Tiny Trucks, Big Appetites: How Our 5th Graders Built a 3D-Printed Food Truck Festival

What happens when you combine scale geometry, 3D design, culinary imagination, and a mountain of cardboard? You get the most delicious-looking (but unfortunately inedible) event of the year: the 5th Grade Food Truck Festival!

In Ms. Nasser's Artovation classes, our 5th graders turned our classroom into a bustling design studio and entrepreneurial hub. Working collaboratively in teams, they took on the roles of chefs, architects, and engineers to build their very own food truck businesses from scratch.

Here is a look at how they brought their miniature culinary dreams to life.

Step 1: The Blueprint (Downscaling the Dream) Before any construction could begin, students had to master the math behind the magic. Teams brainstormed their food truck concepts—ranging from taco trucks and sushi rolls on wheels to high-end dessert cafes. Our very own Mr. Boutilier, who owns his own, real food truck, spoke with our 5th graders about his experience with his truck.

Once the menus were set, the real challenge began: everything had to be built exactly to a 1/12 scale.

Math in Action: If a real food truck is 12 feet long, how big should our cardboard version be? Our young designers quickly figured out that 1 foot in the real world equaled exactly 1 inch in our studio.

Students measured, calculated, and drafted blueprints, ensuring every window, service counter, and steering wheel fit the precise geometric constraints.

Step 2: Cardboard, Model Magic, and Engineering With blueprints in hand, construction commenced. The classroom transformed into a construction zone filled with the sounds of cardboard cutting and teamwork.

The Fleet Vehicles Using recycled cardboard, hot glue, and a lot of patience, students folded and assembled the bodies of their trucks. They learned firsthand about structural integrity—turns out, making a stable 3D cube out of flat cardboard requires some serious spatial awareness!

The Menu Items What’s a food truck without the food? Students used Model Magic to sculpt hyper-realistic, miniature versions of their signatures dishes. We saw everything from tiny, intricately layered burgers to microscopic donuts dusted with imaginary sugar.

Step 3: High-Tech Wheels with Tinkercad To give their trucks a truly modern spin, students stepped into the world of rapid prototyping and 3D printing.

Instead of just taping on plastic bottle caps for wheels, students used Tinkercad, an online 3D modeling program, to design some awesome wheels for their cardboard creations! Think of Tinkercad like a digital playground where ideas are brought to life. Ms. Nasser taught the students how to use different shapes, tools, and colors to design wheels that are just right for the cardboard projects. Once they designed their perfect wheel, it was printed using a Prusa 3D printer, turning their digital creation into a real-life object ready to roll!

The project culminated in our official Food Truck Festival, where parents, families, and staff were invited to check out the final creations.

The energy in the room was electric. Students proudly stood by their 1/12 scale trucks, pitches polished, explaining their business models, design choices, and 3D-printing triumphs to the wandering "foodies." Parents were blown away not just by the creativity on display, but by the complex math and engineering concepts the students could explain so effortlessly.

A huge thank you to all the parents who attended and supported our brilliant young creators. Our 5th graders proved that you’re never too small to dream big—and build even bigger! And to Ms. Nasser for always bringing incredible innovation to our school!

Check out the photo gallery below to see some of our favorite designs from the festival!

3D Design with Tinkercad in 5th Grade

Fifth graders at Howe Manning are collaborating with each other in their Artovation classes. They are working on building “Food Trucks'' in groups using innovative designs and activities. To further extend their project, they are using Tinkercad, an online 3D modeling program, to design some awesome wheels for their cardboard creations! Think of Tinkercad like a digital playground where ideas are brought to life. Ms. Nasser taught the students how to use different shapes, tools, and colors to design wheels that are just right for the cardboard projects. Once they designed their perfect wheel, it was printed using a Prusa 3D printer, turning their digital creation into a real-life object ready to roll!

Math Fact Lab

Math Fact Lab is an interactive, research-based program that helps students build fluency in math facts through visual models, strategic thinking, and self-paced practice. It emphasizes number sense and conceptual understanding, moving beyond rote memorization to develop lasting mathematical skills.

!st grade - 6th grade students in Middleton Schools use Math Fact Lab to build fluency in math facts. They are engaged and so excited to see their success.

When students have demonstrated a degree of competence with the facts and strategies at a given level, they opt to take the 'Level Lifter' where no strategies or models are provided. If students successfully complete the Level Lifter, they are ready to move onto the next level.

Mrs. Anderson's Class gives Math Fact Lab a big thumbs up!

