Palm Variation

Ask students to work with a group of 3–4 students to answer Questions 9–10. Students are asked to revisit the question about choosing a standard size for a palm unit using centimeters. Students have encountered another set of data that is more inclusive of the population than just second-graders. Remind students that this standard size would need to apply to all palms, including those outside of their classroom. Ask students to first answer the question independently and then discuss their idea with the other students in their group. Provide each group with a sheet of chart paper or other display paper to share their ideas. Question 10 might help some students describe what they are thinking.

When each group is ready, ask them to share their ideas with the rest of the class. There is no right or wrong answer to this question of standardization. Throughout history standard sizes have been chosen for many reasons (e.g., the size of the king's foot; the amount someone could carry).