A teacher lectures to her class of students outside a school building.

Bennie Khanyizira/Homeline Media/14Trees.com

Article Options

Presentation View
Teaching Resources

Lexile® measure

3-D Printers Are Changing The World

The world’s first 3-D printed school has opened. Where will this technology take us next?

As You Read: Identify three differences between 3-D printers and older printers. 

Imagine waking up one day to find a new school next to your house. It popped up overnight. 

This happened in June in a village in Malawi, a country in Africa. The village has the world’s first 3-D printed school. Its concrete walls were built in about 18 hours. 

Imagine waking up to find a new school next to your house. It popped up overnight. This happened in June. It was in a village in Malawi, a country in Africa. The village has the world’s first 3-D printed school. Its concrete walls were built in about 18 hours. 

Holcim.com

A 3-D printer pours out layers of concrete to make the walls of this school.

Printing a Better Way

Before the school opened, many kids in the area had to walk miles to school. Other villages in Malawi have the same problem. Now 3-D printed schools can help!  

The first 3-D printers were made in the 1980s. But technology has changed a lot since then. Just ask Easton LaChappelle. He started a company that makes 3-D printed prosthetic arms.

“3-D printing has come a long way,” he says. “It’s a lot faster now.”

Today’s 3-D printers crank out everything from shoes to houses.

Before the school opened, many kids in the area had to walk miles to school. Other villages in Malawi have the same problem. Now 3-D printed schools can help!  

The first 3-D printers were made in the 1980s. But technology has changed a lot since then. Just ask Easton LaChappelle. His company makes 3-D printed prosthetic arms. 

“3-D printing has come a long way,” he says. “It’s a lot faster now.”

Today’s 3-D printers crank out everything. This includes shoes, and even houses.

How They Work

A 3-D printer is different from ones that use ink and paper. 3-D printers use materials such as plastic or metal. They create three-dimensional objects with height, length, and width.   

3-D printers are better in many ways than old types of manufacturing. People can make things as they need them. That can save time and money. 

For example, shipping supplies from Earth to the International Space Station costs $10,000 a pound! Astronauts with a 3-D printer could simply print items as they need them. 

3-D printing also reduces waste. It uses just enough material to make an object.

Another plus is that these printers can make complex shapes. People can get prosthetic limbs specially made for their bodies. 

A 3-D printer doesn’t use ink and paper. It uses materials such as plastic or metal. It creates three-dimensional objects. These objects have height, length, and width.   

3-D printers are better in many ways than old types of manufacturing. People can make things as they need them. That can save time and money. 

For example, shipping supplies from Earth to the International Space Station is expensive. It costs $10,000 a pound! Astronauts with a 3-D printer could print items as they need them.  

3-D printing also reduces waste. It uses just enough material to make an object.

Another plus is that these printers can make complex shapes. People can get prosthetic limbs specially made for their bodies. 

A 3-D Future

So why don’t we 3-D print everything? It’s still cheaper to make many copies of items in factories. But 3-D printing is changing the world, one step at a time. 

LaChappelle can’t wait to see what the future holds. He says, “It’s amazing to think about what might be next!”

So why don’t we 3-D print everything? It’s still cheaper to make items in factories. But 3-D printing is changing the world. It’s doing so one step at a time. 

LaChappelle can’t wait to see what the future holds. He says, “It’s amazing to think about what might be next!”

Printing Power

Check out two 3-D printed creations.

Courtesy TrueLimb 

A prosthetic arm can cost $80,000. A 3-D printed one can cost about $8,000. 


Courtesy Zellerfeld

The HERON01 is the first 3-D printed sneaker with no stitching or glue.


Printing Power

Check out two 3-D printed creations.

Courtesy TrueLimb


A prosthetic arm can cost $80,000. A 3-D printed one can cost about $8,000. 

Courtesy Zellerfeld


The HERON01 is the first 3-D printed sneaker with no stitching or glue.

  1. Why does the article talk about a new school in Malawi?
  2. What does Easton LaChappelle mean when he says that 3-D printing has “come a long way”?
  3. According to the article, how are 3-D printers better than old types of manufacturing?
  1. Why does the article talk about a new school in Malawi?
  2. What does Easton LaChappelle mean when he says that 3-D printing has “come a long way”?
  3. According to the article, how are 3-D printers better than old types of manufacturing?
videos (2)
videos (2)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
TEACHER SUPPORT (1)
Leveled Articles (1)
Text-to-Speech