Middle School

The Essential Question
How can artists use simple materials to explore design, form, and function?

Objective
Students will explore the relationship between form and function by designing and sculpting imaginative transportation vehicles using only aluminum foil. They will experiment with shaping techniques, problem-solving, and iterative design as they build and refine their models.

Materials

• heavy-duty aluminum foil
• sketchbooks
• pencils

Step 1
Begin with a discussion about the evolution of transportation design—from bicycles and cars to rockets and hovercrafts.

Step 2
Introduce the concept of functional sculpture and explain how artists and designers influence the way we move through the world. Show real-world and conceptual examples of transportation designs (bikes, boats, airplanes, futuristic vehicles) and discuss the balance between form/aesthetics and function.

Step 3
Have students brainstorm and sketch their own transportation design. It may be practical, futuristic, whimsical, or eco-inspired, as long as it addresses a transportation challenge.

Step 4
Guide students in creating their sculptures using only foil. Encourage layering, twisting, folding, and crumpling to achieve structure and detail. Remind them to consider proportion, stability, and how the vehicle might “move.”

Step 5
Invite students to reflect, revise, and redesign their work based on feedback or their own observations, adding details or adjusting the form for clarity.

Assessment
Students will be assessed on their ability to creatively problem-solve using a limited material, clearly express their transportation concept through sculpture, and participate in reflection and revision.

Kristina Latraverse is the founder and lead instructor at Seagrass Pottery in Indialantic, Florida.