LAB: MEASURING UP

Objective:Students will develop the science skills of observing, predicting, and measuring.

Materials:measuring tape, metric ruler, pencil, lab answer sheet

Procedure:

All measurements are to be recorded in centimeters (cm).

Phase I: Sizing Things Up

•Read the column entitled Body Parts.

•Without measuring, predict the length of your right ear. Write your prediction in the column entitled Predictions. Be sure to include the required unit of measurement with your number answer.

•Have your lab partners help you determine the actual measurement or your right ear. Write this value in the appropriate column. Be sure to include the required unit of measurement with your number answer.

•Evaluate the difference between your prediction and the actual measurement. In the column

entitled Accuracy, write under if your prediction was lower than the actual measurement, or

over if your prediction was higher than the actual measurement.

•Repeat the above steps for each of the body parts listed in the first column.

Phase II: Fit to a “T”

•Think about the distance from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Stretch out

your arms so your body forms a “T” shape. Now ponder the distance from the tip of the

middle finger on your right hand to the tip of the middle finger on your left hand.

•Without measuring, predict whether your height is greater than, less than, or the same as

the distance from fingertip to fingertip. Record your answer in the provided space on the

lab answer sheet.

•Have your lab partners help you measure the two distances to test the accuracy of your

prediction. Write these values on your lab answer sheet. Be sure to include the required

unit of measurement.

This lab activity was adapted from an exercise entitled “How Do You Measure Up?”

in Instant Science Lessons from Frank Schaffer Publications, Inc.,

Name______Date______Block____ SCORE______

Lab: Measuring Up

In this activity, you will determine measurements by observing (looking and pondering closing), predicting (making a guess based on observations), and measuring (using equipment to determine actual numerical values).

Phase I: Sizing Things Up

Body Parts / Predictions / Actual
Measurements / Accuracy
length of right ear
(from top to bottom of lobe)
length of face
(from tip of chin to top of forehead)
length of left eyebrow
width of smile :)
circumference of neck
width of back
(from right to left shoulder)
length of nose
(from top of bridge to tip)
circumference of right wrist
length of left hand
(from bottom to tip of middle finger)

Phase II: Fit to a “T”

1.Prediction:______Is your height greater than, less than, or

the same as the distance from fingertip

to fingertip?

2.Measurements:(a)height = ______

(b)fingertip to fingertip = ______