The lesson is about designing and printing a 3D map of Mediterranean islands in order to understand the right geographic position and location of them. Students will also develop an understanding of the  size of some of the biggest islands of the Mediterranean area, their territorial structure together with their differences and similarities. The Mediterranean islands that have been identified are: Sicily and Sardinia (Italy) Cyprus and Corsica (France). The exercise will help also to understand the 3D printing techniques.

The students will be able to:

– Design the selected islands with Rhinoceros or Sketchup or Inventor Educational or with others suitable CAD software.
– Identify the different size of the islands.
– Create in their mind a mental map of the selected Mediterranean islands.
– Know and locate on the map the right geographic position of the selected islands.
– Use interpretative models of territorial structures of these islands, in relation to their historical, physical, political and economic evolution.
– Prepare CAD files to be printed.
– Learn 3D printing technics.
– Setting the 3D printing file.
– Print the 3D model of the selected islands.

Preparation about the guided lesson in the classroom. Development of theoretical exercises to be implemented during the classroom lesson in order to make the lesson as interactive as possible.

– Introduce the topic and the objective (the general concept of the Mediterranean islands, the geographical structure of the selected islands and its transformation along the years).
– Explain the basic of the 3D software to use for e.i. Rhinoceros or Sketchup or Inventor Educational.
– Guided designing of the Mediterranean islands
– Explain how to save the file and how to export to the suitable format for the 3D print (.STL, .OBJ…).
– Explain the basic about 3D printing.
– Explain how to set the file on the coding software, Cura.
– Show how to obtain the G-Code.
– Explain how to prepare the 3D printer for launching works.

– Design the 3D map with some sketch and then thanks to the CAD software i.e. Rhinoceros or Sketchup or Inventor Educational.
– Saving and exporting to the suitable format, STL. OBJ….
– Select the suitable setting on Cura for printing the islands.
– Launching the file on the 3D printer.
– Try the design.
– Participate to the exercised proposed by the teachers.

Example of exercise to be implemented:
Complete a research report about the islands that will include the following information:

• Introduction – Name and location of the islands (where it’s located etc.)
• Phisycal description – morphology and climate
• Information about its history
• Economic activities
• Typical food and traditions
• Additional information about the interesting places that the tourists can visit