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Career Pathways — Manufacturing
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How To Make Almost Anything

3D design process and concepts of
human-centered design.
“Discover is really about figur-
ing out what you want to design,”
says Diana Quevedo, 9th grader.
“Design is designing it the way you
want — seeing and figuring out the
problems and making your design.
Deliver is getting your product and
finding out what you like about it
and what you could improve.”
A magnetic whiteboard on the
wall has magnets with each student’s
name and columns for each of the
“D’s.” As students move through
the steps, they move their magnet
to the step they are on. There are
four main projects students tackle
in the course — a shoe design, 3D Diana made a bookend that has a dog and
printing, laser cutting and a group a cat cut out. It can double as a phone holder.
problem solving project. She’s in the deliver phase of her project and has
Shoe design kicks everything her final product in hand.
off to introduce and get students “So far, the class has been really fun,”
using the 3D design process. Small says Diana. “I was curious — trying to find
groups are assigned a persona something I want to do when I’m older.”
pulled from Karen’s daughter’s Old Alex is in the design phase and working
Spring Lake Park High School Maid game. There’s Officer Olivia, Builder on the details of a brain teaser puzzle shaped
The 3D Student-designed objects for How Benjamin, and others. Each persona comes like a heart. There’s a base holder and then
To Make Almost Anything, is one of the most with a story, daily activities and design prob- multiple pieces that fit within it to make the
popular courses at Spring Lake Park High lems. The assignment is to discover more heart.
School. The Technology, Engineering and about their persona’s life and work and design “I like that I can make my own stuff to
Design elective within the Career and College a shoe for them. match my personality,” says Alex.
Pathways offerings provides a jumping off Senior Alex Lueth was in a small group Senior Dawn Mack likes engineering a
point for students to explore careers as they for “Bob the Builder.” Alex knew a lot about lot and has gone deep in the Technology, Engi-
learn. construction after taking the Intro to Trades neering and Design pathway and taken all of
Course instructor, Karen Kutz, describes course last year. He’s experienced stepping the courses other than construction. Dawn’s lems might happen?” asks Karen. “Or, I’m at
How To Make Almost Anything as “engineer- on chicken wire that went through the sole of project is a scale model of the robot the robot- Panther Stadium for a game, what could be
ing meets arts and crafts.” The course attracts a tennis shoe and knew firsthand some of the ics team built last year — complete with some problems that could happen?”
students across grade levels with a variety of safety issues Bob would have. That firsthand articulated parts. The groups independently choose a sce-
backgrounds and interests. Some discover an experience helped inform the team’s design. After the 3D printers quiet and proj- nario and design a solution. Over the last six
interest and aptitude that leads them toward “We designed a shoe — or boot — with ects are wrapped up, the class turns to laser years, Karen has seen prototypes for just about
engineering courses. Some discover the same thicker soles,” says Alex. cutting. For this project, students learn how to anything you can imagine. There are sunglass
for art and design. Some discover none of this The chef’s shoe had extra padding for use Adobe Illustrator to design what will get goggles — for the beach on a windy day. There
is for them — and that’s okay, too. standing a lot in a busy kitchen. The athlete’s burned into their wooden projects (coasters, are creative nose plugs for walking the halls of
The career exploration is rich. The course shoe had a grippier tread because grip is the bookmarks, wall art). The assignment also has the high school — you know, teenage smells.
also focuses on developing collaboration, cre- core issue their athlete faced. a twist. They are designing for another person Each group makes a prototype, tests it, and
ativity, problem-solving, and communication Alex likes how Ms. Kutz has the class set as they explore bias in design. makes a revision.
skills as students explore ideas and problems. up. She gives all the work and does instruction Alex and Dawn are partners — each “Collaboration is a big thing in this class
“I think it’s really fun to see something up front and then she is available as students other’s “clients.” Alex interviewed Dawn and — how do we work together?” says Karen.
you make come off a 3D printer,” says Karen. direct their own work time. found out Dawn wants to be an environmen- “For the final project, the groups assign roles
“People really like the idea that they did that, “You’re able to move at your own pace . tal engineer and is interested in Dungeons and and have daily check ins, much like a real job,
and they were able to design and make that. . . the steps are clear,” says Alex. “I like learn- Dragons. Alex is designing a piece of D&D as they learn how to collaborate and work
I’m not grading them on quality of the thing ing how to make things on my own. If there’s wall art (or a coaster) for Dawn. Dawn is together toward their goal.”
they made, I meet kids where they are. I want something not working, I try different things making a cat puzzle for Alex — who enjoys
them to learn new skills and show me their and get help from classmates or Ms. Kutz.” both cats and puzzles. Discovering what’s next
“Designing for someone else has been
thinking.” Design for self, others fun, because it draws on a strength of mind — The use of OnShape and Adobe Illustrator
3D design process After learning and practicing the 3D being able to get in someone else’s head,” says — both industry standard software products —
ignites strong feelings among the class. It also
design process, students work on two projects Dawn.
To design the learning, Karen pulls expe- can be an indicator of potential future paths.
rience gained in her pre-teaching career at a on their own — 3D printing and laser cutting. Soon, the class will be working in small “OnShape appeals more to the Engineer-
major medical equipment provider. There, she For the 3D printing project, students learn to groups to solve a real problem for the final ing side as it provides clear dimensions, scale,”
had roles in customer service, IT program man- use OnShape, a computer-aided design (CAD) unit of the trimester. The students will choose says Karen. “For people who like computer-
agement and business analysis and continuous software, similar to what engineers use, to a venue, and scenario and imagine problems, aided design (CAD) using OnShape that they
process improvement (if you know the lingo, create their designs. For this assignment stu- before identifying and solving for those prob- can move on to upper-level engineering classes
she’s Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certi- dents design something for themselves based lems.
fied). The course is anchored in the district’s on their likes and interests. “One venue might be a kitchen and
the scenario is making dinner. What prob- Continued on Page 12