Bamboo People

3D design and printing meet the Burmese conflict as students design scenes from the novel.

After reading the book Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins, fifth grade students were placed in groups. After choosing a scene to recreate, each student took on the task of designing a three-dimensional object from their scene.

Students explored Autodesk's 123D Design software on their laptops and snapped together basic geometric shapes. Once their models were complete, they were printed using the school's two MakerBot Replicator 3D printers.

This exercise gave students the opportunity to analyze the physical details of a scene more deeply so they could make accurate replicas of the scenery. Additionally, students grappled with building in three dimensions and studying objects from various perspectives. The final products will be showcased in the classroom as a 21st century diorama.