Overview and Background

Your students will take on the role of being a new world explorer. They’ll participate in creating 3D printed biome tiles that can be assembled into a new and uncharted territory. Once the tiles are assembled, the students can break into groups and develop settlements by surveying the land and discovering its natural resources. Supply and demand can be simulated by encouraging the groups to engage in trade with their neighbors. There are many factors that go into setting up a new town in a new world.

Objectives

During this project, students should:

Explore the history of colonialism
Research the geography of different regions
Understand the importance of natural resources
Learn basic principles of economics (supply and demand)
Create 3D printed visuals for the classroom

Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7:
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

Lesson Plan and Activity

The entire lesson is laid out with pictures in the .PDF downloadable in the Thing Files.

Step 1: Introduction Lesson

Have your students research the different biomes either in pairs or alone.

And ask these questions

What defines the biomes?
Where are these biomes located?
What makes each biome difficult to live in?
What resources are abundant in each of the biomes?

Have an open discussion about the resources your students use daily. A resource is a supply from which benefit is produced.

Have the students write down their favorite resource, and have them explain why.
Have the students research which resources come from which biomes.
The students should research how people use these biomes.

Step 2: Design Water Tile

See video below and download project_tinkercad.pdf from the Thing Files

Use Shape Generator
Use Ruler Tool

Step 3: Design Forest Tile

See video below and download project_tinkercad.pdf from the Thing Files

Create the ground terrain
Create a tree trunk and tree top
Align and group the tree components
Place and size your tree
Duplicate your tree to make a forest

Step 4: Design Mountain Tile

See video below and download project_tinkercad.pdf from the Thing Files

Create the ground terrain
Create some tall mountain ranges
Arrange the mountain ranges on your tile
Cut off the bottom of the tile using the Hole Tool

Step 2: Design Water Tile

Step 3: Design Forest Tile

Step 4: Design Mountain Tile

Duration of Lesson

1-2 class periods (3-4 if you want to include the extension activity) - Each student prints 1-2 tiles (20 - 40 min print time each) - Groups of 4 to 7

Preparation

To prepare for this lesson you will need the following supplies:

Tinkercad login
Chromebook or Computer per student
Chrome or Firefox installed
Make Your Own Country handouts (in Thing Files)

Rubric and Assessment

Knowledge Checks

What are the benefits of modeling small, separate pieces for printing?
What tools do you use to build objects in Tinkercad?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Tinkercad?
How do you navigate in Tinkercad?
When building the mountain tiles, why was it important to use the Hole tool to cut off the base of the tile?
What are the benefits of plating multiple prints at a time?

References

https://catanuniverse.com/en - a board game with similar material management

Project: Make Your Own Country with Tinkercad