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.
Recipe With AI
In this workshop, participants are going to learn about the basics of programming and mobile app development. They will be using AI & Image Processing to identify ingredients & find…
April 25, 2024
Solar Oven
During this workshop, young participants (7-10 years old) will assemble a portable solar oven using cardboard and transparent PVC vinyl. They will put their creation to the test by cooking…
April 24, 2024
CO2 COLLECTOR
This workshop aims to deliver the know-how about Global warming and its causes, in addition participants are going to be introduced to the ways they can interfere in order to…
April 22, 2024
Spin Your Way to Art
In this workshop, participants are going to learn about the basics of Electronics and Electric Circuit. They will be using DC Motors, Cell Batteries and Conductive Tape to create a…
April 22, 2024
3D Food Molds
In this workshop, participants are going to learn about the basics of Food Molds creation, how to use the vacuum former and how to create personalized/custom food molds that can…
April 18, 2024
DIY Algae Reactor – مفاعل الطحالب
Celebrate Earth Day with our DIY Algae Reactor Workshop! Designed for teens aged 18-24, this hands-on session explores the science of algae cultivation to boost oxygen production. Participants will build…
April 18, 2024
Plantpedia App
In this workshop, participants are going to learn about the basics of programming and mobile app development. They will be using their knowledge of plants and the environment in addition…
April 2, 2024
Phenology Calendar
Students will learn what phenology is and create an object to record the changes in seasons in their local ecosystem.
March 31, 2024
EmpowerHer: Designing Solutions for Hair Challenges with Tinkercad
In this project, we’ll be exploring the basics of 3D printing using a fantastic tool called Tinkercad. But this is not just any project; it’s a chance for you to…
February 29, 2024
Maker Venn Diagram
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a leader in science and policy about the Climate Crisis and the health of our oceans. One of her most well known projects is the…
February 28, 2024
143 Binary Beads – Valentine’s Day
In this lesson students will learn a very basic form of computer coding. We will discuss binary code and the basics of how computers communicate. They will create their own…
February 26, 2024
Blossom electronics
Celebrate Women’s Day with an activity inspired by one of the brightest women in science, Katharine Burr Blodgett! This engaging and hands-on electronics activity emphasizes the significance of women and…
February 26, 2024
Understanding Surface Tension, Surfactants, and Polarity
The session aims to understand the work of Agnes Pockels, whose research contributed to our understanding of surface science. It will involve experiments designed to elucidate surface tension, polarity, and…
February 23, 2024
Tactile Assisted Design: Four Forces of Flight
Students who are blind and visually impaired oftentimes can’t participate in computer aided design (CAD) and digital fabrication activities because high detail screen work is a challenge. For those students…
January 31, 2024
CPX Circuit Holder: A Digital Fabrication Project
During this project students will gain knowledge and skills using. 3D printing vinyl cutting block coding playground express circuit They will then apply those skills to design and digitally manufacture…
January 27, 2024
Bee Hotels with 3D Printing and Woodworking
This five-lesson plan aims to engage 9th and 10th-grade students in creating bee-friendly spaces on the school campus by designing and building functional bee hotels. The project combines 3D printing…
January 8, 2024STANDARDS-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.