Can anyone help me with designing a set of Lewis Dot Models for my Chemistry classes?
I am a Chemistry teacher and I've been looking for ways to incorporate items that the students can physically manipulate while working on concepts.
I currently use paper Lewis Dot Models/Structures with my students so they can see how covalent bonding occurs and it lets them see what the Lewis Dot Model for a compound looks like before they have to draw them. The paper models work well for single bonds, but they don't always work well for double and triple bonds, because you have to fold the paper and try to keep the edges lined up while you draw which doesn't work well.
I don't let the students tape the models together because I only have a classroom set of paper models. I don't have the students cut out their own sets right now because it takes 2 days and only 2 students actually cut out the sets like they are supposed to.
I was thinking that I could 3D print similar Lewis Dot Models that have magnets which would (at least mostly) let the models stay together while the students are drawing what they see. I have designed something that I think will work in Tinkercad. I have the right shape, dots for the electrons, element symbols, and so on. The one thing that I'm currently struggling with is how to add hinges so the sides with the dots can be folded allowing double and triple bonds to be formed.
Can anyone help me with the hinges or direct me to a design software other than Tinkercad which has an easier way to add hinges?
TIA