Instructor Notes — Week 5

Theme: Sketch & Revolve (2D → 3D)
Focus Concept: Turning profile sketches into smooth 3D forms
Mini-Project: Revolved Rocket / Pendant

Learning Objectives

  • Use the Sketch tool to create simple, closed profile shapes.
  • Apply Revolve to turn a 2D profile into a 3D object.
  • Adjust proportions and thickness for a practical, printable design.

Session Flow (≈ 80 min)

Segment Time Focus
Recap & intro 10 Review symmetry; introduce Sketch & Revolve
Tool demo 15 Draw a profile and revolve into a 3D cup/rocket
Guided build 25 Learners create their own profile + revolve
Independent make 20 Refinements, extra details
Share & tidy 10 Show profile and final 3D form

Part A — Demo: From Profile to 3D

  • Demonstrate:
    • Opening Sketch and drawing a simple side-view profile (half of a cup or rocket).
    • Ensuring the outline is closed (no gaps).
    • Using Revolve to spin the profile around an axis.
  • Rotate the final 3D object and show how the 2D outline determined its shape.

Part B — Guided Build: Revolved Rocket / Pendant

Suggested sequence:

  1. Ask learners to decide: rocket body, bottle, cup, or pendant.
  2. Guide them through drawing a neat profile, emphasising:
    • Start and end on the axis line.
    • Avoiding overly spiky or thin sections.
  3. Use Revolve and adjust angle and axis if needed.
  4. Discuss whether the shape would stand up, be comfortable to hold, or look balanced.

Part C — Independent Make & Extend

  • Learners refine their forms and optionally add:
    • Fins or base (for rockets).
    • A loop (for pendants).
    • A thicker base or lip (for cups/bottles).

Vocabulary for This Week

  • Sketch — a 2D drawing used as the basis for a 3D object.
  • Profile — the outline you revolve.
  • Revolve — spin a profile around an axis.
  • Axis — the line that stays still during the spin.

Instructor Tips

  • Keep first examples very simple; complex outlines make it harder to see what’s happening.
  • Warn that spiky or hair-thin features are problematic for printing.
  • Encourage zooming in while sketching to join lines accurately.

Assessment & Reflection

Look for:

  • Closed profiles that revolve correctly.
  • Sensible proportions (not absurdly tall/thin or top-heavy).
  • An ability to connect the 2D outline with the 3D result.

Prompt: “Show me where your profile line is on this finished rocket/cup.”

Common Misconceptions & Fixes

Misconception Clarification / Strategy
Gaps in the sketch cause odd results Zoom in and close all gaps; revolve only closed profiles.
Revolving around the wrong axis Try each axis in turn; explain which direction is best.
Over-complicated outlines Encourage starting with 3–5 simple segments, then refine.

Differentiation

  • Beginners:
    • Stick to a simple cup or short bottle profile.
    • Use teacher-modelled profile as a starting point.
  • Confident learners:
    • Design a more stylised rocket or pendant.
    • Experiment with subtle curves and shoulders in the profile.
Subject Connection
Maths Rotational symmetry, radius and diameter ideas.
Art & Design Moving from sketches to 3D forms; product aesthetics.
D&T Designing simple, functional objects for real use.

KS2 Curriculum Mapping

Strand Evidence in Session
Computing — Creating Media (3D) Using advanced tools (Sketch & Revolve) to generate 3D.
D&T — Design Creating functional forms with a clear purpose.
D&T — Technical Knowledge Link between shape, volume and physical stability.

Materials & Setup

  • Laptops / Chromebooks with internet and Tinkercad accounts.
  • Mouse per device.
  • Example pictures of bottles, cups, rockets, pendants.

Safety & Safeguarding

  • For printed objects, consider school policies (no sharp, weapon-like shapes).
  • Encourage appropriate wearables (pendants etc.), safe for school.