Grade 3 · 3D Printing01
Design a Helpful Desk Tool
Students find a small desk problem, make ideas, build a test model, and improve it. Then they turn the best idea into a small 3D print.
3D PrintingProduct DesignIteration
Built by educators. Made for makers.
Big ideas.
Built by kids.
Fresh engineering, technology, and visual arts lessons for third- and fifth-grade classrooms—grounded in national standards and designed for real creative work.
55open-ended
lessons
lessons
29 + 26lessons by grade
3–5NGSS engineering
13fabrication machines
∞ways to create
E-Fabrication lesson library
Design for Others + Smart Systems
Grade 5 · Laser & Vinyl02
Light & Shadow Story Machine
Students build a shadow story with three layers. They test which shapes and spaces make the story easiest to see.
Laser CuttingVisual ArtLight
Grade 5 · 3D Printing03
Build a Community Connector
Students design a bridge for a community. They compare ideas, test how much weight a model can hold, study the results, and improve the bridge.
3D PrintingStructuresData
Grade 3 · Laser & Vinyl04
AI-Assisted Sign System
Students make signs that help people find their way. They check AI ideas, draw their own symbols, test them with viewers, and improve the clearest design.
AI LiteracyGraphic DesignAccessibility
Grade 3 · Laser & Vinyl05
Smart Plant Guardian
Students invent a plant-care signal using observation cards, a simple probe, or an optional sensor, then make a splash-safe holder and sign.
Open BuildBasic materialsVinyl cutting
Grade 3 · 3D Printing06
Night-Safe Backpack Light
Students make a copper-tape paper circuit and switch, then choose cardboard, vinyl, reused plastic, or a small 3D print for the tag body.
Open BuildPaper circuits3D Printing
Grade 3 · Laser & Vinyl07
Classroom Noise Traffic Light
Students may code a Scratch sound meter, build a manually operated signal, or connect a sound sensor to a simple light display.
Open BuildScratch or simple sound circuitLaser Cutting
Grade 3 · Laser & Vinyl08
Rescue Signal Station
Students invent signals using paper circuits, handmade switches, reflective materials, vinyl symbols, or optional programmable lights.
Open BuildPaper circuitsVinyl cutting
Grade 3 · 3D Printing09
Solar Shade Tracker
Students build cardboard linkages, sliders, hinges, and 3D-printed connectors; a sensor and servo are an optional extension.
Open BuildCardboard mechanisms3D Printing
Grade 5 · Laser & Vinyl10
Accessible Crosswalk Prototype
Students code a timed push-button crossing sequence with LEDs and a buzzer, then build an accessible model intersection.
Open BuildArduinoLaser Cutting
Grade 5 · 3D Printing11
Classroom Air Monitor
Students code a classroom-safe air or temperature/humidity sensor, graph readings, and design a ventilated monitor enclosure.
Open BuildArduino3D Printing
Grade 5 · Laser & Vinyl12
Smart Greenhouse Vent
Students code a temperature-controlled servo vent, analyze thresholds and tradeoffs, and fabricate a working greenhouse model.
Open BuildArduinoLaser Cutting
Grade 5 · 3D Printing13
Water-Saver Leak Alarm
Students build a simple foil- or probe-based buzzer circuit, compare false alarms and detection speed, and choose basic or fabricated materials to protect it.
Open BuildSimple sensor circuit3D Printing
Grade 5 · Laser & Vinyl14
Interactive Museum Exhibit
Students may use mechanical flaps, paper circuits, Makey Makey with Scratch, simple switches, or a microcontroller to build an original interactive exhibit.
Open BuildBasic materialsLaser + vinyl fabrication
Grade 3 · 3D Printing15
Adaptive Tool Grip Lab
Students interview a user, prototype grips in foam and clay, measure the best idea, and 3D print a removable grip for a marker, stylus, or paintbrush.
Open BuildBasic prototypes3D Printing
Grade 3 · 3D Printing16
Pollinator Habitat Module
Students research general habitat needs, build cardboard models, and 3D print stackable demonstration modules with drainage, shelter, and observation features.
Open BuildCardboard3D Printing
Grade 5 · 3D Printing17
Emergency Shelter Connector Kit
Students compare joint geometries, use parametric CAD to create small connectors, print them in batches, and test a model shelter under repeatable wind and load conditions.
