Welcome & Framing
Introduce laser cutting as a classroom and career connector. Quick audience poll to surface prior experience and build relevance.
Cross-Curricular Connections
Share project examples in history, science, ELA, and art. Participants adapt one idea for their classroom through Think-Pair-Share.
Career Pathways
Highlight real-world links to design, engineering, architecture, and manufacturing. Groups brainstorm and share career connections for classroom projects.
Hands-On Simulation
Guide participants through a paper-based design-to-artifact workflow. Participants cut and assemble simple templates, then compare results.
Adapting for Learners
Discuss strategies for differentiation. Small groups modify a sample project for specific grade levels or subjects.
Reflection & Takeaways
Summarize key ideas and collect exit tickets with one project idea participants will implement.
Engagement Strategies
Frequent interaction every few minutes: polls, peer discussion, group brainstorms, hands-on simulation, and share-outs to keep participants active and collaborative.
Identify cross-curricular applications of laser cutting that connect to history, science, ELA, and art.
Simulate the design-to-artifact process using low-tech tools that mirror fabrication workflows.
Adapt laser cutting project ideas into authentic, learner-driven classroom activities that accommodate diverse learners.
Connect classroom projects to real-world career pathways in design, engineering, and advanced manufacturing.
Design at least one draft project outline or artifact prototype to take back to their classroom.
1. https://pz.harvard.edu/resources/maker-centered-learning-empowering-young-people-to-shape-their-worlds
Blikstein, P. (2013). Digital fabrication and ‘making’ in education: The democratization of invention. In FabLabs: Of Machines, Makers and Inventors (pp. 1–21). Transcript Publishers. https://tltlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2013.Book-B.Digital.pdf
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