Hand span

Use your hand span to measure the distance around a tree trunk. If you ask a friend to try the same thing, how do the answers compare?
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
filled star empty star empty star
Exploring and noticing Working systematically Conjecturing and generalising Visualising and representing Reasoning, convincing and proving
Being curious Being resourceful Being resilient Being collaborative

Problem



Hand Span

Spread your fingers as wide as you can,


What you have now is called a hand span .


A hand span can help you to find out how big


Is the height of a cow, a horse or a pig.


Use your hand span very carefully and see


How many it takes to go right round a tree.


Now get a good friend and make this a game,


Compare if the number of spans round the tree is the same.


Next find an adult and compare their hand span too


To see if they use more or less spans than you.


Now write down the answers and think as hard as can be,


Why is it better to use a tape measure like me?


Hand Span