Have you ever met a bird that’s bigger than you? If you haven’t, you probably haven’t met an emu. These silly-looking birds can grow up to 100 pounds and 6 1/2 feet tall! They run 4 miles per hour faster than the fastest human. This emu ran away from its yard, but luckily was found splashing around under a neighbor’s sprinkler. Maybe since emus can’t fly, it was learning to swim.
Wee ones: Emus walk on 2 feet, just like us! Take 4 steps forward, counting each step out loud. (Bonus: How many steps did your right foot take?)
Little kids: If this emu ran to the neighbor’s house in 2 minutes, splashed around for 4 minutes, and ran back in 3 minutes, how long was its whole trip? Bonus: What if the emu also stopped for a snack that added 6 minutes to the trip – how long would it all take then?
Big kids: Emu eggs are normally 5 inches long, and come in “clutches” of 6. If you lined up all the 5-inch eggs longways in a 6-egg clutch, how far would they stretch? Bonus: Can you list that measurement in feet and fractions of feet?
Answers:
Wee ones: Count as you step: 1, 2, 3, 4! No matter which foot you stepped with first, your right foot took 2 steps: either the 1st and 3rd, or 2nd and 4th.
Little kids: 9 minutes. Bonus: 15 minutes.
Big kids: 30 inches. Bonus: 2 1/2 feet. 12 goes into 30 only 2 times, making 24 and leaving 6. 6/12 = 1/2.
