Make Something Meaningful with Cuttle.xyz

 

As an edtech leader in K12, I try lots of edtech tools.  And once in a while, you come across a tool that sweeps you off your feet. This year, that tool was Cuttle.xyz

When I first was introduced to Cuttle.xyz,  I immediately felt hopeful that it could end my long-time search for a great tool that students and teachers in the K12 community could use to design and create with digital cutting machines and laser cutters.  The more I used Cuttle.xyz,  the more  I became convinced that Cuttle.xyz belongs in every school's digital toolbox.

If you want to give it a try, stop by my session at the Dynamic Landscape conference. 

Slides from my Session

In this session we will:

• Discuss Why Cuttle?
• Create an SVG file using Cuttle.xyz for an Identity Artifact that can be fabricated using a laser cutter, digital cutting machine, or even 3D printed.
  
• Explore Cuttle’s Template Collection
• Brainstorm way to use Cuttle for Meaningful Making Projects
• Cut out your Artifact using Cricut Cutter (as time permits)

We will start with a little inspiration from the students at Hyde Park Elementary School.

Then we will dive into a hands on skill building activity where you can start to create confidence designing your own Identity Artifact using Cuttle.xyz

And finally we will challenge you to plan your own  meaningful making project or integrate meaningful making in your instructional design.

Here is a few  meaningful making project I've worked on recently.
You can find  my guide to making the SnowFlake Project here.

I've approached this project using several different tools, from Google Draw to Gravit. 
So why am I so excited about Cuttle.xyz? 

1.  Cuttle.xyz provides students with tools for creativity and innovation by allowing students and teachers to design Vector (SVG) files needed to create and make using digital cutters and laser cutters.   Learning to work with SVG files is key to creativity and innovation.  If we want to create the next generations of problem solvers, we need to give them the right tool for the job and help them build fluency using these tools.

2. Cuttle.xyz works on Chromebooks!  It's easy to say we have reached a point where every students has a device. But when looking at education through an equity lens, its easy to spot there are still huge equity gaps when it comes to access to digital tools.  One way the 1 laptop per child goal has been reached is by providing students with Chromebooks. But Chromebooks do not allow students to use industry tools for creating SVG or vector files like Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, or Inkscape (open-source).  The fact that  Cuttle.xyz works on Chromebook can help bridge this equity gap. 

3. Cuttle.xyz has responded to educators' need to protect student data privacy. When faced with the request for a Signed Student Data Privacy Agreement, Cuttle.xyz CEO & Co-founder, Toby Schachman, worked with members of the Student Data Privacy Alliance to get signed agreements on file with schools in Illinois and Vermont.

4. Cuttle.xyz is working to make Cuttle.xyz accessible to students in K12 schools by providng affordable pricing.  The free plan allows for 5 design projects, while the school pricing set by Cuttle.xyz provides two options 1) access for 30  active accounts  per week or  2) unlimited accounts per domain. 

5) Cuttle.xyz can be used to teach students computational thinking.  It took me a while to discover that Cuttle.xyz provides students the opportunity to CREATE with  CODE.   The LEARN section of Cuttle.xyz website provides more detail about this often overlooked feature.

 "Cuttle’s scripting features allow you to write JavaScript code that can modify your shapes or generate new shapes.

All of Cuttle’s built-in modifiers, like Rotational Repeat, Outline Stroke, etc. were created this way. That is, we built Cuttle using the same scripting features you have access to. You can see the code of any modifier by clicking the pencil icon on the right side of it in the inspector.I'm a big fan of tools that allow us to create with code.  

I hope to see for. yourself during my session at  Dynamic Landscape.

 Making with Cuttle.xyz for Cricut and Laser Cutters

 

Session Description

Are you looking for a tool that your students can use to create projects with your school’s laser cutter, Cricut, or other maker tools? Does it need to work on Chromebooks? Cuttle.xyzdoes just that and they have a signed Student Data Privacy agreement in Vermont! Come and play and leave empowered with your own fun IDENTITY artifact and lesson ideas you can use tomorrow.

If you can't make it, feel free to check out  the Slides from the session. 

Hands On - Identity Project at Hyde Park Elementary School

 

This year I had the honor of collaborating with Hyde Park Middle School Students and Staff  and the Vermont Arts Council for a week long Maker Residency focused on IDENTITY.  This experience helped me reflect on how a residency model can provide value for both teachers and students.   

 Join us at Dynamic Landscapes 2023  Google Slides  where we'll share what we learned. 

Be Inspired:

 Hyde Park School Maker Residency 

Create Confidence:

 SkillBuilder- Create Identity Artifact

  SVG file

Make Something Meaningful:

  Brainstorm Challenge PromptReflection: 

Session Description

Come Create, Make, and Learn with Lucie and leave empowered with your own fun IDENTITY artifact and a project based learning example of how to integrate making with language arts and social studies. This session is based on a recent fun maker residency with middle school students at Hyde Park School.


We will kick off the session with some highlights from the recent maker residency with students and teachers from Hyde Park School sponsored by the Vermont Arts Council.

We will then move into a hands-on Skill building Sprints designed to Create Confidence with new maker tools and processes used to create a personalized Identity Artifact.

The following slide deck includes the Skill building Sprint designed to create confidence with new maker tools and processes.  Through these skill building activities students and teaachers gained the basic skills  for using Google Slides, The Noun Project, and PicSVG.com to design an SVG file that can be used with laser cutters, digital cutters (i.e. Cricut), or even 3D printers to fabricate a personalized Identity Artifact.

 

Equipped with confidence using new tools and processes students and teachers were ready MAKE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL.    Students voice and choice were expanded with the confidence to use new tools and processes. Teachers  felt confident to  design instruction that include meaningful making. 

During our maker residency each student created a personal journal to  reflect on identity artifacts  they would create and collect throughout the year. 

If you would like to bring a Maker Residency to your school, 

contact Lucie at ldelabruere@gmail.com

Students are engaged in new learning experiences.  The experience inspires them to learn new skills. As they create confidence with new tools and processes, students are ready to take on meaningful making challenge.  

Teachers receive embedded professional development as they co-teach an experience that they helped to design.  The experience is a low risk way to create confidence with new tools and processes that model Project Based Learning pedagogy.   Teachers become inspired watching the engagement of their students during the residency. With newfound confidence in using new tools and processed, teachers are ready to design instruction that includes meaningful making projects.