Is Your Underwear Cool? - Introduction

data | hook | main | background & resources | student

Author Contact Information

Peter M. Amati, Jr.
Holliston High School
Holliston, Ma. 01746
School Phone 508-429-0677
amati@tea.rice.edu

Overview
In this collection of activities, students will be charged with investigating the insulating capacity of various materials with the goal in mind of designing insulated underwear for a trip to Antarctica. To do so, students brainstorm the desirable qualities of long underwear. They determine what they will use to represent average size and develop a method for calculating the surface area of a human being. They develop a method for determining the insulating capacity of a variety of cloth types and groups of students perform their experiment. Students share results and each group decides what type of material they think will make the best underwear. They calculate the mass and cost of a set of underwear for an average male and female and develop an advertising campaign for their underwear.

1. "What Makes Good Long Undies"? Students discuss characteristics of good long underwear and examine different types of fabrics.

2. "Warm and Toasty" Students design and carry out a procedure to measure the insulating capacity of various fabrics. They tabulate the results of their procedures in graphs and tables.

3. "Suck It Up" Students design and carry out procedures to measure the moisture transfer capabilities (wicking capacity) of various fabrics. They tabulate the results of their procedures in graphs and tables.

4. "Who Is Average?" Students discuss how they can find the average-sized person. They develop strategies for computing the average size and surface area and find their average sizes. Students will use themselves and classmates to determine average sized male and female in class. This information will be used to look at heat lost per unit area and in the marketing of the underwear.

5. "The World's Best Long Undies" Students design an advertising campaign for their long underwear.

Grade Level/Discipline
Grades 9-12, but may be adapted to middle school Physical science and general science classes

National Standards

Pre-activity set-up

Materials

Time Frame

Engagement and Exploration (Student Inquiry Activity)

Explanation (Discussing)

Elaboration (Polar Applications)

Exchange (Students Draw Conclusions)

Evaluation (Assessing Student Performance)

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