08/31/2026
Our Junior High CAD students spent the week in Fusion, precisely modeling custom, functional "LEGO" bricks from scratch. They learned sketching and dimensioning, and dialed in the exact tolerances needed to make two digital pieces snap together perfectly.
For Way Back Wednesday, we took those digital designs back to where it all started and traded our mousepads for a giant box of physical LEGOs! Cutting back on screen time in a tech class can be difficult, but building block-by-block is basically human-powered 3D printing. We compared building with LEGOs to 3D Printing—debating layer lines, print orientation.
Turns out, whether you're slicing a model in CAD or stacking bricks on a desk, engineering principles don't change. Hands-on learning, zero screen strain, and only a mild risk of stepping on a brick. I'd call that a way back win!