Lesson Plan - 3-D Printers Are Changing the World

Watch a Video: Dream It, Print It!

Discuss: What uses of 3-D printing do you think are most exciting? Explain.

Preview Words to Know

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• prosthetic 
• manufacturing 
• complex

Set a Purpose for Reading

Point out the “As You Read” question. Have students be on the lookout for some ways 3-D printers are different from older printers.

1. Why does the article talk about a new school in Malawi? The article talks about the school in Malawi because it is the first school created using 3-D printing. It is an example of one amazing way this technology is being used.

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2. What does Easton LaChappelle mean when he says that 3-D printing has “come a long way”? LaChappelle means that 3-D printing has changed a lot since it was first introduced in the 1980s. For example, it is faster than it used to be.

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3. According to the article, how are 3-D printers better than old types of manufacturing? The article says that 3-D printing lets people make things as they need them, saving time and money. It also reduces waste and can create complex shapes.

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FEATURED SKILL: Vocabulary

Use the skill builder “Use Your Words” to have students explore challenging words from the article.

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