This collection of lessons from the GE Brilliant Career Lab bridges the gap between education and industry, classroom and career, and the economy of the future and the skills of today.
Airplane Mechanic
This lesson highlights an example of “Everyday in the life of an Airplane Mechanic”. What kind of work might an Airplane Mechanic do? Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines…
Wearable Device Designer
The teacher will guide students through the design and engineering process by supporting an environment that allows for trial and error, and celebrates iteration. The series is designed for 6th…
Biomedical Engineer
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,…
IN THIS COLLECTION
This first-of-its-kind collection of digital fabrication learning experiences is designed to engage and inspire students through STEM career paths. These lessons can be deployed in partnership with teachers in middle and high school classrooms with the resources of a mobile lab. The mobile lab visits each classroom and includes equipment, materials, and an instructor that partners with the classroom teacher.
PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIP
As part of GE’s $25M Brilliant Boston commitment to empower students to become globally productive citizens by providing access to learning experiences and skills necessary for the workforce tomorrow, the GE Brilliant Career Lab was developed in partnership with the Fab Foundation to enable students to investigate STEM careers through hands on experiences with digital fabrication tools in a mobile lab.
ABOUT THE GE BRILLIANT CAREER LAB
The Brilliant Career Lab is a resource for educators and students, providing curriculum, essential and technical skills development, career assessments, mentoring, exposure to college and career, and access to digital fabrication tools and knowledge. The program pilot started during the 2016-2017 school year In Boston Public Schools (BPS) with Tech Boston and English High Schools. Since then, the Brilliant Career Lab has exposed over 1,500 BPS students to future STEM careers, while supporting 50 teachers in incorporating digital fabrication and career exploration activities in their classroom.
Additionally, in collaboration with the Fab Foundation, Brilliant Career Play is an extension of the Boston Celtics and GE partnership that creates access for middle school students in a mobile lab environment to engage in hands-on, interactive educational experiences. Launched in November 2017, the Brilliant Career Play program has already visited 3 school districts throughout greater Boston, and exposed over 500 middle school students to STEM careers inspired by design and sports. Coupled with the mentoring and online support from Brilliant Pathways (formerly CFES ) and Everfi, students are exposed to STEM careers through a range of online and live experiences.
Brilliant Career Play launch event at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot School in Boston, MA in November 2017.
STEM DIGITAL FABRICATION LESSONS
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…
August 25, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Casting & Molding: Deep Dive
Learners will design a two-part, two-step mold from scratch using a blank xDesign template.
August 25, 2025
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.
August 25, 2025
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.
August 25, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Botanical Press: Deep Dive
Learners will design a botanical press from scratch and create custom 3D-printed wing nuts.
August 25, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Stamps: Deep Dive
Learners will design a personal logo that reflects their (or a brand’s) unique identities and values. By combining graphic design principles with self-reflection, they will use symbols and typography to…
August 25, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Invention Kits: Deep Dive
Learners will design and construct scale models using their cardboard invention kits, applying advanced parametric modeling techniques in xDesign. Learners will create this scale model from scratch using a blank…
August 24, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Paper Pop-Up Books: Deep Dive
Learners will design and prototype a multi-page pop-up book spread using xDesign and the Brother ScanNCut Vinyl Cutter.
August 24, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Pinwheels: Deep Dive
Learners will independently design and fabricate multi-layered, custom pinwheels using a blank xDesign template.
August 24, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Stickers: Deep Dive
Learners will design complex, multi-layered 2D graphics using xDesign and the Brother ScanNCut Vinyl Cutter. That this activity focuses on basic visual concepts, such as balance, symmetry, and negative space.
August 24, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Automata: Exposure
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…
August 23, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Casting & Molding: Exposure
Learners will use a premade xDesign template to create a simple mold around a small object.
August 23, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box 3D Printed Dice: Exposure
Learners will open a pre-made die model in xDesign and adjust parameters to customize shape. Export the modified model for 3D printing and discuss how changes might affect balance or…
August 23, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Spinning Tops: Exposure
Explore how spinning tops are made using CAD and 3D printing. Learners adjust a pre-made xDesign file of a revolved top.
August 23, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Botanical Press: Exposure
Learners will adjust a premade flower press using an xDesign template. Discuss basic 2D design principles: symmetry, bounding boxes, and perimeter shapes.
August 23, 2025
Fab-in-a-Box Stamps: Exposure
Learners will begin to explore the fundamentals of 2D design by transforming hand-drawn images into digital files suitable for laser cutting.
August 23, 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.