C. J. Hooker sixth-graders in Michael Calabrese technology class have been learning the 3D design process through hands-on lessons in Tinkercad.

A free online collection of software tools, Tinkercad helps people all over the world think, create and make things.

Working on their Chromebooks, students began by designing digital prototypes of name tags and/or key-chains.

In the process, they mastered some of the program’s essential functions such as moving, rotating, and scaling objects, grouping and manipulating grouped objects, and using the alignment tools.

Once they solved their designed problem, they moved to the production stage using Ultimaker 3D printers.

The instructional content of this CAD project aligns with Next Generation Science Standards in engineering design and Common Core State Standards in reading informational text.

For students interested in engineering and building technology, Tinkercad can serve as a gateway to Autodesk, the leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software.