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Metric Hugs

How many people would it take to give your school a hug? Students will find the answer by calculating their arm spans and finding out the perimeter of the school using metric units.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • String
  • Tape

Steps

  • Step 1

    Have a discussion about the metric system and provide examples of conversions from US customary units to metric units. Explain that the perimeter is the outer length around an object or area. Have students practice measuring the perimeter of various shapes or objects. Then ask them to find out the perimeter of the school building.  

  • Step 2

    Ask students to form pairs and take turns measuring each other's arm span using a yardstick or meter stick. Now have them pick a representative value of the span (perhaps 135 centimeters or 4 feet). Ask them to divide the perimeter of the school by this number to determine how many students it would take to encircle and "hug" the building.

  • Step 3

    Have students create paper dolls to represent themselves making sure each student uses a similar size. They can decorate their figures with Colors of the World Markers and classic color markers then cut them out. Then have them connect all the figures with tape. You could also link each one additionally by putting a hole in the hands and threading a string through each one.

  • Step 4

    Display the linked figures in the hallway with signage that explains the project they created and the math that explains how many people it would take, arm to arm, to give the building a full hug.

Standards

Math:  Apply mathematical operations to solve real-world problems. 

MATH: Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight.  

Adaptations

Have students research the Hands Across America charity event that took place in 1986, which attempted to form a continuous human chain around the contiguous United States. Was it successful? What were the funds raised for?

American athletes who compete in Olympic events in other countries are often challenged by metric terminology. Have students investigate some of the comparisons. For example, how does the 100 yard dash compare to the 100 meter dash? If a judoka weighs 140 pounds, is this the extra lightweight class of up to 60 kg or the half lightweight class of 61-66 kg?