Glowforge Projects for K-2, 3-5

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Jennifer O'Sullivan

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Mar 22, 2021, 9:28:13 AM3/22/21
to K-12 Fab Labs and Makerspaces
I teach in a K-5 STEAM Lab. They finally got my Glowforge set up and vented last year before school closed. I've only done a handful of test cuts.

This year I am on a cart and pushing into the K-5 classrooms. About 2/3 of the class is in person, but the rest are on Zoom from home. With no shared supplies and half the class at home, it has been a challenging year. (I'm sure many of you are in the same position!) 

My goal at the end of last year was to start 3D printing and laser cutting with my students. In the last month I have arranged for my upper elementary students to create designs in Tinkercad to be 3D printed in our high school STEM Lab. Now I need to figure out how to use the Glowforge with my current set up.

I went to a great session at FETC several years ago with wonderful elementary projects and resources, but the presenter switched schools and the presentation has been deleted. I have some funds to spend, a machine ready to use, but I have no idea where to start!

JD Pirtle

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Mar 24, 2021, 10:45:08 AM3/24/21
to 'Anna Berezkina' via K-12 Fab Labs and Makerspaces
Hi Jennifer,

Here’s an article I wrote in 2018 about laser cutting/engraving in PS-8th grade schools. It has some project ideas and general philosophy. 


Hope this helps,
JD


JD Pirtle
Founder and Principal
Depth and Light
depthandlight.com 
312-508-0561



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Joseph LePain

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Mar 24, 2021, 2:04:40 PM3/24/21
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Jennifer,

I have a lot of ideas since I implemented a Glowforge at my previous school which was grades N-12. We even used it in Pre-K with students drawing their ideas and us lasercutting them out. 

Happy to talk more offline. 

Another good resource is: http://k12maker.mit.edu

Best,
Joe

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Lucie deLaBruere

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Mar 30, 2021, 9:55:06 AM3/30/21
to K-12 Fab Labs and Makerspaces
Hi Jen 

Here is something we did with our Glowforge with younger learners.

They made sun catchers (sort of) by having them create designs  with fat markers inside a square template.  They scanned them in and then cut two copies. 
we then  added colored transpaarent materials in between as we glued both sides together.  Here is an example of a mobile type assembly of some of those.  Most students only created one as a make and take. 

play with sun.jpeg

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