GREENFIELD — It was equal parts art, history, geometry and technology class, with a good measure of architecture binding it all together. The result?
The John W. Olver Transit Center in Greenfield.
Well, a plastic, miniaturized version of it, that is, designed and “printed” by third-grade students at the Federal Street School using a new 3-D printer the school won through a grant program this spring.
When the machine’s mechanical arm was done printing the contemporary Olive Street building, it joined a growing model of Greenfield’s downtown — drawn on a white poster board — that included 3-D printed versions of other historic buildings, including Wilson’s Department Store, the Greenfield Library, Town Hall and the Fire Station.
Federal Street technology teacher Katie Hopp led the project, which involved students making site visits to sketch the real buildings before using computer programs to print them, after participating in a study through the University of Massachusetts Amherst earlier this year, according to Greenfield Public Schools grant coordinator Christine Nosel.
The study helped area educators design lesson plans based around the use of technology. The 3-D printer itself, a MOD-t from distributor New Matter, was provided through a grant tied to the program.
The students used clay to build models of each building, then ran them through Tinkercad, a web-based computer assisted design program, to give the printer commands, Hopp said.
Federal Street’s 3D printer project represents a local reflection of a growing national “Maker” movement in education, which integrates hands-on technology and STEM field experience into traditional curriculums through use of new, readily available and relatively inexpensive equipment like Arduino open-source hardware and printers like the MOD-t.
In the future, Nosel said, the device could be used in science classes to make mock-ups of volcanoes, or to produce manipulative tools for math classes.
“The goal is to make the curriculum accessible in multiple formats, such as print, digital, audio and video to reach a diverse student population,” Nosel said. “This project nicely complements the personalized learning initiative of students working with technology to enhance their academic experience.”
You can reach Tom Relihan at: trelihan@recorder.com. On Twitter, @RecorderTom