Hands-on Activity Design Criteria-to-Working Model:
Engineer a Sneaker

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

• Analyze a product's components and function.
• Recognize a design need or engineering challenge.
• Develop, sketch and discuss possible solutions and select one.
• Select appropriate materials for a design solution.
• Construct a working model using a variety of materials.
• Use, evaluate, and suggest ways to improve a product.

Educational Standards

Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.

NGSS: Next Generation Science Standards - Science

Common Core State Standards - Math

International Technology and Engineering Educators Association - Technology

State Standards

Materials List

Each group needs:

• an assortment of materials that provide height, cushioning, flexibility and/or traction for shoe prototype construction, such as sponges, bubble wrap packing material, foam and rubber gloves; see suggestions in Worksheet A: Materials and Properties; feel free to add or substitute items
• 2 fabric base forms, cut to the template in Worksheet D: Pattern for Cutting Fabric Base Forms
• fabrication tools, such as scissors, twine, glue, tape
• Worksheet A: Materials and Properties, 2 per group
• Worksheet B: Design Specifications for the Sneaker
• Worksheet C: Materials and Costs, 2 per group

Worksheets and Attachments

Introduction/Motivation

Sneakers are designed for an assortment of uses. Each application has specific characteristics that must be taken into account before manufacturing. What are your ideas for a sneaker that has never been made before?

Today, you will use the engineering design process to define specific characteristics for your sneaker, select suitable materials, and create a prototype, just as engineers do.

Procedure

Background

Designing today's sneakers is an engineering science that combines physics, biomechanics and materials science. The engineering designs take advantage of a wide range materials and creative structural concepts to provide durability, comfort, cushioning, and stability. Good designs also consider the characteristics of various foot types (female, male, child) since each has typical shapes and proportions. For example, women's feet are usually narrower with higher arches than men's feet. The inside layout of a well-designed sneaker takes these physical differences into account. Another important consideration is the activity application. Each sport has different footwear requirements; some require high flexibility, others maximum cushioning or high traction.

In this activity, you will use the engineering design process to design a pair of unique sneakers.

Before the Activity

• Gather materials for sneaker prototype construction, as suggested on Worksheet A: Materials and Properties.
• Use Worksheet D: Pattern for Cutting Fabric Base Forms to cut out enough fabric shoe bases to provide two for each student group, plus a few extras in case of mistakes. Note: Each group will construct two matching sneaker prototypes.
• Make copies of Worksheets A, B, and C.

With the Students

Part 1: Modeling and Building a Sneaker

1. As a class, engage in the first step of the engineering design process, ask and discuss the following: Think about the characteristics of your shoes. What would you like to be different about them? What would it take to create a sneaker with that new property or component? What materials do you know about that could be used?
2. Divide the class into groups of three or four students each. Give each group Worksheet B: Design Specifications for the Sneaker to complete. Tell students to share ideas amongst each other and encourage communication.
3. Hand out two copies of Worksheet A: Materials and Properties to each group. Discuss the properties of each material (springy, soft, rigid, sticky, rough, etc.).
4. Hand out two copies of Worksheet C: Materials and Costs to each group. Costs are assigned to each item. The designed pair of sneakers must be within budget, limiting options, and forcing engineering trade-off decisions.
5. Distribute two fabric bases plus a bag that includes the materials available for construction of the prototype sneakers. Students can cut or shape materials as desired. Alternatively, set up a "store" at which students can purchase the materials they want by completing and submitting Worksheet C.
6. Once students select the materials that they feel will work best (meet their design criteria) for their prototype sneakers, have them use glue and tape to assemble the prototypes.
7. Allow the prototypes time to dry.

Part 2: Evaluating and Improving the Design

1. Distribute the dry prototypes to the original designers and two lengths of twine for tying on the prototypes.
2. If time permits, have groups present their designs to the class, explaining what worked well and how they would improve their prototypes. Evaluate each design according to the criteria in #3, below. If time is short, enlist the help of another adult to evaluate half of the groups.
3. Use the following criteria to evaluate for design success, rating on a 1-3 scale:

1. Height: Measure the student's height with and without the sneakers on.
2. Traction: Slide around the floor with and without the sneakers on.
3. Cushioning: Jump up and down with and without the sneakers on.
4. Stiffness: Bend and twist prototype sneakers compared to store-bought sneakers.

4. If students suggested any additional design criteria, have the group discuss and decide what would be appropriate tests for design success.
5. Conclude with a class discussion of the following: Compare your sneaker prototypes to some of the sneakers that students are wearing. How do the materials you used compare to the ones in the store-bought sneakers? Are the ideas you have created realistic? What activities are best suited to your designs?

Vocabulary/Definitions

cushioning: Providing a softening effect to forces.

prototype: A functional early design of a product that is intended for testing.

stiffness: Resistance to being flexed.

traction: Ability to slide a load across a surface.

Assessment

Pre-Activity Assessment: Ask students to come up with their own questions that they think are important to ask about designing a new sneaker. 

Post-Activity Assessment: Observe class participation in during the discussion about sneaker characteristics.

Activity Embedded Assessment: Evaluate design success during testing. Rate criteria using a 1-3 scale.

Post-Activity Assessment: Assign students to write descriptions of their sneaker designs, explaining the reasons for each feature and what activities they would be best suited for.

Investigating Questions

• Which material properties help the sneaker be comfortable when you apply strong forces or pressure to your feet? (The greatest comfort comes from materials that are cushioning [soft] and have the ability to "bounce back.")
• Why is traction important on a sneaker? (Traction is created by friction between the base of the sneaker and the ground. Without traction, shoes slip, as if you were trying to move on an icy surface.)
• Why do the prices of sneakers vary so much? (Sneaker prices vary because they depend on material costs, marketing costs, manufacturing costs, and supply and demand pressures.)

Safety Issues

• Cover desks and floor surfaces to protect them from glue during construction and testing, or set up a special "test area."
• These sneakers are only prototypes and should not be used for actual wear after the adult-supervised testing.

Activity Extensions

Have students create a list of other types of footwear. From this list, either discuss the importance of (or create a graph that shows) the same design criteria (height, stiffness, cushioning, traction) for each of these.

Activity Scaling

For upper grades, assign students to research specific materials and combinations of materials that are used to manufacture real sneakers.

References

Copyright

Contributors

Supporting Program

Acknowledgements

Project funded by Lucent Technologies Foundation.