Measuring Imprints Outside

Curriculum Goal

Retell experiences, events, and familiar stories in proper sequence (e.g., orally; in new and creative ways; using drama, visual arts, non-verbal communication, and representations; in a conversation) (1.10).
Select an attribute to measure (e.g., capacity), determine an appropriate non-standard unit of measure, and measure and compare two or more objects (16.1).
Investigate strategies and materials used when measuring with non-standard units of measure (16.2).

Develop an awareness of the ways in which people adapt to the places in which they live (28.3).
Identify similarities and differences between local environments (29.1).
Describe what would happen if something in the local environment changes (e.g., if trees in a park were cut down, if the pond dried up) (29.2).

Have a full-class discussion about human and animal imprints
- What do the students know about imprints?
- What can imprints look like?
- Where do you see animal imprints? Where do you see human imprints?
- What type of animal imprints have you seen?
Take the class outside to search for imprints in the snow, sand, or mud.
Once an imprint has been found:
- Talk about the shape of the imprint
- Discuss if students think it is a human or animal imprint.
- What animal do students think made that shape in the ground?
Draw students’ attention to the direction of the imprint.
- Ask which direction they believe the imprint is going. How are they making this determination?
Guide students to measure the imprint using yarn, unifix cubes, or measuring tapes.
Have students observe and record the shape, size, depth, and width of each imprint.

What prior knowledge are students bringing to the class discussion that can aid in our understanding of imprints?
Are students able to measure accurately (e.g., measure the entire length or circumference of the imprint)?
Do students see a correlation between the size of an imprint and the animal or human that created it?