Name_________________________________________________________ Period ____ Date____________
Exploratory Science
What Each Pair Will Need:
“Height O Meter” Template, glue stick, masking tape, heavy paper of cardstock, a push pin or thumb
tack, 9 meter string, a meter stick, this paper, a small piece of rubber (a rubber erase from a pencil will
work), “Height Finder Chart” and a small paperclip.
Instructions:
1) Using glue stick, glue the “Height O Meter” or “Clinometer” template to heavy paper or cardstock. Cut
it out and fold the handle and sights as indicated. Use masking tape to secure the handle. Write both
your names on the handle in the space provided. Push the pin or tack through the handle in the center
of the “O” and then through the “O” on the protractor section. Push the piece of eraser or rubber on to
the end to hold it together.
2) Hold the Clinometer level and make sure the protractor section can swing freely. It should remain level
as you point the handle section upwards. If not, loosen the pin and/or wiggle it to make the hole slightly
larger. Place a piece of masking tape on the wall at your eye level (for the person who will be doing the
measurements) and make a large dot on it. Measure the height of this dot from the floor. Write this
number on the handle in the space provided and on the data table below in the column labeled “Eye
Height”. Using your 9 meter string, measure 9 meters from this tape. Stand at this location and aim
your Clinometer at the dot. Pinch the protractor section to the handle so it doesn’t move and check the
angle. If it does not read “0o”, attach a paperclip to the bottom edge of the protractor section. Aim at
the dot again and adjust the position of the paperclip until you get a “0” reading. Once this location is
know, trace the paperclip on the backside of the protractor and tape it in place so it does not interfere
with the motion. Your Clinometer is now ready to use.
3) Locate the base of the object you are measuring. This is the point directly below the highest point.
Your partner will stand here, holding one end of the 9 m string and the data table below. You will
stretch it out fully and take your measurements from this point. Align the tops of two sight flaps with
the highest point. Pinch the protractor to the handle (without changing the angle) and then read off the
angle to your partner. Take two more measurements to confirm this number. Have your partner record
the most common number (of the three) in the “Clinometer Angle” space on the data table.
4) Once all objects are measured using this method, use the “Height Finder Chart” and draw a line at the
same angle all the way out to 9 m. Number each line to match each item number below. Read off the
height from the right hand (“y-axis”) side, and record it in the data table under “Height from Chart”.
Add this height to your eye height and record the result under “Actual Height”
#
Object
1
“M” on Magee
2
Flag Pole
3
Light Pole
4
Highest Point on Main Building
5
Top of 2nd Story Windows
6
Tallest Tree by Bike Racks
Clinometer
Angle
Height from
Chart (m)
Eye Height
(m)
Actual
Height (m)
5) Have your partner hold the meter stick vertically in a sunny spot (do this at the same time of day you are
measuring the actual object). Mark the end of the shadow of the meter stick as well as the point that it
was resting on the ground. Measure between these two points and record this in the space labeled
“Meter Stick Shadow Length” on the data table.
6) Measure from the base of the high point of the object to the furthest end of the shadow. Record this
under “Shadow Length”.
7) If the shadow of the meter stick is shorter than 1 meter, the shadow of the object you are measuring will
be proportionally smaller as well. To calculate this, multiply the two shadow lengths together and
record this in the “Actual Height” space. Round to the tenths place.
Object’s
Shadow
Length
Object Description
Meter Stick’s
Shadow
Length
Actual
Height
“No Parking” Sign
Light Pole
Flag Pole
Top of Main Building
8) Submit these completed data tables as well as your “Height Finder Chart” in your notebook instead of
completing a Concept Summary.
Method #1 - Clinometer
Find the angle and you will
know they hypotenuse!
? meters
9 meters
(Base)
Method #2 – Shadow Ratios
Meter Stick casts a
.85 meter shadow
Same lighting
conditions
Multiply the
length of the
object’s shadow
by .85 to find the
actual height.
.85 m
Height Finder Chart
12
11
10
9
8
7
Height
Above
6 Eye
Level
(m)
5
4
9
3
2
1
1
2
3
4
5
Distance from Base
6
7
8
9