Instructor Notes — Week 1

Theme: 3D Basics & Navigation
Focus Concept: Moving in 3D space, placing and resizing simple shapes
Mini-Project: Name Tag / Keyring

Learning Objectives

Segment	Time	Focus
Welcome & setup	10	Logins, what is Tinkercad, term overview
Tool demo	10	Orbit, pan, zoom, place & resize shapes
Guided build	25	Step-by-step name tag / keyring
Independent make	25	Personalise designs
Share & tidy	10	Quick gallery, saving, and recap

Briefly explain that Tinkercad is a 3D design tool and that this term is about design, test, improve.
Demonstrate:
- Using the view cube and mouse (or trackpad) to orbit.
- Pan and zoom.
- Dropping a basic shape onto the workplane and resizing it.
Emphasise that it’s normal to feel a bit “lost” in 3D at first — home view and the view cube help them reset.

Suggested sequence (you can adapt live):

Place a flat shape (e.g. box) and resize it to a sensible tag size (e.g. 50–70 mm long).
Add a text shape with the learner’s name or initials; scale to fit the base.
Optional: add a small cylinder or hole near the edge for a keyring.
Show how to change colours (not essential for printing but motivating).

Encourage participants to check their design from multiple angles.

Invite learners to add one or two decorations only (small icon, border) without over-complicating.
If time allows, some may start a second variant (e.g. tag for a sibling or pet).

Write key terms on the board and refer back to them:

If many are new to 3D, keep the demo slow and explicit, naming each action as you do it.
Encourage “hands off the mouse while I’m demoing” for short moments so they can see clearly.
For mixed-ability groups, invite confident learners to support peers with navigation, not design.

Look for:

Can learners reliably orbit, pan and zoom to inspect their model?
Do they understand that the workplane is like a “table” where they build?
Can they explain who their name tag is for and why they chose its size or style?

Prompt: “Show me your tag from the side — what do you notice? Is it too thick, too thin, or OK?”

Misconception	Clarification / Strategy
“I’ve lost my model; it’s gone!”	Use home view or click the model in the object list.
“2D thinking” — only looking from above	Encourage orbiting around; ask them to show you side views.
Making tags extremely tiny or huge	Compare to a real tag size in cm/mm; adjust scale together.

Beginners:
- Focus on basic navigation and a very simple rectangular tag.
- Provide a template base they can reuse.
Confident learners:
- Experiment with rounded or unusual base shapes.
- Add a second line of text or a small icon.

Subject	Connection
Computing	Creating digital 3D content for a specific purpose.
Maths	Informal use of measurement and proportional resizing.
Art & Design	Colour and composition of the tag; personal symbolism.
PSHE	Identity and ownership (tags for self, family, or community)

Strand	Evidence in Session
Computing — Creating Media (3D)	Designing and editing a simple 3D artefact.
D&T — Design	Designing a product for themselves or a specific user.
D&T — Make	Selecting tools to shape and combine components.
D&T — Evaluate	Discussing whether the tag is readable and practical.