Recognizing
Olympic Pictograms
Teacher Outline
Grades 4-6
Visual Arts and Social Studies
Recognizing Olympic Pictograms
Teachers Outline Grades 4-6
The Olympic Games provide great opportunities for a country to build its national brand and
showcase its history to the world. Every year the hosting country’s Organizing Committee
creates new logos and pictograms for the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. These designs
are created to showcase innovation, vigor and the country’s traditional roots.
What is a Pictogram?
As a class brainstorm what is a pictogram? What are they used for? Where would the students
see them in their everyday lives? Have students fill out the Pictogram Brainstorm sheet attached
in Student Outline.
Introduction to Olympic Pictograms
Sport pictograms are graphic icons facilitating the visual identification of each sport and are a
games tradition. In 2016, each Olympic sport will be represented by a unique pictogram
including the Paralympics for the first time.
Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympics Pictograms
Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame
www.nsshf.com
In 2014 the 22nd Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia designed pictograms that came in two
styles. The first style uses a single-color application of visual simplicity which “helped to give a
sense of purpose and dynamism to the Sochi 2014 pictograms”, said by Sochi Olympic
Committee in the press release. Another version features the traditional Russian patchwork quilt,
integrating a variety of vibrant colors and patterns. The artsy patterns and diverse colors add
great energy to the pictogram.
Sochi 2014 Olympic Pictograms
Traditional elements are often adopted by host countries in pictogram design to distinguish
themselves from previous ones. The pictogram design of Beijing 2008 were based on the idea of
“seal script”, one of China’s classic calligraphy styles. By highlighting the unique cultural
elements, the host countries are able to build a differentiating national brand through the
Olympics.
Beijing 2008 Olympic Pictograms
Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame
www.nsshf.com
Introduction to Keith Haring
Similarly to pictograms seen in the Olympic Games, artist Keith Haring’s work depicts
pictographic figures. Born in Pennsylvania, Keith originally started his work on dark subway
walls with chalk then evolved to his more iconic work and unique style. Haring's work was often
heavily political and his imagery has become a widely recognized visual language of the 20th
century. His style which he became best known for emphasized on bold outlines, vivid colors
and active lines. Haring’s work, like Olympic pictograms, share an attention and emphasis on
movement as well making the images recognizable, generic and draws the viewer’s attention
with its bright colors.
Work by Keith Haring
Keith Haring Questions
As a class, in groups are individually have students answer the following questions to help them
identify what characteristics Keith Haring’s work have to make them so unique and
recognizable.
What symbols appear frequently in Haring's works and why?
What is the significance of Haring's choice of colors in his works?
How would static figures make Haring's work feel differently?
Why does Haring's work appeal to so many people?
Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame
www.nsshf.com
Introduction to Nova Scotia Olympic Athlete
Have students pick an Olympic Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Famer and design a Olympic
pictogram for their athlete. A list is provided of all the NSSHF Olympic athletes, what Olympics
they participated in and if they received a medal.
Students will want to focus on the sport in which the athlete participated in as well as trying to
design their image with the following in mind;
o active lines/movement
o bold colors
o characteristics of their athlete (if they won Gold, Silver or Bronze, etc.)
o creativity and their own unique styles in their design. (They should all be different from
one another)
Place class projects together as a mural for display. Suggestion for project size is 10x10 (but not
limited to) card stock. When placing class projects in a mural it is easier if the projects are done
in a square shape.
Suggested Project Materials; (Suggestions but not limited to)
o colored pencils and a black permanent marker
o acrylic paint and a black permanent marker
o colored paper cut into shapes, glued together then outlined in a permanent marker
o watercolors and a permanent marker
o tissue paper and black construction paper
Suggestion; Place 1 inch border of black construction or card stock paper around each project
and place together so it can be viewed as a class mural display. Have students talk about which
athlete they chose and about their design choices.
Resources
Rio Pictograms including a video on the making of the 2016 pictograms
http://www.rio2016.com/en/more-information/games-design/pictograms
Past Olympic pictograms
http://www.labbrand.com/knowledge/brandsource/sochi-2014-winter-olympics-logo-andpictograms
Keith Haring
http://www.haring.com/
Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame
www.nsshf.com
Possible Outcomes
Grade 4-6
Visual Arts
1.1
acknowledge and express through art making their personal relationship to the
world
1.2
experiment with a range of materials and processes
1.3
use a combination of the visual elements and principles of art and design in art
making
3.2
compare art across cultures
5.3
investigate art and the lives of artists within cultural/historical/social contexts
6.1
demonstrate a sensitivity towards the natural and built environment through
their artwork
6.3
demonstrate an awareness of the role of art and artists in their local and global
communities
Grade 5
Social Studies
5.1.1
develop an understanding of how we learn about the past
5.6.1
illustrate the similarities and differences of past societies and your society
Grade 6
Social Studies
6.1.3
analyze the importance of cross-cultural understanding
6.1.4
identify and explain factors that are creating a more global culture around the
world
6.3.1
examine how traditions relate to culture in a selected cultural region
6.4.3
analyze the extent to which sports and games are expressions of culture in a
selected cultural region
Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame
www.nsshf.com
Example of Assessment Rubric
Category
1
2
3
4
Planning and
organization of
work
Limited use of
class time;
recognize need
for planning in
and throughout
the design
process
Adequate use of
class time;
manages effort
throughout the
design process
Effective use of
class time;
demonstrates
clear focus and
intent throughout
the design
process
Creation and
Communication
Demonstrates
little expressive
ideas; ideas are
not always
communicated
effectively
through oral
and/or visual
ideas.
Demonstrates
little
comprehensive
knowledge and
expressive ideas
through Olympic
pictograms and
works by Keith
Haring
Demonstrates
some expressive
ideas; ideas are
not always
communicated
effectively
through oral and
visual ideas.
Reasonable use
of class time;
majority of the
time was spent
on the project,
illustrates
intelligent use of
modifications to
the example
design ideas
Often
demonstrates
highly individual
and expressive
ideas that are
visually and
orally
communicated
Demonstrates
some knowledge
of contexts
through use of
Olympic
pictograms and
works by Keith
Haring
Demonstrates
broad knowledge
of many contexts
through use of
Olympic
pictograms and
works by Keith
Haring
Demonstrates
comprehensive
knowledge and
expressive ideas
through use of
Olympic
pictograms and
works by Keith
Haring
Minimal
application of
skills and
techniques, work
appears
unfinished
Uses skills and
techniques to a
minimum
standard
Uses skill and
techniques
appropriately
Uses skills and
techniques in
new ways
Cultural and
Historical
Connections
Skills and
Techniques
Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame
Demonstrates
highly individual
and expressive
ideas that are
visually and
orally
communicated
www.nsshf.com
Project Example
This example was done using a silver and gold metalic marker, a black permanent marker and
color pencils. (9.5x8.5 in)
This example demonstrates a pictogram for Sue Holloway who went to the
1984 L.A Olympics for canoe and kayaking.
The 1984 L.A Olymipic logo was three stars (blue, white and red). These
stars are seen in the image but colored silver and bronze for the metals she
won during these games.
The color choice is warm and bright (green, yellow, red, orange) to represent
the summer games rather than using colder colors such as blue and purple.
There is a maple leaf with “1984” just below it to represent she was a
Canadian and the year she participated.
The image has thick, bold outlines and motion lines similar to Harings work