Measuring a Tree
Materials:
- Tape measure
- String
- Yard Stick
- Marker
- Put students into groups of 2-5 students. For this activity, you will be measuring trees at a nearby park. Each group will be measuring one tree so you can have as many groups as there are trees. Before beginning the measuring, label each tree with a number to identify trees later on.
- Have the groups conduct the following measurements and record them:
- Circumference: Measure fro the ground to 4 1/2 feet high on the trunk of the tree. At this height, measure the circumference of the tree's trunk. Wrap the string around the trunk, mark where the string meets, and then measure the length of the string (to the mark). Record the circumference of the tree to the nearest inch.
- Crown: next, find the tree's longest branches. Place a marker on the ground beneath the tip of the longest branch. Find the branch opposite to this branch, on the other side of the trunk. Place a marker on the ground beneath its tip. Measure the distance between the first marker and the second marker. Measure in feet and round the answer to the nearest foot. Record the length of the tree's crown.
- Height: Have one person stand at the base of the tree with the yardstick vertically in front of him/her. Holding the stick vertically, and keeping his/her arm straight, have him/her back away from the tree until the tree and yardstick appear to be the same size. Have the second person measure how many feet there are between the tree trunk and the person holding the yardstick. This is the height of the tree. Round the answer to the nearest foot and record.
- Make sure all students understand how two measure the circumference, crown and height. Check to see if their numbers are realistic compared to other groups. Some re-measuring may need to be done.
- Back in the classroom, have each group make a bar graph of its tree's measurements. Display the graphs.
- Keep the measurements from year to year. Next year have your class measure the same trees and compare the difference in the trees' heights, trunk sizes and circumferences.
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