Skip to main content

SketchUp for Schools 2020: Make it work for your classroom

SketchUp for Schools 2020

It’s time for back to school prep! Whether you’re teaching remotely this year, or you’re in the classroom, a new school year means exciting new features in SketchUp for Schools.

Last year our main focus was expanding from G Suite for Education to Microsoft Education. This year we are focusing on how we can help support the different learning needs of your class. With curriculum-inspired lesson plans, educator resources, and localized search, you can personalize your own SketchUp learning experience. No matter where you are, or what you teach, make SketchUp work for your classroom.

Now let’s jump into class and see what’s new...

New 2020 Curriculum

With a new school year, comes new curriculum. This year, we worked with teachers across the country to develop content for a wide range of classrooms. You’ll notice this new curriculum isn’t just targeted towards traditional 3D modeling classes. How can it get even better, you ask? We added educator resources to help teachers customize this curriculum for their classrooms. So get creative we got your back!

Check out the new lesson plans:

SketchUp for Schools 2020
 

Improved Localized Search

You can now use the Search tool in your native tongue (12 languages total!). Not only does it help uncover the tool that you’re searching for, but it also displays other relevant tools that may be of use in your classroom. We worked with 3D modeling experts across the globe to make sure our translated modeling concepts were up to par. So translation confusion eliminated phew!

Improved Localized Search

Solid Inspector

Tired of not knowing why your model isn’t a solid? We’ve made some updates to include display controls that allow you to turn on X-ray mode to see through your component, as well as show hidden geometry. Now, students can quickly locate a break in geometry that is not visible from the exterior of the model. 3D printing aficionados, rejoice!

Solid Inspector

Welcome Window

You’ll notice the opening page of SketchUp for Schools has gotten a facelift and now shows a list of recent files. Students can easily find and keep track of what they’ve been working on, which means a classroom time saver!

SketchUp for Schools

In-App Video

Curriculum videos now launch directly in the modeling window of SketchUp for Schools! You and your students can now follow along and model without having to continually shift back and forth between tabs. Smooth move!

Open the app and explore all of the great new features. Don’t forget to let us know what you think in our forums. We’re always listening to feedback on how we can make SketchUp for Schools excel in your classroom environment. Have a great school year!

Important note! To assist with the adjustment to remote learning, the SketchUp team has temporarily made SketchUp for Schools available for login to anyone with a Gmail or Microsoft account. This open access will only be available until September 30th, 2020, after which students and teachers will need to log in in with their school accounts. If you and your students are currently using your school domain logins, you shouldn’t see any changes! If not, please reach out to your school’s IT Administrator to make sure that SketchUp for Schools is allowed on your domain, and have your students transition to their school accounts. For any questions, please reach out to us on the SketchUp for Schools forum.  

 

About the Author

We’re the folks who work on SketchUp, so we spend most of our time thinking about how to make drawing in 3D better. We also enjoy nerf gun wars, disc golf, board games, coffee, beer, donuts, and looking at mountains. A few of us eat quinoa.

Profile Photo of SketchUp Team