MakerBot Thingiverse Names Winners of Math Manipulative Challenge

MakerBot has named three winners in its Thingiverse Math Manipulative Challenge.

According to a prepared statement, the contest was part of the company's launch of its MakerBot Academy, which aims "to put a MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printer in every school in the United States." More than 160 members of Thingiverse, a 3D design and printing community, submitted 3D prints for math manipulatives.

Each winner will receive MakerBot PLA filament, a Thingiverse t-shirt and have his or her designs displayed on Thingiverse and at MakerBot retail stores in New York, Boston, and Greenwich, CT. The first place winner will also be able to choose a classroom to receive a MakerBot Academy bundle, which includes "MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer, three spools of MakerBot PLA Filament, and MakerCare," protection service.

Steve Wood, known on Thingiverse as Gyrobot, won first place with his Seesaw Maths design. The teaching aid is designed to help students practice adding, subtracting, multiplication, and division using a scale and counters.

Second place went to Bernie Solo – screen name SSW – for his Math Gear(s). The math manipulative, which aims to teach students about gear ratios, comes with a set of simple ratio exercises.

Christina Chun took third place with her Math Spinner Toy that lets students "mix and match numbers to build simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division equations." The print design can be manipulated to accommodate beginner and advanced math students.

To view the winning designs and find upcoming challenges, visit Thingiverse.com.

About the Author

Kanoe Namahoe is online editor for 1105 Media's Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Abstract AI circuit board pattern

    Nonprofit LawZero to Work Toward Safer, Truthful AI

    Turing Award-winning AI researcher Yoshua Bengio has launched LawZero, a nonprofit aimed at developing AI systems that prioritize safety and truthfulness over autonomy.

  • students using digital devices, surrounded by abstract AI motifs and soft geometric design

    Ed Tech Startup Kira Launches AI-Native Learning Platform

    A new K-12 learning platform aims to bring personalized education to every student. Kira, one of the latest ed tech ventures from Andrew Ng, former director of Stanford's AI Lab and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning.AI, "integrates artificial intelligence directly into every educational workflow — from lesson planning and instruction to grading, intervention, and reporting," according to a news announcement.

  • human profile with a circuit-board brain next to an open book

    Pilot Program Fosters AI Literacy in Underserved Youth

    A pilot co-led by Operation HOPE and Georgia State University is working to build technical, entrepreneurial, and financial-literacy skills in Atlanta-area youth to help them thrive in the AI-powered workforce.

  • student holding a smartphone with thumbs-up and thumbs-down icons, surrounded by abstract digital media symbols and interface elements

    Teaching Media Literacy? Start by Teaching Decision-Making

    Decision-making is a skill that must be developed — not assumed. Students need opportunities to learn the tools and practices of effective decision-making so they can apply what they know in meaningful, real-world contexts.