3D Design

About this unit

Introduce 3D modelling and design and take a look at how these skills are used in the real world in a huge variety of different careers. Learn the basics of 3D modelling software Sketchup, and then put your design skills to the test with a variety of projects, including designing furniture and buildings.

National Curriculum Links - Computing KS2

The content of this plan cover the following National Curriculum strands:

select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information

Curriculum Mapping

Why this? What does it build on?

This unit of work builds on elements of Getting started with Kodu, which, while primarily a computer science and programming unit, also requires students to work and create in a 3D environment and manipulate and control the user viewpoint and work on different planes. This unit introduces many unique 3D design skills, however, it also builds strongly on other artistic units of work they will have covered, such as An introduction to digital art (Year 1), where they learn to use shapes and line drawing tools, something which is replicated in a 3D environment with Sketchup in this unit. Skills from Digital Imagery: Patterns in Nature (Year 3) can also be applied here, such as selecting and working on individual parts of an image and manipulating images in different ways.

What comes next?

Students will apply the skills of creating in a virtual 3D environment in the Year 5 unit Kodu Sports, which combines coding with 3D digital design and supports some of the skills learned in this unit. They will also extend their digital creative skills in Building Collaborative Websites and Manipulating Sound (both Year 5) and Creating Instructional Videos and Manipulating Images (both Year 6). In these units, they will combine the use of text, images, sound and video and learn how to edit and combine these various elements.

View our full curriculum map

Take a look at our full curriculum map to see how units across all year groups, from Year 1 to Year 6 link.

Open resource

Unit Resources

Lesson Slides

Detailed lesson slides for you to use when delivering this unit of work with your class

Open lesson slides

Unit Assessment Sheet

Use our simple assessment system to measure your students' success in this unit of work.

Open unit assessment sheet

Lessons

Lesson 1

Navigate a 3D environment successfully
Create simple 3D models
Become familiar with some of the simple drawing tools in Sketchup

Getting Started With Sketchup

Lesson 2

Create detailed 3D models of furniture
Use the referencing tools in Sketchup to help keep elements in proportion
Use a range of simple drawing tools in Sketchup
Apply colour and materials to a 3D model

Building Furniture

Lessons 3 & 4

Create a detailed 3D building model
Create and use components in a Sketchup model
Apply realistic colour and materials to a 3D model

Building Houses

Lessons 5 & 6

Design buildings that fit a particular architectural theme or period in history
Use more advanced building techniques such as referencing, follow me, components and grouping

Topic linked design

Suggested Software

Sketchup for Schools - Use online for free with a Google G-Suite for Education or Microsoft 365 for Education account.
Sketchup Make 2017 - This is an older version of Sketchup which can be downloaded for free. This is an offline version that does not require student sign in, so may be best for some schools.

Everything in this unit of work (and much more) can be done with either of these versions of Sketchup

Full Computing Glossary

Take a look at our full computing glossary, plus key vocabulary for each age group.

Go to vocabulary glossary

Key computing vocabulary for this unit

3D - (or 3-D) means three-dimensional, or having three dimensions. For example, a cube is three-dimensional; it is solid, and not thin like a piece of paper. It has volume, a top and bottom, left and right (sides), as well as a front and back.

3D modelling - 3D modelling is a technique in computer graphics for producing a 3D digital representation of any object or surface. Special software can be used to to manipulate points in virtual space to form an object. 3D models are used for a variety of mediums including video games, movies, architecture, illustration, engineering, and advertising.

3D printing - 3D printing is the action or process of making a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model, typically by laying down many thin layers of a material in succession. This is can be know as additive manufacturing. Plastic is most commonly used in 3D printing where a spool of solid plastic is melted and layered onto a flat bed to gradually create a 3D model. Other materials can also been used such as chocolate (for unique food designs), concrete (for very fast building) and even human cells are being experimented with! (to create body parts for transplant).

Alter - To change the way something looks, sometimes using a computer or other digital tools

CAD - Computer aided design or CAD is an important industry within the tech world. It involves utilising computers to help with engineering and design for a wide range of projects. Common types of computer aided design include architecture, metal fabrication, carpentry, and 3D printing.

Digital content - Any media created, edited or viewed on a computer, such as text (including the hypertext of a web page), images, sound, video, or virtual environments, and combinations of these (i.e. multimedia).

Edit - To change, add or remove elements in a piece of work (usually to improve it).

Export - The opposite of importing and a computing command that usually means saving or sending a file, or part of a file, to a specific new location. It also often allows changing the file format as it’s saved. For example, a Photoshop image could be exported as a PDF document or different images types (PNG, JPEG etc). You might also export content between apps on an iPad. A piece of music could be exported to iMovie to use as a soundtrack for a video.

Import - A computing command that usually means allowing a user to bring in a file, or part of a file into another application so they can be combined. For example, an image could be imported into presentation slides, or art software to use as a background.

Save - To store a piece of work in a computer’s memory so that it can be recalled at a later time.

Simulation - Using a computer to model the state and behaviour of real-world (or imaginary) systems, including physical and social systems; an integral part of most computer games.

Software - Computer programs, including both application software (such as office programs, web browsers, media editors and games) and the computer operating system. The term also applies to ‘apps’ running on mobile devices and to web-based services.