Teaching 3D with ModelMetricks

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The future is 3D. Get your students up to speed the FUN and EASY way.

With Google SketchUp TM, kids have so much fun designing 3D models like the ones shown on the left, they don't even realize how much they're learning. We are proud to provide the first (and only) 3D computer design materials written specifically for kids.

Why Use ModelMetricks with Your Students?

These books are FUN.

Computer time is probably your students' favorite part of the day. But they won't stick with a project unless they're having fun. The models in these books are fun to make - they are designs I've seen kids invent on their own in school, and while working with friends. What could be cooler than a house shaped like a rainbow, or designing your own bedroom with framed posters of your favorite singers? 

These books TEACH important concepts.

Students work independently.

These books are great for self-learning. Each step of each project is accompanied by a picture, plus a very detailed explanation of what to do and why to do it. Your students can get started immediately from Page 1, and within minutes have their first design. They can work all the way through the book with little or no teacher guidance.

Students like "bite-size" chunks.

These books are not intimidating - each one ranges between 100 and 170 half-size pages. Each page has several pictures, and short, easy-to-follow instructions. A book can easily share space with a computer on a desk, plus it will lie nearly flat when open. And you can load up a backpack with several of these books, without tipping over any small children.

C o l o r is Cool.

SketchUp is colorful, and so are our materials. Each step of each project has a detailed, full-color, eye-catching picture of what your screen should look like. Large, bright arrows are used to point out icons, window options, and whatever else is important to notice in a picture.

Progression build skills and self-esteem.

These books are divided into three series: Basics, Intermediate, and Advanced. Working through a series of project books this way serves two purposes. First, the books proceed in a logical order that builds up the skill set in stages. Second, it gives kids a great sense of accomplishment by completing one level before moving on to the next.

Review pages reinforce.

After you work through 30 or 40 pages, it's easy to forget what you just did. A little reminder helps immensely to reinforce what you've just learned. At the end of each chapter is a bullet-item list of every new concept and tool introduced in that chapter.

Projects are appropriate for all ages.

Kids as young as 8 can start with the Basics Series. But this doesn't mean that a 15-year old will find them too "young." Older kids can master SketchUp using the same approach. (Adults love the books, too, even if they don't admit it to their kids.)

Gender Equity - Girls are included.

This is an issue close to my own heart, as a woman engineer. These books are perfect for sparking your girls' interest in geometry, modeling, and 3D design. When I see SketchUp in action in schools, the girls are just as engaged (if not more) than the boys, and produce incredibly creative designs that reflect both geometric accuracy as well as personal tastes. The ModelMetricks projects are all gender-neutral, and both boys and girls can easily add their own  touches to their projects.