Celebrating Chinese Australians Free education program for primary students promoting multiculturalism Key Dates March, 2023Open for registrations from schools and familiesFrom end of April, 2023Instructions and resources emailed outBeginning of term 2 or May 2023Celebrating Chinese Australians challenge course launches in the Makers Empire appAnytime during terms 2-3 or May - September, 2023Students complete the...
Makers Empire's in-app, monthly Design Thinking competitions are a great way to challenge your students and have them test their Design Thinking skills against a global community of designers. Browse the competitions planned for 2023 and set aside a double lesson each month for the current competition in your term planner. Wanting some inspiration? Check out...
The beginning of a new school year or term is always a busy time for teachers. So we've put together this handy checklist to help teachers be well-prepared and organised in terms of teaching with Makers Empire. Click on the headings below to view the drop-down details. For Teachers Already Using Makers Empire 1. Update...
Makers Empire’s new Notes feature brings a whole new level of interaction and communication opportunities to students’ design-based learning. "I like the notes feature so that I can have kids give a short explanation around their designs... it's very user friendly," Chris Burdman STEM Teacher, Boston School District With notes, students can annotate their 3D...
Makers Empire’s new augmented reality (AR) capabilities enable students to visualise and test their 3D designs in authentic, place-based contexts. We are really looking forward to seeing the creative ways students and teachers come up with to enrich learning experiences using this new functionality within Makers Empire's easy to use 3D design app. The AR feature...
Makers Empire’s new Notes feature (available in the November 2021 version of Makers Empire) brings a whole new level of interaction and communication opportunities to students’ design-based learning. This feature will be available in the new update of Makers Empire, scheduled to launch in November. In this post, we will share our favourite ways for using...
Augmented reality (AR) is coming soon to the Makers Empire's 3D design app! With the new AR tool, students using the Makers Empire 3D design app will be able to take a live view of their surroundings - see this example of our office building here above - and then insert their Makers Empire design...
I have previously written about how Makers Empire can be used to support all stages of the teaching cycle, and shared tips on how to plan, teach, and assess student work using Makers Empire. In this post, I will delve more deeply into the assessment phase of teaching and learning and explore Makers Empire’s assessment...
Makers Empire 3D provides a versatile tool for students to develop skills, explore new concepts, and demonstrate their learning. Most teachers know that students’ designs can be downloaded for 3D printing but there are lots of other great ways that the designs students create in Makers Empire can be used to add depth and rigour to learning. In...
3D design and printing can be used in ways that help students connect to their community and understand more about the society they live in. Here are ten of our favourite ideas for using 3D design and printing to promote civics and citizenship. Imagine a better future Challenge students to imagine that they are the mayor of...
The world in the Makers Empire 3D design app has long included a section called the Daily Challenge, which houses daily design challenges for students to complete in the classroom or at home. Now, Makers Empire has redesigned the Daily Challenge section of the Makers Empire app so that each of the 365 daily design...
We are always looking for ways to make Makers Empire more useful for teachers and more engaging for students. While students are busy creating new designs and honing their 3D modelling skills, we want teachers to feel confident that their students are also achieving learning outcomes relevant to the Design and Technologies or Engineering Design...
All educators know that the work of a teacher is far more than the time they spend in the classroom or online with their students. Most teachers follow a cycle of planning, teaching, and assessing. The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) says that it is important to identify how the particular needs of students can be met...
Makers Empire has recently released a new version of our powerful but easy to use 3D design app with some great new features for primary and elementary student users. Here are 7 ways teachers can make the most of these features to create engaging learning experiences for students both in the classroom and at home. 1...
There is plenty to celebrate about students' learning experiences with 3D design and 3D printing this year. So with Christmas just around the corner, let's celebrate the upcoming festive season with our top ten Christmas design challenges for students using 3D design and 3D printing. All of the 3D images in this post are designs by...
