NAME _________________________
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Animal Kingdom Comparisons
A) A spider can scurry 33 times the length of its body in 1 second. Calculate
and record how far a spider could scurry in 1 second if it were 2” long, 4” long,
6” long & 8” long.
What type of graph could you create to compare the distances?
Explain the relationship between the height and the distance a spider can
scurry.
How far could you scurry in 1 second if you were as fast as a spider?
B) If you had a chameleon’s amazing tongue, the length of your tongue would
be equal to half your height! With a partner, measure each other’s height and
think about how you would calculate half your height.
Discuss solutions with your partner, then calculate your tongue length for fun.
Using information about a chameleon’s tongue length compared to its body
length, complete the chart.
HEIGHT
Tongue Length
24”
38”
28”
3’ 4”
47.5”
C) Ants can lift 50 times their own body weight. With a partner, choose and
weigh a magnet. How much weight could the magnet lift if it were an ant?
Next pick up objects with the magnets and weigh the magnets. Do the same
with another magnet and record your information on a chart.
Is there a relationship between the weight of the magnet and the weight it can
hold? Share with your partner.
What do you think determines the lifting power of magnets?
D) Did you know a flea can jump 70 times its height? With a partner, measure
the height of each other with your arm stretched up as high as you can reach
up a wall.
Now roll a small piece of masking tape so the sticky side faces outward. Hold
the tape around your fingers and jump with your arm extended, sticking the
masking tape on the wall at the highest point of your jump. Measure and
record the distance from the floor to your piece of tape.
Calculate how high you jumped by subtracting your height with your arm
stretched high from the height of the tape.
What type of graph could you create to compare the heights jumped by your
classmates?
Was anyone able to jump 70 times his or her height?
How does the distance you jumped compare to your height?
PART 2
E) Imagine how tall you would be if you kept growing at the rate you have
grown from birth to your present age. Collect data, then calculate the
average height of everyone in the class as well as their average length at birth.
Determine how many inches you have grown on average each year since you
were born.
Assuming that you kept growing at that rate, determine how tall you will be in 5
years, 12 years, 25 years and 60 years. Write about how you got your answer.
F) Animal’s brain weights vary widely. In pairs, research information about
various animals’ total body weights and the weight of each brain, including
information about human beings.
On a chart, calculate and record the ratio of each brain to its body weight.
Share your results with the class.
What conclusions can you make concerning the intelligence of the animals on
the basis of the calculated ratios? Share your thinking with your partner
G) A crane’s neck measures 1/3 the length of its height. Calculate the ratio of
the length of your neck to the length of your arm, leg, torso and head. Record
this information on a chart.
Next, determine 1/3 of your height and use this measurement as a pretend
neck size to calculate the dimensions for a new version of your body. Use the
ratios that you previously calculated to figure out your new arm, leg, head and
torso lengths.
Discuss the structural changes that might be needed in your body to support
your neck if it were 1/3 of your height.
H) A shrew eats 3 times its body weight in food daily. In small teams, create a
menu of one day’s meals and snacks for yourself.
Develop a plan to calculate the weight of the food on your team’s menu.
Research the average weight of people your age. Compute a ratio of this
average body weight to the weight of food from your team’s menu. How does
your ratio compare to that of the schrew?