Year 6 – Creating media – 3D modelling Lesson plan
Lesson 1 – Introduction to 3D modelling
Lesson 1: Introduction to 3D modelling
Introduction
Learners will be introduced to the concept of 3D modelling by creating a range of 3D
shapes that they select and move. Learners also examine shapes from a variety of views
within the 3D space.
Learning objectives
To recognise that you can work in three dimensions on a computer
● I can add 3D shapes to a project
● I can view 3D shapes from different perspectives
● I can move 3D shapes relative to one another
Key vocabulary
2D, 3D, shapes, select, move, perspective, view
Preparation
Subject knowledge:
You will need an understanding of the properties of 2D and 3D shapes, such as those
specified in the Mathematics National Curriculum for KS1 and KS2. You will also need to
be familiar with creating, selecting, and moving 3D objects within Tinkercad, including
how to view them from different perspectives. Tinkercad’s Start Learning 3D tutorials
provide a good starting point: https://www.tinkercad.com/learn/designs.
Prerequisites:
Accounts will need to be created within Tinkercad; please see the ‘Unit overview’ for
more information.
You will need:
● Slides
● A2 handout – Perspective
● A3 handout – Moving objects
● A3 solutions – Moving objects
● Desktop or laptop computers with internet connection to access Tinkercad. If
using laptop computers, an external mouse is preferable, but not essential.
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Year 6 – Creating media – 3D modelling Lesson plan
Lesson 1 – Introduction to 3D modelling
Assessment opportunities
Activity 1: Assess learners ability to place shapes on to the workplane.
Activity 2: Assess how effectively learners can appreciate that the perspective you view
objects from will influence their position relative to each other, even though the objects
are not being moved.
Activity 3: Assess how effectively learners can move objects on the workplane and how
they use the view tool to check the position of objects.
Outline plan
Please note that the slide deck labels the activities in the top right-hand corner to help
you navigate the lesson.
*Timings are rough guides
Starter Introduction
activity
(Slides 1–5) Introduce the lesson and the learning objectives.
5 mins Show slide 3. Check learners' understanding of the term ‘3D’ and the
difference between 2D and 3D shapes. Build the slide to show that 2D
shapes are flat and have no depth. 3D shapes have height, width, and
depth.
Note: An understanding of the properties of 3D shapes is a prerequisite
for this unit.
Play the video on slide 4. Explain that computers are often used to model
real-life 3D items. This can help the design process and enable people to
view parts of objects in detail. Explain that the car which is modelled at the
end of the video is actually made up of many separate 3D shapes.
Show slide 5 and explain that in this unit, learners’ will create their own 3D
computer models using a computer.
Note: If you have access to a 3D printer, you may want to say at this
stage that there will be opportunities for learners’ models to be printed at
various points in this unit.
Activity 1 Introduction to Tinkercad
(Slides 6–8)
Show slide 6 which features a screenshot of the login screen for Tinkercad
10 mins and provide learners with the class code.
Show slide 7. Briefly talk learners through three of the key parts of the
Tinkercad interface:
● View tools - these enable you to change the way you view objects.
You can view objects from different perspectives and zoom in and
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Year 6 – Creating media – 3D modelling Lesson plan
Lesson 1 – Introduction to 3D modelling
out. Learners will view objects from different perspectives in activity
2 of this lesson.
● The workplane - this is where learners will place shapes and see
the 3D models they have created.
● Shapes - these are the predefined shapes which learners can add
to their workplane. Once they have added shapes, there are many
ways they can edit and manipulate them.
Show slide 8. Ask learners to place a cube and a sphere next to each other,
as shown on the slide.
Activity 2 Your point of view
(Slides 9–12)
Provide each table with two objects (preferably a sphere and a cube of
15 mins similar size, although other objects would also be suitable) and ask them
to place them next to each other on their table. Make a comparison with
the objects learners placed in Tinkercad.
Ask each learner to draw a quick sketch of the objects from where they
are sitting. Once they have drawn their sketch, ask learners to compare
the sketches on their table and explain what they notice. Learners should
identify that the objects are placed differently relative to each other
depending on where they are sketched from.
Show slide 10. Explain to learners that they are now going to view the
shapes on Tinkercad from different perspectives. This can be done by left-
clicking and holding the mouse button on the cube, or by right-clicking and
holding the mouse button on the workplane. Allow learners time to
familiarise themselves with this technique — it can be difficult to master at
first, particularly using the cube which is quite sensitive.
Show slide 11. Explain that these are some of the views they may have
seen. Some learners may see different positions, depending on where they
initially placed their shapes. Emphasise that on all these views, the shapes
are in the same place; only the viewing angle or perspective has changed.
Show slide 12 and explain that the + and - buttons on the view toolbar are
used to zoom in and out.
Activity 3 Moving objects
(Slides 13–14)
Show slide 13. Explain that when you click on an object you will select it.
10 mins Once selected, the object will be highlighted in blue and a number of
‘handles’ will appear. Explain that you can move an object by clicking on it
and dragging it around the workplane or by selecting it and using the
arrow keys.
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Year 6 – Creating media – 3D modelling Lesson plan
Lesson 1 – Introduction to 3D modelling
At this stage, discourage learners from clicking on the handles as this will
resize the object.
Ask learners to complete the handout which includes the questions listed
on slide 14. Possible answers are included in the A3 ‘Solutions’ resource.
Plenary Which shapes?
(Slide 15)
Remind learners of the computer generated 3D exploded car video from
5 mins the beginning of the lesson. Explain that the slide shows the exploded
version of the car on the left and the complete version on the right. Ask
learners to identify shapes in the exploded picture, which then form parts
of the complete car.
Next time This lesson, next lesson
(Slides 16–17)
Review the ‘Assessment’ and ‘Summary’ slides.
5 mins
Homework Ask the learners to find 3D objects in their home or in school and identify
(optional) the 3D shapes used to create the objects.
Resources are updated regularly — the latest version is available at: ncce.io/tcc.
This resource is licensed under the Open Government Licence, version 3. For more information on this
licence, see ncce.io/ogl.
Page 4 Last updated: 22-11-21
