Showing posts with label instructables. Show all posts
Showing posts with label instructables. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Tackling Technical Text with Paper Airplanes at Instructables com

Tackling Technical Text with Paper Airplanes at Instructables.com 



 I was recently searching with my wife for go to technical texts that she could use with her fourth graders as they tackle how directions are written and strategies for comprehending them.

I decided to take a deeper look at Instructables.com. I've had the app for years but always thought of it as this way-out set of instructions for building things like charcoal powered generators or a suit of armor made from pop can tabs.

The site is actually loaded with easy to build, fun stuff like paper airplanes...some simple, some complex. Many of the instructions are written by kids too.

The second-graders dove right in to the many offerings. Some had to overcome the fact the task would take some thinking, trial and error, and perseverance. Overall, we ended up experiencing a lot of learning and having a lot of fun as this relentless winter raged on.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Let your kids build the ultimate flying machine at Instructables


There are all kinds of things waiting to be built at Instructables.com.

Check out all of the different paper airplane plans and make the ultimate flying machine today.

Instructables: Paper Airplanes

Our second graders are digging in and next week we'll let them soar in the gym. That is one way to make it through the Michigan winter.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Autodesk offering free software to educators

Aautodeskutodesk has built itself into a huge force on the industrial design and 3D animation fronts in gaming and entertainment.

Now they are making a big push for education and inviting educators to use all of their software for free.

There are some amazing design apps for as young as 4th grade and some serious high-end tools for computer-aided drafting and video editing projects as well.

For a good place to start, go to the app store and find anything "123d" for your iPad. Let your kids figure out how quickly they can begin molding and modeling. Be warned that you will probably want to get a 3D printer though so you can make their creations a reality .

My favorite so far is the Catch app that lets you shoot panoramic shots of an object and then the apps builds it into a 3D digital model. I showed our art teacher how I created a digital version of one of the 3rd grade sculptures a girl at Blue Star Elementary made. This gives us the ability to save physical creativity in digital portfolios or share it far beyond school walls.

Autodesk is involved in so much. I was surprised to learn they also make the Pixlr online creativity suite, Tinkerbox app (iOS), and the Instructables app (iOS and Android).

Look for what I hear will be an impressive presence at ISTE this summer.

I would bet serious money that this company will become a major, well-known force in education in the next 5 years...if not a lot sooner.