Subjects(s):
                    Metric Measurement

Learner Outcomes:
                    Students will be able to measure long distances as well as estimate distance beyond what is practical to measure for the average person.
Duration of Lesson:
                    30 - 45 minutes

Materials:

• 30 cm square pieces of heavy cardboard or ¼ in. plywood, string, pencil, thumbtacks, meter long wood strips ¼ in. thick by 1 in. wide, ¾ in. x 1/8 in. carter pins.  If you have access to a large compass, you can substitute this for the string and thumbtacks. I used English measurements here in case you are purchasing this material or having the shop teacher make it, if so, you will not have much luck with metric dimension.

Technology Tools/Courseware:
                    computer, Internet access, spreadsheet

Teacher Notes:
                    Outside activities require more attention to safety.  Anticipate safety issues that you may encounter.  Review safety with your students before beginning this outside activity.    Mixed-up measurements
Procedures:

• Explain to the students that they will be constructing a wheel that must have a circumference of one meter.  This wheel with its handle will be used to measure distances that are beyond the capabilities of tape measures and meter sticks.
• Students will need to determine the measurements (radius) they need from the Formula:
• C = pi × d: C = 1000 mm,  pi = 3.14, d = unknown
• C/? = d
• 1000 mm ÷ 3.14 = 218 mm 218 mm ÷ 2 = 159 mm (radius)
• Using a piece of string cut to the radius length (allow for the knot around the tack and the pencil) scribe a circle on the cardboard (plywood) square.  Check for accuracy by measuring the circles diameter before cutting.
• Predrill 1/8 in. holes through the wooden handles ½ in. from the end.  Cut out the circle and attach this through its center to the wooden handle using ¾ in. x 1/8 in. carter pins.  Make a mark on the edge of the wheel with a marker. This mark is used to count when one complete rotation has been completed.
• Have students work in pairs or small groups to roll the wheel ( begin with the mark at the top) and count the number of meters that have been measured.  If you have access to a track, have student measure the inside edge versus the outside edge.  Measure the distance around the school or other distances not easily measured.

• Provide the answers to the math calculation rather than having students doing this.
• Have a shop teacher demonstrate the process of laying out, and cutting the circle using power tools, as a career awareness aspect of your class.  Be sure to ask the shop teacher ahead of time, since this may require some set up time.

Enrichment/Activity:

• Create a measurement wheel with a two meter circumference.
• Have student research how vast distances in space are measured.
• Have a professional surveyor speak to your class and demonstrate the aspects of surveying.
• Have students use the word Meter in Haiku poetry.  Create a collection of their work and make a class publication using a word processing program, or presentation software.

• Have students estimate distances using meters, i.e. the length of a football field, the height of the school building, height of the flagpole, length of a bus, etc.  Acceptable answers could be any reasonable estimate.

West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives:

• Science:

• Language Arts:

• Math:

National Standards:
 

• Math:

• Language:

• Science:

References:
W.V.D.E. Metric Means Measure, Implementation Guide; compiled by Richard E. Wilkes and James R. Myers, Fourth printing 1977

Dale Faughn (Kentucky Poet Laureate)
Co-Director, Pilot Writing Project
Caldwell County High School
Rt. 1, Box 137B
Princeton, Kentucky    42445
 
 
 
 
 
 

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