Week 7

Design Your Own Real-Life Product

Solving a real problem with 3D modeling and printing

Welcome to the Final Week!

You've learned to navigate SketchUp, draw with precision, build a sandbox, and construct a full pirate ship. Now it's time to use everything you've learned to solve a real problem.

This week, you'll identify a problem in your school, home, or community — and design a 3D-printed solution. This is what real designers and engineers do every day.

By the end of this lesson, you'll have a finished 3D model, an exported STL file, and a short presentation explaining how your design adds value.

What You'll Learn This Week

Identify a real-life problem that a 3D-printed object could solve
Design and model your solution in SketchUp
Export for printing and check in a slicer
Present your idea and reflect on the value it adds

Let's Begin

10 minutes

1. Introduce the Project + Rubric

This is your final project. You'll design a 3D-printed product that solves a real problem. Your teacher will walk you through the rubric at the end of this page.

Project requirements:

Identify a real problem (school, home, or community)
Design a 3D-printed solution in SketchUp
Model must be a Solid Group (printable)
Export as an STL file
Present your idea to the class (2–3 minutes)
Write a short reflection on the value of your design

Keep it simple. A small, working solution is better than a huge, unfinished one. Focus on one clear problem and solve it well.

15 minutes

2. Brainstorm Real-Life Problems

Look around you. What problems could a 3D-printed object solve? Think about school, home, and your community.

Project ideas to get you started:

Problem	3D-Printed Solution
Broken classroom item	Replacement part
No pencil grip for disabled student	Custom pencil holder
Phone falls off desk	Phone stand
Lab tools missing	Custom organizer
Plants need labels	Garden markers
Door handle hard to grip	Handle attachment

Other ideas you could try:

A cable holder to stop wires from tangling
A book stand for reading hands-free
A keychain with your name or class logo
A small tray to organize desk supplies
A hook to hang a bag on a desk
A custom bookmark for a favorite book
A clip to keep a bag of chips sealed
A stand for a tablet or e-reader
A replacement knob for a drawer or cabinet

Brainstorm activity:

In your notebook, write down 5 problems you've noticed
For each one, sketch a quick idea for a 3D-printed solution
Circle the one you're most excited about

Think small. The best 3D printing projects solve small, specific problems — a pencil grip is better than a whole new desk.

25 minutes

3. Design and Model Your Solution

Now it's time to build. Use everything you've learned: Rectangle, Line, Circle, Push/Pull, Offset, Move, and Copy.

Step 1: Sketch your idea on paper first

Draw your solution from the front, top, and side
Write down the dimensions you'll use
Decide on colors and materials

Step 2: Build the main shape

Open a new SketchUp model
Start with the biggest part — use Rectangle or Circle
Push/Pull to give it thickness
Type exact dimensions as you go

Step 3: Add details

Use Offset to add walls or borders
Use Circle + Push/Pull to add holes or curves
Use Move and Copy to duplicate parts (like multiple legs or slots)

Step 4: Apply materials and colors

Open the Materials panel
Choose colors that match the real product
Paint each part

Step 5: Check for Solid Group

Select everything (drag a box around it)
Right-click → Group
Look at Entity Info — should say "Solid Group"
Fix any gaps or stray lines

Stuck? Ask yourself: What's the simplest version of this idea? Build that first, then add details if you have time.

20 minutes

4. Export as STL + Slicer Check

Once your model is finished and solid, export it and check it in a slicer.

Step 1: Export as STL

Go to File → Export → 3D Model
Select STL as the file type
Name it: week7-studentid-firstname-lastname.stl
Click Export

Step 2: Open in a slicer

Open Cura or PrusaSlicer
Import your STL file
Look at the preview

Step 3: Check these things:

Does the model fit on the print bed?
Are there any overhangs that need supports?
Are the walls thick enough (at least 1.2mm)?
How long will it take to print?

Adjust if needed: If your model is too big, scale it down in the slicer. If it has overhangs, enable supports.

20 minutes

5. Present Your Idea to the Class

Time to share. You'll present your project in 2–3 minutes.

What to include in your presentation:

Problem: What real-life problem does your design solve?
Solution: What did you design, and how does it work?
Process: Show your model — orbit it around so everyone can see
Printability: Mention if it's a solid group, print time, and supports
Value: Who benefits from your design?

Presentation tips:

Speak clearly and slowly
Show your SketchUp model live if possible
Explain your thinking — not just what you built, but why
Be honest about what was hard

No need to be perfect. Real designers present unfinished work all the time. Focus on explaining your idea clearly.

10 minutes

6. Reflection: How Did You Add Value?

Take a few minutes to reflect on your project.

Write a short reflection (3–5 sentences) answering:

What problem did your design solve?
Who benefits from your design?
What was the hardest part of the project?
What would you do differently if you made it again?
How did you add value to a real-life service or product?

Submit your work:

Save your SketchUp file: week7-studentid-firstname-lastname
Save your STL file: week7-studentid-firstname-lastname.stl
Submit your reflection in Google Classroom or on paper
Submit the link to your SketchUp file if required

Congratulations! You've completed the full Design to Print unit. You now know how to take an idea from sketch to 3D model to a printable object.

Check Yourself

Before you submit, make sure you can do all of these:

I identified a real-life problem
I designed a solution in SketchUp
My model is a Solid Group
I exported my model as an STL file
I checked my model in a slicer
I presented my idea to the class
I wrote a reflection on how my design adds value
I saved all my files with the correct filenames

Key Words to Remember

Term	What It Means
Design Process	The steps designers follow: identify → sketch → model → test → improve
Prototype	A first version of a design — made to test the idea
Iteration	Improving a design over multiple versions
Value	The benefit a design brings to a real person, service, or product

Quick Check

Answer these in your head or on paper:

What problem does your design solve?
Who benefits from your design?
Is your model a Solid Group? How do you know?
What is one thing you would improve in a second version?

Project Rubric

Your final project will be graded using the rubric below. The highest possible score is 50 points.

Criteria	Excellent (10)	Good (7)	Fair (4)	Needs Work (1)
Problem Identification	Clear, specific, real-life problem that is meaningful and well explained	Clear problem, but not fully explained or slightly generic	Problem is vague or not clearly real-life	No clear problem identified
Design & Modeling	Model is complete, accurate, uses tools creatively, and solves the problem well	Model is mostly complete and solves the problem	Model is incomplete or only partially solves the problem	Model is missing or does not solve the problem
Printability	Model is a Solid Group, properly scaled, wall thickness is appropriate, overhangs considered	Model is mostly printable with minor issues	Model has several printability issues	Model is not printable
Presentation	Clear, confident, well-organized presentation that explains the problem, solution, and value	Clear presentation with minor gaps	Presentation is unclear or incomplete	No presentation or did not explain the project
Reflection	Thoughtful reflection that clearly explains the value added and what was learned	Reflection is present but brief or surface-level	Reflection is vague or missing key points	No reflection submitted

Total Possible Score: 50 points

Teacher Instructions

Verify each student still has their Week 6 pirate ship saved in Google Drive.
Introduce the final project and walk through the rubric.
Guide a short class brainstorm of real-life problems.
Circulate during the design and modeling phase to assist students.
Remind students to keep designs simple and achievable.
Assist students who struggle with turning ideas into SketchUp models.
Ensure each student exports an STL file.
Demonstrate importing the STL into a slicer.
Guide students through checking printability (scale, supports, wall thickness).
Facilitate student presentations — time each to 2–3 minutes.
Collect the written reflections.
Verify each student submits both the SketchUp file and STL file.
Grade using the rubric above (50 points total).
Provide feedback and close the unit with a short recap.

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