Open BuildBambu P1S fleet3D Printing
Grade 5 · Art & Design18
Replacement-Part Detectives
Students inspect a missing knob, clip, spacer, cap, or organizer part, measure interfaces, model alternatives, and print-test a replacement while documenting limits.
Open BuildMeasurement tools3D Printing
Grade 3 · Laser & Vinyl19
Light-Up Creature Mask
Students sketch an original creature, build a comfortable cardboard mask or wall face, add vinyl or laser-cut details, and create a simple paper-circuit light effect.
Open BuildCardboardVinyl + laser fabrication
Grade 3 · Art & Design20
Spinning Story Toy
Students draw animation frames, build a hand-spun zoetrope or flip mechanism, and optionally print an axle, handle, or frame that improves motion.
Open BuildDrawing materials3D Printing
Grade 5 · Laser & Vinyl21
Kinetic Wind Sculpture
Students explore balance and drag with paper forms, then combine laser-cut shapes, printed hubs, wire, and found materials into an original moving sculpture.
Open BuildFound materialsLaser Cutting + 3D Printing
Grade 5 · Laser & Vinyl22
Sound-to-Color Art Wall
Students design a collaborative art panel and choose Scratch, Makey Makey, simple switches, or optional sensors to let sound or touch trigger color, light, or animation.
Open BuildPaint/collageVinyl cutting
Grade 3 · Low-Tech Builds23
Paper Roller Coaster
Students turn paper strips into hills, curves, tunnels, and supports, then improve a coaster using travel time and successful-run evidence.
Low TechOpen BuildSculpture
Grade 3 · Low-Tech Builds24
Cardboard Arcade Game
Students create an original arcade-style game powered by fingers, gravity, rubber bands, or rolling objects and refine it through player feedback.
Low TechOpen BuildGame Design
Grade 3 · Low-Tech Builds25
Rescue Pod Drop
Students explore cushioning, suspension, crumple zones, and parachutes while designing a protective pod for a repeatable classroom drop.
Low TechOpen BuildCharacter Design
Grade 3 · Low-Tech Builds26
Mechanical Puppet Theater
Students combine storytelling and mechanisms to create a cardboard puppet scene with at least two controlled movements.
Low TechOpen BuildPuppetry
Grade 3 · Low-Tech Builds27
Wind-Powered Sail Car
Students build lightweight cars with rolling axles and artistic sails, then compare sail area, shape, and wheel alignment.
Low TechOpen BuildSurface Design
Grade 3 · Low-Tech Builds28
Dream Playground Model
Students use loose parts and recycled materials to create an inclusive playground model with paths, gathering areas, and imaginative features.
Low TechOpen BuildModel Making
Grade 5 · Low-Tech Builds29
Stormwater Filter Model
Students compare filter media, flow rate, and clarity while creating an educational cross-section model of stormwater treatment.
Low TechOpen BuildScientific Illustration
Grade 5 · Low-Tech Builds30
Cardboard Furniture Challenge
Students investigate folds, tubes, ribs, and corrugation direction to engineer a miniature chair that is also visually distinctive.
Low TechOpen BuildFurniture Design
Grade 5 · Low-Tech Builds31
Marble Sorting Machine
Students create gravity-powered chutes, gates, holes, and diverters that sort two or more kinds of safe classroom objects.
Low TechOpen BuildIndustrial Design
Grade 5 · Low-Tech Builds32
Package Protection Lab
Students design recyclable packaging for a chalk, clay, or cracker-shaped model item and balance protection, opening, labeling, and waste.
Low TechOpen BuildPackage Design
Grade 5 · Low-Tech Builds33
Chain-Reaction Story Machine
Students choreograph ramps, levers, falling pieces, rolling objects, and revealed images into a reliable mechanical narrative.
Low TechOpen BuildNarrative Sculpture
Grade 3 · Laser & Vinyl34
Slot-Together Animal
Students sketch an animal, simplify it into sturdy flat parts, and test slot width and balance before an adult cuts the final creature.
Laser CuttingBeginnerOpen Build
Grade 3 · Laser & Vinyl35
Personalized Pencil Caddy
Students measure classroom tools, prototype a small slotted container, and add engraved names, symbols, or patterns for a real user.
Laser CuttingBeginnerOpen Build
Grade 3 · Laser & Vinyl36
Puzzle Postcard
Students design a bold postcard image, divide it into sturdy puzzle pieces, and use timed user tests to improve difficulty and clarity.
