Objective:
The students will estimate different lengths.

Materials

• Pieces of string cut to different lengths

• How Long? Worksheet

Procedure

1. Cut 8 pieces of string ahead of time to varying lengths (Label them 1-8).  Some may be only a few inches long and some may be a foot or more.  (The lengths will depend partly on the level of the students and their ability to measure. Younger students may work best with shorter pieces of string.)

2. Put the students in groups of 3 (or more or less depending on the size of the class.  It will work best if there are 8 groups - one per piece of string.)

3. Pass out the How Long? Worksheet.  Hold up each piece of string and have the group decide on an estimate for the length of the string.  The units used will depend on the class - inches, centimeters, or unifix cubes.  The students should record their groups' estimate on the worksheet.

4. Have the groups of students rotate from string to string and measure the actual length using the chosen units.  They may then complete the How Long Worksheet.  Older students may figure the difference between their estimates and the actual lengths.

Other Lesson Ideas

1. Have a lesson on symmetry using a symmetrical kite as an example.

2. Have the students measure and create different tails for kites.  They may decorate the tails with a pattern using color and/or shape in the design.

3. Have the students create kites using different shapes of paper.  The body of the kite may be a diamond shape and the tail made of rectangles.  They may then decorate the body of the kites using a variety of shapes.