Extension

A Miniature You

What happens when we see everyday things much smaller than normal?
In this activity you will make a miniature of yourself. Measure carefully
or you might come out with a big head!
With a partner, help each other measure the length and width of each part
of the body and record them below.
Normal 1/10
length width length width
head _______ _______ ______ _______
neck _______ _______ ______ _______
trunk _______ _______ ______ _______
legs _______ _______ ______ _______
feet _______ _______ ______ _______
arms _______ _______ ______ _______
hands _______ _______ ______ _______
Remember this is a two dimensional figure so you do not measure
around the whole body but just across and lengthwise. Sometimes lying
on the floor on a piece of paper makes this easier.
After you have all the measurements, you will find one-tenth of each
number. Write these on the appropriate lines above.
Collect the materials needed (scissors, paper, tape)
Carefully measure the smaller size body parts onto paper that represents
your clothes and skin tones.
Cut out and assemble the body. Are you surprised by their size?
What do you think you would look like if you were 100 times smaller?
What about 1000 times smaller?
How much smaller would you have to be to not be able to see yourself
with the naked eye?
This is what it is like to see cells. They are so small that it is necessary to
use a instrument to make them appear much larger like we did with the
pencil.
Look at the animation on cell size. What surprises you? Do you still have
questions about the size of cells. Can you tell a friend what the difference
is between cells and atoms?