Green Screen Technology Brings Artwork to Life

In the exciting realm of fifth-grade art projects, students will elevate their creativity to new heights by incorporating the innovative Green Screen by Do Ink technology into their holiday-themed masterpieces. This cutting-edge tool allows students to transport themselves seamlessly into their own artwork, offering a dynamic and immersive experience. As they dive into the festive spirit of the holiday season, students can use the Green Screen to virtually step into their meticulously crafted winter wonderlands or holiday scenes, adding a personal touch and an extra layer of magic to their artistic expressions. This hands-on integration of technology not only fosters a deeper connection to their artwork but also empowers students to explore the intersection of art and digital tools, paving the way for a memorable and technologically enriched holiday celebration in the fifth-grade art classroom.

Kidblog

What is Blogging?

Blogging is the logging of your thoughts, ideas, experiences and more in one place on the web.  The term is short for web log.

“A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links.”  Source

“Short for Web log, a blog is a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the author.” Source

“A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.” Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in chronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominently.”  Source

Unsure about blogging?  Watch these videos for a simple explanation of blogging.

What is Kidblog? "Kidblog is built by teachers, for teachers, so students can get the most out of the writing process."

Kidblog is designed as a blog to help students publish their writing safely on the internet.  Students can respond to a prompt given by their teacher which may be from a reading lesson or discussion in class.  It can be used in all academic areas to enhance written communication and collaboration with a global audience.

Kidblog in 5th Grade

Students in Mrs. Anderson's 5th grade English/Language Arts classes are using Kidblog.  They were introduced to the program, given their username and password and discussed safety and digital citizenship on the internet.  

Students received several handouts to help them with blogging. Student Checklist - Instructions on writing posts and comments. Blogging Rubric for Teachers - How the student will be graded.

My Blog Contract   A promise to follow internet safety rules.

Thanks to Paula Klipfel for these worksheets!

Check out the teacher collaboration information for using Kidblog in the classroom using "Blendspace".

Massachusetts and Common Core Standards for ELA

W.5.4   Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3.)

W.5.5   With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

W.5.6  Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

SL.5.1   Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Graphing with Mythbusters

What better way to get ready for the holiday vacation than to cozy up and watch a holiday-themed "Mythbusters"?  The crew of this awesome show set out to conduct several experiments and engineering quests with some holiday spirit.

Students in Mr. Husson's 5th grade science and math class watched the episode "Needle Drop" where scientists were trying to determine which product was the best to prevent the needles from falling off of a Christmas tree.  Students first made their hypothesis and then watched the experiment.  The seven products were:

Fertilizer

Bleach

Lemon Lime Soda

Headache Medicine

Santa's Little Helper

Hairspray

Urethane

Results (Needles dropped in Cubic Centimeters):

500  Fertilizer

130  Bleach

300  Lemon Lime Soda

350  Headache Medicine

145  Santa's Little Helper (Medicine)

60   Hairspray

175 Urethane (Floor wax)

We discussed the experiment and the results.  Students agreed that even though the Hairspray was the one that would make the least amount of needles fall off, it would pose a fire hazard.  The control in the experiment received pure water and we decided that this would be the be product to use on a Christmas tree.

Students then took these results and worked collaboratively with a partner to graph the results. 

 They first discussed which would make a better graph, bar or pie, and then made several different graphs using an online graphing website.

Students Graphs

Massachusetts Science Standards for Inquiry

·        Ask questions and make predictions that can be tested.

·         Select and use appropriate tools and technology (e.g., calculators, computers, balances, scales, meter sticks, graduated cylinders) in order to extend observations.

·         Keep accurate records while conducting simple investigations or experiments.

·         Conduct multiple trials to test a prediction. Compare the result of an investigation or experiment with the prediction.

·         Recognize simple patterns in data and use data to create a reasonable explanation for the results of an investigation or experiment.

·         Record data and communicate findings to others using graphs, charts, maps, models, and oral and written reports.

Massachusetts Technology Literacy Standards and Expectations

Standard 1.  Demonstrate proficiency in the use of computers and applications, as well as an understanding of the concepts underlying hardware, software, and connectivity.

Standard 3. Demonstrate the ability to use technology for research, critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards:

1.  Creativity and Innovation

Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

2.  Communication Collaboration

Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

3.  Research and Information Fluency

Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

6. Technology operations and concepts

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

Common Core

The Corresponding College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standard for Standard SL 4.5 was addressed: “Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.”