New
New
Lesson 2 of 8
  • Year 5

The TinkerCAD user interface

I can navigate and use menus on the Tinkercad user interface.

Lesson 2 of 8
New
New
  • Year 5

The TinkerCAD user interface

I can navigate and use menus on the Tinkercad user interface.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In Tinkercad, the workplanes are the design area and can be rotated using the Viewcube.
  2. 3D shapes can be moved in different views in Tinkercad.
  3. 3D shapes can be combined and altered in Tinkercad.
  4. Tinkercad can be navigated using a mouse, trackpad or touch screen

Keywords

  • Tinkercad - an online computer aided design application

  • Workplane - area where objects are created and edited

  • ViewCube - changes the viewpoint of the model

Common misconception

Tinkercad is a paid-for software that will cost schools money and is unsafe to use.

Tinkercad is free to use and schools can set up their own classrooms for pupils to work safely in.


To help you plan your year 5 design and technology lesson on: The TinkerCAD user interface, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Step-by-step instructions can also be found in the 'Getting started' tutorial. Links to the Tinkercad Classroom can be found in the additional materials.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Access to Tinkercad on tablet, chromebook or laptop.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What does CAD stand for?

computers and design
Correct answer: computer aided design
computers and igital

Q2.
Put these design and technology activities in the correct order

1 - design
2 - make
3 - evaluate

Q3.
Why might you use computer aided design?

it is faster than drawing a design
Correct answer: it is accurate
I can hold the design in my hands

Q4.
How many faces does a cube have?

Correct Answer: 6, six

Q5.
What would be a quick way of sharing a design?

write a list of instructions about it
design it on a computer
Correct answer: a rough sketch

Q6.
What does the "D" in 3D stand for?

Correct Answer: dimension

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
What are all the faces on the ViewCube called?

up, down, side, back and bottom
plan, front, left, right and base
Correct answer: top, front, left, right, back and bottom

Q2.
If you moved your thumb and finger apart on a trackpad, what would you expect to happen?

The objects on the screen would become selected
Correct answer: You would zoom in to the workplane
You would orbit around the workplane

Q3.
In Tinkercad, what is the area called where you create your designs?

Correct answer: the workplane
the workspace
the work area

Q4.
What would happen if you clicked this icon?

An image in a quiz
it would allow me to orbit around my design
Correct answer: it would take me to the dashboard
it would zoom out of the workplane
Q4 Autodesk screenshots reprinted courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.