Students bring their ideas into 3D reality Cherryville High students use technology to bring their ideas into 3D reality
From board game pieces to a mechanical hand , students at Cherryville High School are getting the chance to envision , design , and then bring their ideas into 3D reality thanks to a teacher who is engaging her students with technology .
The MakerBot is what makes Joy Cash ’ s classroom unique . It ’ s a desktop 3D printer , and Cherryville High was the first school in Gaston County to use one . For the past three years , Cash has been teaching students to create objects with the printer and helping them to learn math , art , physics , and science in the process . Both her Scientific Visualization and Game Art and Design classes use the printer for different projects .
In Game Art and Design , students are tasked with creating a board game to help third graders at Cherryville Elementary prepare for their math and science end-of-grade tests . They use the 3D printer to make the game pieces .
Student Brenton Lawing created a “ Minions Mathematics ” game . It featured the characters from the movie on the board and had flashcards with math questions . He said the project was fun and challenging . “ I liked that she gave us leeway , and we could do whatever we wanted ,” he said .
The printer has also created opportunities to learn from professionals . Last spring , Cash invited an engineer from Spatial Integrated Systems , Inc . in Charlotte to visit the class . He helped the students walk through the process of using engineering software to design a mechanical gripper , which they printed piece-by-piece and then assembled .
“ I like being able to get on the computer and do things that can be used to help something or in real life ,” said student Will Lewis . The classes he ’ s taken with Cash are helping him to develop skills he can take into college and the workforce , he added . “ It ’ s being able to build things , being able to see the final product ,” Lewis said .
The “ real life ” experience the 3D printer offers , makes students excited about learning , Cash said . “ It is a great motivator , especially when our eighth graders come to visit ,” she said . “ When they see the 3D printer , it gets a lot of interest for the classes .”
And that was Cash ’ s goal in using the 3D printer : inspiring students .
She chose to teach Scientific Visualization and Game Art and Design classes because they allow students to take ownership of their learning . Each project gives students space to build their own design the way they want it , whether picking a theme for a board game or creating 3D furniture to be printed for scale-model living rooms .
“ When they actually get to print off what they ’ ve created , they love that ,” she said . “ They just take ownership of that piece because they made it and they got to print it off .”
Student Jaiden Hunt said he appreciates the way he ’ s been able to try new things and learn in the process . “ I like this class ,” he said . “ I like the challenge . We make cool things in here .”
The Scientific Visualization and Game Art and Design classes also are offered at two other high schools : Bessemer City and Hunter Huss .
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