Sochi Winter Olympics Hat
Background Information
Students have been studying how we heatup and cool down.
This activity is going to apply their knowledge of heat.
Background knowledge builder for teachers:


Background knowledge builders for students:





Design Challenge
Word of your talent as a designer has spread around the world! You have been hired by the 2014 Winter Olympics Committee to design the official Olympic hat for the Games. The Committee wants an appealing design and also a hat that works well in the Sochi climate.
Criteria
  • Your hat must be designed to keep heads comfortable no matter what the temperature.
  • The hat must fit all head sizes.
  • Your hat must be a design that is appealing to people.
  • Your hat must be an original design.
  • Your hat must be temperature tested.
  • Your hat cannot be made of existing hat pieces or parts.
  • Your design must be drawn first either by hand or using technology.
  • Your hat must look professional- you must use the official Sochi logo.

Materials/Tools
  • Student journals
  • Fabric, hat-making materials
  • Cardboard building materials
  • Tape and/or glue
  • Craft items
  • Scissors
  • Rulers, tape measure
/
  • Technology (computer, printer)
  • Computer software and/or Internet search engine(s)
  • Decorative materials (markers, construction paper, glue, etc.)
  • Student may request additional materials for construction

Standards
Science:
•S3P1a Production of Heat Energy
Categorize ways to produce heat energy such as burning, rubbing (friction), and mixing one thing with another.
•S3P1b Effects of Insulation
Investigate how insulation affects heating and cooling.
•S3P1c Transfer of Sun's Heat
Investigate the transfer of heat energy from the sun to various materials.
•S3P1d Measure Temperature of Water
Use thermometers to measure the changes in temperatures of water samples (hot, warm, cold) over time.
Math:
MCC3.MD.4 Measurement
Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch. Show the data by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in appropriate units— whole numbers, halves, or quarters.
Fine Arts: Visual:
VA3MC.1 Meaning and Creative Thinking
Engages in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas.
VA3PR.1 Production
Creates artworks based on personal experience and selected themes.
Fine Arts: Theatre
TAES3.6: Meaning and Creative Thinking
Researching cultural and historical information to support artistic choices
Assessments/Rubric
  • Teacher Observation/anecdotal notes
  • Completion of student journal
  • Design
  • Student focus group (optional)
1 Point / 3 Points / 5 Points
Insulation / My hat offers poor insulation/ventilation. / My hat offers some insulation/ventilation. / My hat keeps heads comfortable; it offers great insulation and ventilation.
Size / My hat is poorly measured and doesn’t fit anyone well or properly. / My hat is either too large or too big. It fits okay, I guess, but there’s something not quite right. / My hat is the perfect diameter for many heads. I measured well!
Construction Quality / My hat looks unfinished or undecorated. It would be hard to convince someone to buy it. No Sochi Olympics logo. / Some effort was made to make my hat look nice. There may be parts that look unfinished or incomplete. I have a logo but it’s not the Official Sochi Olympics logo. / My hat looks professionally made! Any 7 - 10 year old would love wearing it! It has the Official Sochi Olympics logo.
Supplemental Resources
Literature Connections:
Time for Kids.
Donkin, A. Going for Gold (DK Publishing)
Ford, M. You Wouldn’t Want to be a Greek Athlete!
Extension:
Students may hold a focus group to evaluate their design(s) of peers and take data and record feedback.
Students may design more than one hat that effectively considers properties of heat.
Students may create more than one hat that effectively uses properties of heat.
Support for students:
Students will work in small groups and collaboratively complete design activity.

By Jennifer A. Gates

Student Journal

Name______Date______

1.What is the problem?

Re-state the problem in your own words. ______

______

______

OR draw a picture of the problem with labels.

2. Brainstorm Possibilities

  • What do you already know that will help you solve this problem?
  • Think about the ‘thumbs up’ and the ‘thumbs down’ of this challenge.
  • Sketch or describe some possible solutions.
  • Be sure to add labels to your design.

3. Collaborate and Construct

Collaborate with a friend or your group and construct the solution that you think is best. Share your ideas with your friend or group and decide which design is the best possible solution to the problem.

  • Write down your design plans step-by-step. Number each step (like (1., (2., (3., etc.)

______

List ALL the materials that you will need to complete your design.

4. Draw

Draw and label your team’s final solution. Explain how your design changed during construction.

5. Evaluate

Evaluate your solution!

  1. Record your results
  2. Did your design solve the problem?
  3. Did your design meet the constraints of this challenge?

______

______

______

  1. Does your design need to be improved? If so, what could you do differently next time?

______

Draw any design improvements here:

By Jennifer A. Gates