Here are the pictures from the Summer Internship, Innovators for Purpose, as a mentor teaching students STEAM skills of 3D animation. The skills I taught to the students are setting up image or video references for 3D modeling/animation, 3D modeling a model from a cube (box modeling method), using different tools during the modeling process making sure it is low polygon, adding textures for color, setting up a rig, weight painting a rig so it can deform properly, taught 12 Principles of Animation, did animation loops for video game, saving projects, uploading to the cloud on Google Drive, and importing the model into a game engine to be tested for web game development. The 3D program students used are called Blender. The students also learned how to import and export models with animation data using Mixamo characters from Adobe.

 

As a mentor, the teaching method that is very effective for the students are leaving sticky notes of tips and advice next to the students, like a step by step process, writing on the white board, and making slideshow presentations for the students to follow along. I create my own videos and send it to the students. I provide links to YouTube, Google websites or forums on the slideshow if there is helpful information provided. I would send links to the students using a communication program, Slack. I worked with students in-person at Cambridge Public Library Monday-Wednesday, Thursday using Zoom at home, and Friday is a fun group activity.

On Zoom, I can send presentation links to the students. I would ask students to show me their progress by sharing the screen, which happens only on Thursdays. On Fridays, I would participate in fun activities with other mentors and students, like eating pizza, board games, going outside.