We all love a great story and a happy ending. Fairy tales have both of these elements, and also make great starting points for engaging students in many different learning activities. They can be used to explore the narrative genre and develop writing skills, provide examples of numeracy concepts, and open opportunities to discuss values,...
Our students are living and learning in an increasingly digital society. Internet search engines, apps, social media and other online environments are important aspects of our everyday lives. Digital tools and spaces can provide powerful learning experiences and tools for teaching and learning. The current global pandemic has seen most of us spending more time...
Design thinking is a great way to help students develop empathy towards others and to design solutions that help other people. 3D modelling with Makers Empire allows students to express their creative ideas and make designs that communicate their interests, opinions and thoughts about important issues in their lives. At Makers Empire we value diversity...
It seems that every time we check the news we are reminded that hate and racism are still very much a part of the societies we live in. Confronted by shocking acts of violence and people behaving badly and selfishly, it’s hard not to despair for the future of our world and its people. What...
During Book Week, many primary and elementary schools host a range of activities to encourage a love of reading and improvement in literacy levels. Many schools also host a Book Week Day where their students can dress up as a favourite book character. At Makers Empire, we love everything that gets students reading more so...
Makers Empire is launching new custom avatar parts in its popular 3D design app, Makers Empire 3D. This update to the popular 3D modelling app is expected to be available from app stores and the Makers Empire site by mid-July, 2019. This new feature means students can create their own unique body parts and outfits,...
Are we teaching all the letters in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineer and Mathematics) or are some receiving more attention than others? If you look around, math and science are staples of education, while technology is integrated into many areas of student learning. But what about engineering? Engineering, the ‘E’ in STEM, is often overlooked, especially...
At Makers Empire, our mission is to transform K-8 learning with 3D printing technology. We know what it takes to successfully integrate this technology into the classroom and we can provide the support to make it a success for your school or school district. But occasionally we just like to remind ourselves just how fun...
At Makers Empire, we’re always thrilled to learn about the new ways teachers are using Makers Empire’s 3D learning program to teach across the curriculum. Here are 10 inspiring real-life examples of teachers using Makers Empire in the classroom. 1. Design an ISS storage containerAt Maplewood Intermediate, teacher Lisa Hatton gave 5th grade her students...
The 3D design environment provides an exciting context for students to communicate, respond to texts and express themselves in different ways. Looking for a simple 3D design lesson idea to try with your class? Here are ten of our favourite literacy and language-based lesson ideas. 1. Character Design Before students begin writing a narrative, challenge...
Makers Empire’s 3D design software provides a perfect tool for students to explore geographical concepts such as place and space. Here are our top 10 geographical 3D design lesson ideas. 1.My Place Challenge students to design representations of their special places such as homes, holiday locations, bedrooms or outdoor places. The 3D design software enables...
There is something very intriguing about interpreting the past using new technology. Here are our favorite design challenges for engaging students in the past and helping them to uncover lost stories. 1.New Look Heritage Get to know some of the heritage buildings in your local area. The National Trust, local museum or a community history...
At Makers Empire, we're always looking for ways to help our K-8 schools increase learning opportunities and student engagement with our 3D printing learning program. So last year we launched the Global Design Program, a cultural exchange program between two schools in different countries. In this program, we match up the interested school using Makers...
Makers Empire’s 3D Design software can really help young designers to think scientifically. Here are our top 10 design challenges for K-8 students that bring science and 3D design together. What Do You Notice? Scientists make observations. They are curious and take notice of the world around them. They think about their observations and ask...
We are on the cusp of the 3D printing explosion, and the careers that today’s K-8 students choose will look very different than the careers available today. Inspire the young students in your life by sharing these possibilities for their future careers. 1. 3D Chef Out with the knives and in with the 3D printer....
At Makers Empire we see lots of great examples of teachers integrating 3D design and printing into different curriculum areas. Here are our top ten design challenge ideas for integrating mathematics with 3D design. 1. Use Makers Empire’s Blocker Module to create shapes and designs that have specific perimeters. What if students were asked to...
