Source: Cyberchase: "Eco-Haven Crime Scene Exploration"
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Catching the Kidnapper
(Video)
National K -12 Subject:
Lesson Plans Using this Resource:
In this video segment from Cyberchase, someone has kidnapped Chewcrocca, a giant cybercrocodile. The CyberSquad must act as crime scene investigators as they search for the kidnapper. In order to generate a profile of the suspect, they use their only clues, a footprint and a handprint, along with the "body match" information they collect by measuring their own bodies.
Download and ShareHere are some Frame, Focus and Follow-up suggestions for using this video in a math lesson.
What is Frame, Focus and Follow-up?
Frame: If you want to measure your height, but you don’t have a ruler, measuring tape, or any other kind of standard measuring tool, how else could you measure your height? What if you could only use a part of your body as a measuring tool? What part would you use and why?
Focus: In this video segment, you’ll see that the CyberSquad is trying to find body matches. Body matches are found when the length of one part of the body equals the length of another part. In some cases, the length of one body part multiplied by a certain number will equal the length of another body part. Use a paper and pencil to write down the body match relationships that the CyberSquad discovers.
Follow Up: What tools, other than their own bodies, do the CyberSquad use to discover the body matches? Measuring with parts of your body or other objects like leaves or pieces of string is called non-standard measurement. Can you think of other examples where you could measure in a reasonable way with a non-standard measuring tool?
JACKIE: We’re looking for body matches. If another part of my body matches my foot then we can use the suspect’s footprints to tell us more about the suspect.
JACKIE: Okay. Cut this string so it’s the same length as my foot. Matt finds a pair of scissors and hands them to Inez.
MATT: Here, you can use these scissors.
JACKIE: Let’s see if it’s length matches some part of my body.
JACKIE: Nope. Nope.
MATT: Try my calf, Jax.
INEZ: I don’t think it works that way, guys.
INEZ: Matt’s taller. Jackie, you’re shorter than Matt and your foot is smaller too, remember? I think you have to use your own foot measure on your own body parts.
MATT: This leaf’s the same length as my foot - I’ll measure with this.
MATT: No, I don’t see a match anywhere. Not here either. He lifts the leaf in front of his face.
JACKIE: Matt, freeze! Jackie moves the leaf so it’s flush with Matt’s head. It’s the same height.
JACKIE: You won’t believe it! Your head and the leaf measure the same!
MATT: You’re kidding! My head is the same length as my foot?
INEZ: Yep. And my head is the same length as my foot! Inez puts the twig to her foot. It’s the same length.
JACKIE: Bingo! We’re different sizes - but we all have the same kinda match. The lengths of our heads match our feet!
MATT: So some parts of our bodies are the same length as others!
INEZ: And if it’s true for us - I bet it’s true for everybody!
MATT: Well now we know how tall our suspect is...at least from the neck up!
JACKIE: We’re on a roll, guys. Didge! Keep a record of our matches.
DIGIT: Are you kidding me? I’ve got enough to do!
MATT: C’mon, Didge, write ‘em down or we’ll forget them.
DIGIT: Okay, okay!
DIGIT: I wanna raise!
INEZ: This is so cool! We’ve turned one clue into two: We know the length of the suspect’s foot - and how long his head is.
MATT: Like they say on “Crime Scene Exploration”: We’re building a physical profile of the perp!
JACKIE: Hey! Check this out! Handprints!
MATT: Another job for the Mold Squad!
MATT: The molds are done!
JACKIE: And whoever made this print has a much bigger hand than I do!
MATT: Cool! So what can we do with a hand? Can we use that to measure?
JACKIE: Maybe. How about this? Yes! My thumb and middle finger touch!
INEZ: You're right! The length from my thumb to middle finger is the same as the distance around my wrist.
MATT: Check this out! The distance around my neck is two finger wraps!
JACKIE: How cool is that? Some body parts are twice the size of others!
INEZ: Maybe some are even three times the size...or more! Let's measure!
MATT: I've got lots of stuff to measure with in here...
DIGIT: Can you guys speed it up a little? Junior's gonna be here any minute!
INEZ: Look. If we tie knots in the string that are one finger wrap apart, we can use it as a ruler.
MATT: Good idea, Inez.
DIGIT: HURRY!!!
INEZ: A perfect three! Your head is three of your finger wraps around!
JACKIE: Yours, too! We found another match!
INEZ: One head wrap equals three finger wraps, Didge!
DIGIT: Got it! A cyboid can only nurture an egg and write so fast, y'know!
JACKIE: Okay, each knot is one of your foot lengths apart.
MATT: How many?
JACKIE: One-two-three-four-five-six-seven!
MATT: So, my arm span is about seven of my foot lengths long!
INEZ: Let's try one more.
JACKIE: Your height is also seven of your foot-lengths!
DIGIT: Arm span approximately seven foot lengths! Height, approximately the same.
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