Art Meets Innovation

Middle School Art students at WSD were given a design challenge: Combine function and aesthetics to create a work of art in clay that could hold a cell phone and amplify sound. They were to choose an animal to represent, create a blueprint with dimensions, and then go to work on the pottery wheel! Ideally, the design would be structurally sound (no wobbling!), the animal design would highly resemble the original idea, and the phone would be able to stand alone and be clearly amplified.

“Students were tasked with drawing out the geometry of their clay amplifier on a blueprint for the 3D form needed, including dimensions,” explains Naomi Kohl, Middle School Art teacher. “Then, they needed to build the individual components, account for up to 25% shrinkage in the clay for firing, and connect all the pieces without them drying out prior to firing.”

The final step was a demonstration of the efficacy of sound amplification through the clay creation. For this test, each student was allowed to reach into their backpack, retrieve their cell phone, place it in their amplifier, and play a school-appropriate song. Students loved the engaging project that combined art and science, freedom and structure, and plenty of creativity!