Home school kids learning to use computer modeling

by Solomon Midwinter
PHS Press staff member

Kim Chase-Kozak

Kim Chase-Kozak is a teacher at PHS, and has a class on a modeling program called Blender. 

Blender is a free modeling program, which can be used for many purposes, and can create animations as well as models and images.  As Chase-Kozak said, “Blender is computer software used to create 3d models or drawings.  It can also be used to create animations or games.  It can also work with other programming engines.”

The process that is used to create a model is more or less as follows.  First, you draw or download a picture of what you want to model.  Then you use extrude commands to model over the picture.  Then you can use textures and materials to make it the right color and texture. 

When asked what the most interesting thing anyone in her class has done yet, she replied that one of the students has sent her an animated character over email, which was especially neat because they have not yet covered animations. 

A model done by Chase-Kozak

What they have most recently done in class was talk about different kinds of light.  Before that, they were mostly working on the basics, such as the extrude command, getting the modeling pictures into files, and the blade tool.  Camera placement, texture and animation are more advanced skills covered in the class. 

Chase-Kozak has had some previous experience with teaching.  In college, she was a undergraduate TA, and has a degree in math and computer science from the U of M.

She has been leading and teaching kid related things since her kids were school age.  She has also learned quite a bit teaching this class.   This is her first time teaching a class at PHS, and she would be glad of an opportunity to teach at PHS again.

When asked what her favorite thing about teaching is, she said, “I love it when students start running with their new skills and start creating and trying things I haven't done.”