Building Virtual Blueprints in the Classroom

Blueprint three ways. Students learn about civil engineers, blueprints, and building designs through creating their own dream room.

Supplies

12 x 8 paper

ruler

pencil

sharpie

markers/crayons/colored pencils

legos

tinkercad

computer/iPad

Step 1: Introduction

Introduction lesson to blueprints, civil engineers, and room design. Use images from google images to facilitate a discussion with students. Goals of discussion will be to have students understand the above three topics. Most importantly what a blueprint represents and is used for.

Step 2: Create Your Blueprint

Students will begin the first part of the activity. Students will get the paper, ruler, and other writing/drawing utensils and begin to map out and create their very own dream room. Students may use labels were applicable. Students will finish their drawing in pencil, and then outline in sharpie. They may add color to their design if they would like. To differentiate students can add measurement specifications onto their blueprints.

Step 3: Turn Your Blueprint Into a Digital Design

Once the paper blueprint is completed students will use this as the directions to build their design onto Tinkercad. Students will review the tools and supports within the program through a teacher demonstration. Then students will begin to map out their blueprint of their dream room digitally using their paper blueprint as a reference. Students will finalize their digital Tinkercad blueprint and then compare the two designs seeing where there was iteration in the design process while comparing/contrasting the two.

Step 4: Turn Your Paper and Digital Blueprint Into a 3d Design

Finally students will build their paper and digital blueprint out of legos. Students will use their blueprints as their directions on how to build their dream room. Students will also begin to iterate to see how the use of a different material may change the function, layout, or flow of their original design. Students will take a picture of their structure when it is completed using their device.

Step 5: Reflect

Students will use all three variations of their blueprint to reflect on the process. STudents will record themselves using a LMS, like Flipgrid, to describe what a blueprint is, what they learned, their process, and any success or frustrations along the way.