Objective: Students will estimate then measure the circumference of their apples..

Vocabulary words: circumference, estimate

Materials:

1 roll of string or twine
scissors
1 large apple
3 apples cut from red, green, or yellow construction paper

Directions:
1. Before the lesson begins, cut three apples out of construction paper. Label them "too long," "too short," and "just right."(If you laminate them, they can be used again.) Tape these to the board during the lesson.

2. Discuss the meaning of circumference with the class using examples such as: canned goods, an orange, a ball, etc.

3. Ask each student to cut a length of string that he/she thinks will fit around the center of the apple.

4. When all of the students have cut a length of string, have them place their string around the apple to check the accuracy of their estimates and then place the string on the proper construction paper apple on the board. Was their estimate "too long," "too short," or "just right"?

5. Ask each student to tape his/her string to the appropriate construction paper apple.

6. Ask the following questions:

How many people had strings that were too long?
How many people had strings that were too short?
How many people had strings that were just right?
How many more strings were too long than too short?
Did most people have strings that were too long, too short, or just right?

7. Make a graph of the numbers that were too small, too large, or just about right.