Laser cutters/engravers in the classroom |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
1
Meaningful Making: Projects and Inspirations for Fab Labs + Makerspaces
This 158-page handbook was compiled with ideas from many of the educational experts in the fields of constructing and creating. There are ideas for many constructivist projects using various tools. I did a search of the PDF for "laser". There was information on what students learn during both the design process and the machine cutting process, which included ratio, tools, unit, scale, and other math skills and also learning how a laser works. (10)
In another project, included by Susanna Tesconi, students go through the design thinking process, and, during the prototyping stage, if the laser-cut object needs to be re-worked, each student has a box where they put their "failures". At the end of the unit, students explain how their journey to success was helped by each of the prototypes. (36)
Heather Allen Pang outlines how she taught a unit on the history of telecommunications and had pairs of students create their own telegraph. She cut out the bases on the laser cutter, but students wired and tested their telegraphs. (79)
Another project supplied by Pang is having students create silhouettes that are laser-cut. This project brings history and new technology together. (84)
Mark Schreiber has his high school students make an ugly Christmas sweater by using all types of materials, many of which include electronics for the sweaters to blink and play music. However, he has them use the laser cutter for cutting out the felt objects for the sweaters. (89)
There are many more ideas in this free book including parent and teacher collaboration. Make sure to download it!
2
EPILOG Laser: Guide for Lasers in Education
Although this guidebook for high school level students was put out by another laser cutter manufacturer, it includes the rationale you might need when asking for a laser cutter/engraver to be put in the budget.
This document includes ideas for both curriculum support projects and also ways in which the school can both save money (making plaques) and make money (selling school-themed keychains in the school store).
3
Trotec Laser: EDU Curriculum Guide
Trotec, another laser cutter manufacturer, offers another great resource which would be applicable for middle and high school. This PDF includes categories which outline learning outcomes, instructional strategies, assessments, and additional learning resources for each of them. The categories are:
Instructables Workshop: Laser Cutting Projects
This site includes links to instructions for easy projects to have students create with a laser cutter.
Meaningful Making: Projects and Inspirations for Fab Labs + Makerspaces
This 158-page handbook was compiled with ideas from many of the educational experts in the fields of constructing and creating. There are ideas for many constructivist projects using various tools. I did a search of the PDF for "laser". There was information on what students learn during both the design process and the machine cutting process, which included ratio, tools, unit, scale, and other math skills and also learning how a laser works. (10)
In another project, included by Susanna Tesconi, students go through the design thinking process, and, during the prototyping stage, if the laser-cut object needs to be re-worked, each student has a box where they put their "failures". At the end of the unit, students explain how their journey to success was helped by each of the prototypes. (36)
Heather Allen Pang outlines how she taught a unit on the history of telecommunications and had pairs of students create their own telegraph. She cut out the bases on the laser cutter, but students wired and tested their telegraphs. (79)
Another project supplied by Pang is having students create silhouettes that are laser-cut. This project brings history and new technology together. (84)
Mark Schreiber has his high school students make an ugly Christmas sweater by using all types of materials, many of which include electronics for the sweaters to blink and play music. However, he has them use the laser cutter for cutting out the felt objects for the sweaters. (89)
There are many more ideas in this free book including parent and teacher collaboration. Make sure to download it!
2
EPILOG Laser: Guide for Lasers in Education
Although this guidebook for high school level students was put out by another laser cutter manufacturer, it includes the rationale you might need when asking for a laser cutter/engraver to be put in the budget.
This document includes ideas for both curriculum support projects and also ways in which the school can both save money (making plaques) and make money (selling school-themed keychains in the school store).
3
Trotec Laser: EDU Curriculum Guide
Trotec, another laser cutter manufacturer, offers another great resource which would be applicable for middle and high school. This PDF includes categories which outline learning outcomes, instructional strategies, assessments, and additional learning resources for each of them. The categories are:
- Personal and project management
- Science and history
- Materials
- Supporting tools
- Laser operation
- Graphic essentials
- Health and safety
Instructables Workshop: Laser Cutting Projects
This site includes links to instructions for easy projects to have students create with a laser cutter.
LASER CUTTERS AND STEM
- Three budget-friendly ideas for laser cutters
- Campbell-Tintah Public Schools (MN): Laser engraver projects
- Making the future: Creative hands-on learning with a laser cutter
- Yes, but WHY a laser cutter? (middle school level)
- Dream it, design it STEM event for grade schools
- The Art of Digital Fabrication:
- Five lesson ideas to use laster cutters in the classroom
- Simple laser cutter projects for the classroom
- Design-based lesson plans (secondary)
TOOLS TO USE
- Vector Design Tools
- Adobe Illustrator
- Corel Draw
- Inkscape
- Use Inkscape in a browser with RollApp
- Vectr
- LibreOffice Draw
- SVG Edit
- Using Google Drawings to create an SVG
- Ready-to-use designs
- Thingiverse
- Obrary
- Monica's Creative Room
- Search for "lasercut svg" + whatever you are looking for
- Task-specific tools
- Jigsaw Puzzle Generator
- Make-a-Box
- CloudConvert (25 free conversions per day)
- Online Convert (free)
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Copyright: Kathy Schrock. All rights reserved.
Republishing of these lists of links without express and written permission from this site's author is not allowed. Links to this page may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kathy Schrock and Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything with appropriate and specific direction (via the URL) to the original compilation of information on this page. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available by emailing the creator. |
Created: 07/12/2020
Updated: 03/31/2022 Kathy Schrock URL of this page: https://schrockguide.net/lasercutters.html |
