3-4 Arctic:

Make a Better Glove

Feel free to explore any of the topics below.

Then scroll toward the bottom to find project instructions!

First!

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Explore!

Choose one or more of these links to learn more about the Arctic and surviving there!

Keeping Warm!

How do all those animals keep warm at the poles?

Google earth

Zoom in!

Explore the Arctic on Google Earth

Mosaic and Polarstern

See how scientists will spend a full YEAR in the Arctic learning about climate change!

Engineering winter clothes

Starting with an idea

How this one snowboarder created a new product because he wanted a better glove!

"testing" a product (so funny)

Here is a funny commercial from Columbia, a top winter-wear clothing company. Now THIS is what I call testing your ideas!

steam project

What materials work well for protection against the cold?

Arctic animals have layers of fur, feathers and fat to keep them warm in sub-zero temperatures. Humans, however, do not have these types of adaptations so we rely on engineers to create better clothing that can keep us dry and warm in the winter months. Try these different types of household materials to test what works best!

Materials

Thermometer
Bowl of ice water
A variety of materials (cloth, foil, rubber, wax paper, plastic, etc)
Timer
Optional: rubber glove (or plastic wrap) and lard/crisco shortening

directions

Fill a bowl with ice and take the initial temperature of the ice and record it on their recording sheets.
Cover the thermometer with each type of material and place it back in the water.
Observe the temperature at 0 minutes and 2 minutes. Repeat this for each covering material.
The covering that has the warmest temperature is the best protector from the cold.
- Students can try this experiment with their finger as well to see if they can feel the difference.
- Which materials do you think would be helpful when engineering winter gear?
Optional Experiment: Examine how body fat insulates against the cold.
- Place thermometer in water and take the temperature
- Then place the thermometer inside a rubber glove or plastic wrap. Put it back in the water and take the temperature after 2 minutes
- Then, put a good coat of lard/shortening inside the glove/plastic wrap, place the thermometer in the middle and put it back in the water. Record the temperature after 2 minutes.
- Was there a difference? What does this tell us about body fat in arctic animals?

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