In identification keys and species descriptions around the world, measurements are usually in the metric system, the universal system for scientific measurements. US students often do not have enough practice to easily remember the length of a mm, cm, or m due to the common use of the imperial system (inches, feet, yards, etc.).

This exercise and worksheet will help students develop an individual, personal scale using their body height and hand measurements to help them quickly estimate, describe, and measure parts of plants without having a metric ruler or measuring tape with them in the field.

Download the worksheet for “Your body as a linear scale”, 3 pages, pdf:  Worksheet - Body as your scale for botany (pdf, 3 pages) (340 downloads)

worksheet body scale

Preview of worksheet body scale (c) Lena Struwe