We thought we would have a bit of fun with our design challenges this week. Makers Empire 3D design software is a great tool for creating and manipulating objects in 3D, developing spatial skills and designing anything you can imagine. So here are our top ten mind-boggling brain-teasers for you to try with your students....
 Many of our schools begin a new school year in January or August/September. The first few weeks of a new school year are such an important time: meeting new students, getting things organised, establishing routines and expectations and building a community of collaborative and engaged learners. It's also a great time for teachers to run through...
1. Design a Decoration Challenge students to design and print an original decoration for their family’s Christmas tree. The design needs to represent something important to their family and can be easily hung on the tree. 2. Fairy Lights Fix Identify problems that student’s families have had with Christmas tree lights. Maybe. they are always...
Makers Empire’s 3D: Schools is especially designed to give K-8 students engaging tools to use in a range of curriculum-aligned design and problem solving tasks. Here are 10 of our favourite design challenges for 8th Grade students using Makers Empire 3D printing software. 1. Everybody loves a good paper plane challenge! How about adding an...
We know that Makers Empire’s 3D printing software is very easy to use because our users tell us so. We just love hearing stories about very young students solving problems and being creative with their designs. Here are some of our favourite design challenges for first-grade students for you to try with your own students....
Makers Empire’s Director of Learning Development, Mandi Dimitriadis, outlines 12 ways K-8 teachers can use design-based challenges to help develop their students' sense of empathy. To succeed in our globally connected and increasingly complex world, we know that today’s students will need to be creative and critical thinkers and be able to identify and solve...
The Makers Empire Learning Program is designed to stimulate and challenge the problem solving skills of K-8 students. So we love hearing about great examples of students using their design skills in new and interesting ways that make them think. Here are our top ten ideas for Grade 7 based on stories shared by our...
At Makers Empire we make learning about STEM concepts fun through our 3D printing app and Learning Program. Check out some of our favourite ideas for challenging and inspiring 3rd Graders. With your guidance, they can develop their creativity, design and problem solving skills with these engaging Design Challenges. 1. Math Tools We know a...
At Makers Empire we see so many great ideas for design challenges that get kids thinking like designers. Here are our top 10 ideas for 5th Grade students. 3D Grand Prix We love this cross-curricular design challenge! Students were asked to apply their recent learning about animal adaptations to the new context of their design...
People often ask us for practical design challenges that help teacher incorporate design thinking in their elementary school classrooms. To develop design thinking skills, students need opportunities to: identify needs and opportunities generate ideas and visualize solutions plan and develop solutions evaluate products and processes Here's some of our favourite ideas for 2nd Grade using...
We love seeing all the great ideas teachers are coming up with for challenging their students with design tasks using Makers Empire's 3D design software. Here are some of our favourite ideas for Grade 6 students. 1. Iconic Landmarks Challenge students to design a landmark that represents the country they live in or a country...
Makers Empire's 3D design software has been specifically designed to be easy to use and to enable students of all ages to be designing in minutes. We are often asked for ideas to help our youngest students become confident and independent 3D designers. Here are our favourite activities to help young children get started and...
We see students of all ages engaging in exciting design challenges with Makers Empire's 3D design software. Here's our top 10 ideas for Year 4s: 1. Design a mascot that represents our class values like Cuddles the Cuttlefish (above) who reminds this year 4 class to care for each other and strive for excellence. 2....
How can we help our students develop confidence and spatial awareness when working with 3D design challenges? Here are some of our favourite ideas for helping students find their way around in 3D and move between 2D and 3D environments. 1. #ShapeDetectives Look for 2D shapes in 3D objects found in the classroom and outside....
Project-Based Learning or PBL is not the same thing as doing projects. There are usually projects involved in project-based learning but the emphasis is much more on the processes that students follow and use, the skills they develop and enhance, the problems they identify and solve and the people they collaborate and learn with. Project-Based...
