A Fab Lab or Makerspace is an obvious first choice for a laser cutter, but this incredible machine can be put to use in many places around your school. If you’re looking to justify the cost and get buy-in from your administrators, take a look at these ideas for how to use a laser cutter in other content areas.
STEAM Classes
With a high focus on enhancing STEAM education in schools, bringing a laser cutter to the classroom can help teach these complex topics in more inclusive ways.
Science – Use a laser cutter to design and cut materials such as scale models, wheels, towers, or airplanes to show scientific principles in the real world.
Technology – Design something that can be used with electronics. Make moveable parts for servos, bodies for robots, and housing for soldering kits.
Engineering – Have your students’ designs come to life by building bridges, or have them design their own instruments (great for drafting instruments, too!).
Arts – Cut specific or custom pieces to be used in a variety of art classes, whether it’s for painting wall art, or making 3D materials.
Mathematics – Help students understand the principles behind mathematics by designing real-world counterparts to show angles, parallels, measurements, and more.
Beyond STEAM
Of course, there’s more to school than just STEAM. A laser cutter can be used in many other classrooms as well.
Agriculture Program – Design and create planters, or engrave pots. Make individual plant markers or a whole bed of labeled seedlings.
Physical Education and Athletics – Make your own plaques or trophies to honor student achievements. Mark out distances, boundaries, or goals with custom pieces.
Drama – Cut intricate designs in fabrics for costumes, or make accessories like earrings and pendants. Great for plays when you need specific settings, the laser cutter can be used for background designs and sculptures.
Shop Class – Add decorative designs to boards before adding them to larger pieces.
General Purpose
A laser cutter can also be helpful in other areas around your school, even if not in a classroom.
Recycling – Reuse pieces of fabric, wood, glass, or metal for laser cutting/engraving. This works great if you want a design on a smaller piece or to test something new before committing it to a larger piece.
Fundraising – Engrave mugs with your school logo, or make rulers, coasters, key chains, sculptures, commemorative tiles, wall décor, and much more to sell in fundraising efforts. Make it a school-wide project by having art and engineering classes create the designs, shop classes can cut or build certain projects, and tech classes can laser them.
Community – Enhance your community with various projects such as signs, benches, or replacing old, worn-out materials. Laser cutters are great for adding your school logo or mascot to completed pieces. Spread them around the community and boost school spirit!
Customization – There’s no doubt your school has a unique need. Ask around and you’ll hear dozens of ideas. Use your laser cutter to design and cut custom-made solutions for your students, teachers, staff, and building.
How Will You Use a Laser Cutter?
Laser cutters are great for the whole school all year long, not just a single class before putting it back in storage. It can also be used in other classes including CNC, 3D printing, metalworking, and auto shop, for even fuller STEAM use. If you’re looking for advice on how to choose the right laser cutter for your school, please contact us for a personalized recommendation!