🌱 Planters for Social Enterprise
🧭 Unit Overview
Statement of Inquiry:
Social entrepreneurs can innovate and influence communities.
Key Concept: Communities
Related Concept: Innovation
Global Context: Fairness and Development (Social Entrepreneurs)
Technology Focus: 3D Modeling with Onshape
🎯 Project Brief
You will design and 3D print a self-watering planter that could be used by someone in your community. Your challenge is to create something innovative, useful, and appealing, guided by the principles of social enterprise.
Your final product will:
- Be designed in Onshape
- Be 3D printed
- Include testing or simulations of how it functions
- Be evaluated based on Criterion D
📝 Assessment: Criterion D - Evaluate
You will evaluate your design based on how well it meets your design goals. You will not be able to use it with a live plant yet, so your evaluation will focus on the design and print quality, and what you observed during testing.
Use this rubric to guide your final evaluation of your 3D-printed planter.
Focus on how well it meets your design goals and what you learned during testing and printing.
✅ Level 1–2 (Limited)
You:
- Briefly describe your testing (e.g., “I checked if water stayed in”).
- State if the planter worked or not, with little detail.
- Do not include much evidence or explanation.
💡 Example:
“I tested the planter by putting water in it. It printed okay.”
✅ Level 3–4 (Adequate)
You:
- Describe a basic test (e.g., water test, size fit, stability on surface).
- Outline how well the printed planter met some of your design goals.
- List at least one way your design could be improved.
- Briefly explain how your planter could be useful to someone.
💡 Example:
“I poured 100ml of water into the planter. It held the water, but some leaked.
I think I should make the walls thicker. It could help people grow herbs.”
✅ Level 5–6 (Substantial)
You:
- Describe at least one relevant test (e.g., volume capacity, balance, water retention) and share your results.
- Describe the success of your design based on testing and your original success criteria.
- Suggest specific improvements, based on what you observed during testing or printing.
- Describe how your planter design could help people, based on its features and purpose.
💡 Example:
“I tested the weight and balance. The planter tipped over when filled.
It meets the size goal but not stability. I would improve the base width.
This planter could help window gardeners grow lettuce with little space.”
✅ Level 7–8 (Excellent)
You:
- Describe detailed and relevant testing methods (e.g., volume tests, stability checks, material strength, peer review) that give accurate data or observations.
- Explain clearly how your planter met or didn’t meet each success criterion.
- Describe specific, thoughtful improvements, based on your testing, printing process, or peer feedback.
- Explain in detail how your design could impact the user or community, based on its features and design purpose (even if not yet used with a plant).
💡 Example:
“I tested water capacity (held 220ml, goal was 250ml), and checked that it fits a 6cm plant pot.
The print was successful but the walls were too thin. I would increase wall thickness and add a water-fill indicator.
The planter is designed to help students grow herbs in dorm rooms with limited time and space.”
📅 Weekly Lesson Plan
Lesson 1: Introduction & Investigation
Learning Goal: Understand the project and write your design brief.
Activities:
- Explore examples of social enterprise and community gardening
- Research different types of planters
- Write a design brief and define success criteria
Journal Prompt:
- What is a social enterprise?
- What makes a planter useful or innovative?
Lesson 2: Design Ideas
Learning Goal: Develop and justify your planter design.
Activities:
- Sketch 2–3 design ideas for your planter
- Choose your best idea and explain why
Journal Prompt:
- What are the strengths of your chosen design?
- How does it meet your success criteria?
Lesson 3: Onshape Basics
Learning Goal: Learn how to use Onshape to design in 3D.
Activities:
- Watch the tutorials below
- Complete the “Basic Pot” exercise
Tutorials:
Journal Prompt:
- Which tools did you learn today?
- What part of your planter could you make now?
Lesson 4: Advanced Onshape Tools
Learning Goal: Learn to build complex shapes (e.g., water reservoirs).
Activities:
- Complete the “Self-Watering Planter” exercise
- Add: shell, water cavity, drainage hole, wick hole
Tutorials:
Journal Prompt:
- What features did you add to make it self-watering?
- What challenges did you face in modeling?
Lesson 5: Start Final Model
Learning Goal: Begin building your final planter model.
Activities:
- Use your sketch as a guide
- Start sketching and extruding your final design in Onshape
Journal Prompt:
- What part of your design did you start with?
- How did your success criteria guide your modeling?
Lesson 6: Continue Modeling
Learning Goal: Refine your model, adding detail.
Activities:
- Add drainage, reservoirs, overflows, etc.
- Use tools like shell, fillet, extrude remove
Journal Prompt:
- What did you modify today?
- How is your planter becoming more functional?
Lesson 7: Finalize Model & Export
Learning Goal: Prepare your design for 3D printing.
Activities:
- Final checks (wall thickness, printability)
- Export as STL for printing
Journal Prompt:
- Is your planter ready to print? Why?
- What final changes did you make?
Lesson 8: 3D Printing & Prep
Learning Goal: Begin printing and observe process.
Activities:
- Load files into slicing software
- Print your planter (supervised)
- Document the print process
Journal Prompt:
- What did you learn from the print process?
- Did your model print as expected?
Lesson 9: Testing & Feedback
Learning Goal: Test your printed planter and get feedback.
Activities:
- Test for water retention, fit, stability
- Share with peers and gather feedback
Journal Prompt:
- What did your tests show?
- What feedback did you receive?
Lesson 10: Evaluation
Learning Goal: Evaluate your planter based on your goals.
Activities:
- Write your full evaluation using the rubric
- Include photos, tests, peer feedback
Journal Prompt:
- How well did your design meet the success criteria?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses?
Lesson 11: Reflection & Improvements
Learning Goal: Reflect on your design experience.
Activities:
- Write recommendations for future improvements
- Share key lessons learned
Journal Prompt:
- What would you change next time?
- What did you learn about designing for others?
Lesson 12: Showcase & Submit
Learning Goal: Share your work with others.
Activities:
- Present your planter
- Submit your final Digital Design Journal
Journal Prompt:
- What are you most proud of?
- How could your planter benefit a real community?
📘 Digital Design Journal Requirements
You must complete a journal entry at the end of every lesson. Include:
- Photos or screenshots of your work
- Reflections using the prompts
- Sketches, models, and feedback
📋 Student Self-Checklist for Final Evaluation:
- I described how I tested my printed planter (e.g., measurements, water test, sturdiness).
- I explained how my planter met or didn’t meet my design goals.
- I included results or observations (e.g., numbers, photos, peer feedback).
- I suggested at least one improvement and explained why.
- I described how my planter could help someone or a group in the community.
Your journal will be used as evidence for assessment.
🧠 Need Help?
Check the Onshape Learning Center
Ask a peer, or email your teacher for support.
Happy designing!