose of this lesson is to promote collaboration between educational and cultural programming, specifically for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. The Tunica-Biloxi are a federally recognized tribe with population…
Music & 3D Modeling: From James Brown to Architecture
Black History Month recognizes the heritage, accomplishments, and culture of African Americans in the United States. In honor of this month, this project combines black music, 3D modeling and laser…
Tinkercad & Chibi Chip Electronic Cards
This “Hour of Code” project is part of Computer Science Education Week from December 3 – 7 but the lesson can be done any time of the year. Students explore…
Finding Fibonacci in the Helicone
Leonardo of Pisa (c.1170–c.1250), also known as Fibonacci, is often considered the most talented mathematician of the Middle Ages. In this lesson students discover the mystical nature of the famous…
Wind Turbine STEM/Digital Fabrication Challenge
Enhance your subject area content and career connections by using digital fabrication to design and make blades for a wind turbine.
From Digital to Physical: Geometric Translations
In this guide you will learn to develop a general workflow between 3D modeling softwares and planar assembly techniques for laser cutting using geometric translation tools. This guide will focus…
Fab Sneakers Workshop
Fabricating shoes presents fun opportunities for student to learn principles from design and mathematics while they explore digital fabrication process such as 3D modeling for 3D printing, laser cutting for…
Wearable Tech in Afrofuturism
Afrofuturism encompasses a wide variety of creative explorations across numerous fields – music, art, film, and literature – over nearly a half-century in black culture. This lesson plan explores the…
Child Designed Furniture
Creating classroom furniture with children is one example of a successful scaffolded fabrication activity that can be an empowering experience for young children. This experience includes adults working alongside children…
Dora Milaje Tabi Boot
This lesson originates from Ruth Carter’s approach to costume design for the Black Panther film. Students will create a pattern using software to be laser etched into soft material that…
Wakandan Bling
This lesson is inspired by different designers’ approaches for the Black Panther film. For example, LA-based designer Douriean Fletcher curated a special set of jewelry such as beaded bracelets, necklaces…
From Plastic Bags to Eco-Wallets
Participants explore how everyday choices (like accepting plastic bags at stores) affect our planet. They’ll discover plastic’s journey into oceans and landfills, brainstorm eco-friendly alternatives (e.g., cloth bags), and transform…
June 1, 2025
A Makey Makey Integration for a Transdisciplinary Science Research Project
This lesson focuses on the use of Makey Makey technology as a culminating integration tool to showcase and assess student learning across a transdisciplinary unit on New York State mammals.…
May 29, 2025
The Birds Aren’t Real: A Collaboration Between Shop and Computer
In this interdisciplinary unit, students will create three-dimensional wooden bird sculptures that incorporate basic robotics using the BBC microbit. Inspired by the satirical conspiracy theory “Birds Aren’t Real,” students will…
May 27, 2025
Introduction to mobile robot control using Smart Cutebot and micro:bit
In this activity student will learn the fundamentals of mobile robot control by programming a line follower using the micro:bit microcontroller board and the Smart Cutebot base by Elecfreaks. They…
May 26, 2025
Laser Cut Mobiles: Exploring Balanced Foodwebs
This third-grade science lesson on food webs incorporates a digital fabrication component using a laser cutter. The lesson is adaptable and can be modified to incorporate other forms of digital…
May 24, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Automata
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…
May 5, 2025
Climate Data with AI – مخيم الشتاء: بيانات المناخ باستخدام الذكاء الاصطناعي
Over the course of three days, participants will collect and analyze climate data from various software. The collected data will be analyzed by AI and visualized using graphic software to…
May 4, 2025
Guiding Growth: Training Plants Through Light Mazes
Lesson Summary: “Guiding Growth: Training Plants Through Light Mazes” In this interdisciplinary STEM lesson, students explore how plants respond to their environments by observing and guiding the growth of pea…
May 1, 2025
Fabricating Transparent Bio-Fabric Pots for monitoring plant Systems
Lesson Summary In this lesson, students will explore the basic needs of plants and how their external structures—roots, stems, and leaves—support their survival and growth. Students will identify the environmental…
April 29, 2025
Yikes, the Power Went Out
This activity was devised to provide an experiential, Next Generation Science Standards-based, Project-based, model lesson for preservice elementary teachers on how to design science lessons grounded in making and fabrication…
April 29, 2025
Create an RC car with upper primary.
In this lesson, we will be teaching upper primary school students how to use Micro:bit to program a small robot car. This is a bit of an advanced coding program…
April 24, 2025
Building a simple circuit in a box for matching words or definitions to concepts in a fun way.
The idea of this lesson is to have students build a simple circuit in a box designed to be a simple game of matching words or definitions to concepts. On…
April 24, 2025
Solar power car for primary students
In this lesson, students will learn about renewable energy, circuits, and create a solar power car to combine their learning.
April 22, 2025
Designing and Building a Multi-Function Voronoi Lamp
Students will design and create a Voronoi-style 3D-printed lamp shade using MakeMyVase, model and fabricate a base for the Adafruit Circuit Playground Express, and incorporate components from the Adafruit Electronics…
April 20, 2025
Sensory Circuit Simulation
In this project, students will design and build an electronic circuit that mimics the touch sensory system, exploring how neurons communicate through electrical and chemical signaling. Using 3D-printed neuron models,…
April 10, 2025
Winter 3D snowman
This is a primary lesson that helps students get familiar with Tinkercad for 3D design during the winter season.
April 8, 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.