Fifth grade art students have been creating virtual 3D models with Sketch Up for Schools computer-aided design (CAD) software on their Chromebooks. These photos show students’ airplane design projects. As with all of the CAD projects that we do at Saint Peter, students built their complex structures by creating, manipulating, and combining basic shapes. The photo of Lucas Mora’s jet construction steps shows how he executed sections of his aircraft, which he combined to complete his jet. Although students were taught the same general construction method, each student’s jet was visibly different. Steps included the wing set, the fuselage, and the landing gear. After creating and coloring the jets, students were able to duplicate and rotate their aircraft, and create other structures for their compositions.
This work helps our students develop structural reasoning capabilities. It also affords students the opportunity to work creatively in a medium that is similar to what architects and engineers use for planning structures that will be built.