Laser CuttingBeginnerOpen Build
Grade 3 · Laser & Vinyl37
Shadow Window Scene
Students arrange positive and negative shapes in a sturdy frame, then test readability and shadows with a cool LED light.
Laser CuttingBeginnerOpen Build
Grade 5 · Laser & Vinyl38
Flat-Pack Device Stand
Students measure a teacher-provided model device, compare stand profiles, and optimize angle, stability, and flat-pack assembly.
Laser CuttingBeginnerOpen Build
Grade 5 · Laser & Vinyl39
Interlocking Desk Organizer
Students interview a user, measure tools, compare layouts, and build a slotted organizer that can be rearranged as needs change.
Laser CuttingBeginnerOpen Build
Grade 5 · Laser & Vinyl40
Marble Maze Board
Students design a tabletop maze from layered shapes, analyze where players get stuck, and revise path width, barriers, or goals.
Laser CuttingBeginnerOpen Build
Grade 3 · Tinkercad41
Tinkercad Name Badge
Students measure a badge area, compare layouts, and use text, align, group, and hole tools to create a readable printed badge.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 3 · Tinkercad42
Animal Pencil Topper
Students simplify an animal into basic solids, measure a pencil, and use a centered hole to make a small functional topper.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 3 · Tinkercad43
Shape Stamp Set
Students design three related stamps, test handles and raised patterns in clay, and revise for clearer impressions.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 3 · Tinkercad44
Mini Drainage Planter
Students measure a small nursery cup, model a decorative outer planter, and test drainage-hole number and base stability.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 3 · Tinkercad45
Story Character Token
Students translate an original story character into a sturdy standing token using simple forms and engraved or raised details.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 3 · Tinkercad46
Interlocking Building Block
Students design one original block system, print shared copies, and test whether pieces connect, separate, and build stable structures.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 3 · Tinkercad47
Desk Cable Clip
Students examine a safe model cord, compare clip shapes, and design a rounded guide that holds and releases it without damage.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 3 · Tinkercad48
Patterned Light Catcher
Students use duplicate, rotate, and hole tools to make a thin hanging panel, then compare the shadows from two pattern layouts.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 5 · Tinkercad49
Replacement Knob Engineering
Students measure a safe model shaft, compare knob profiles, and iteratively fit a printed replacement that is comfortable and secure.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 5 · Tinkercad50
Wheel-and-Axle Vehicle
Students model printed wheels, hubs, spacers, or chassis parts and combine them with simple materials to build an efficient rolling vehicle.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 5 · Tinkercad51
Accessible Playground Component
Students use a user scenario and scale figures to model an inclusive ramp, transfer point, sensory panel, quiet feature, or play element.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 5 · Tinkercad52
Geometric LED Lantern
Students model a lantern shell or panel system with repeated openings and test brightness, shadow quality, strength, and access to a cool LED.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 5 · Tinkercad53
Water-Conserving Planter
Students design a small self-watering planter prototype and use measured water movement to improve reservoir capacity and overflow placement.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 5 · Tinkercad54
Michigan Topographic Tile
Students interpret a simplified Michigan elevation map, build stepped height zones, and test whether viewers can distinguish landforms by sight and touch.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Grade 5 · Tinkercad55
Modular Organizer Connectors
Students measure cardboard thickness, model corner and edge connectors, and use tolerance testing to assemble rearrangeable classroom organizers.
3D PrintingTinkercadOpen Build
Nationally aligned
Not just making.
Engineering thinking.
Every activity connects the challenge, student evidence, and assessment to NGSS Engineering Design. ITEEA STEL connections are added when they meaningfully support the work.
3-5-ETS1-1
Define
Identify a need, criteria for success, and project constraints.
3-5-ETS1-2
Develop
Create and compare possible solutions using the criteria.
3-5-ETS1-3
Improve
Fair-test a prototype and use evidence to make it better.
The E-Fabrication lab
Ideas become
real objects.
Students may combine cardboard, paper, craft materials, reused objects, simple circuits, coding, sensors, and any lab machine that genuinely improves their idea. Every challenge welcomes more than one solution, with adult-operated fabrication steps, safety guidance, and no-machine alternatives.
10Bambu Lab P1S
3D printers
3D printers
2xTool
laser cutters
laser cutters
1vinyl
cutter
cutter