Measuring a shoelace

Lulu and Sally came back inside after playing outside. As Lulu was taking off her shoes, Sally wondered how long Lulu’s shoelace was, and if it was longer than her shoes. Lulu didn’t know, and they decided to do some experiments. They would measure the shoelace to see how long or short it was. Lulu took a shoelace off one of her shoes and she held next to her shoe.

She put one end of the shoelace near the back of the shoe, and the other end of the shoelace went past the front of the shoe. Lulu said, “the shoe is shorter than the shoelace.” Sally wanted to measure some more things to find out what was longer and what was shorter than the shoelace.

Sally pointed at the lamp, so they walked over to it. Lulu held the shoelace next to the lamp, with one end of the shoelace near the bottom of the lamp. And Sally held the other end, but the top of the lamp was above the other end of the shoelace. Lulu said, “the lamp is longer than the shoelace.”

Then they went to the desk and Sally pointed at a pen, and Lulu measured it. Lulu put one end of the shoelace next to the bottom of the pen, but the other end of the shoelace went past the top of the pen. Lulu said, “the pen is shorter than the shoelace.” Then Sally pointed at the chair, and Lulu measured it.

Lulu put one end of the shoelace next to the bottom of the chair. And Sally held the other end, but the top of the chair was above the other end of the shoelace. Lulu said, “the chair is longer than the shoelace.” Then Sally pointed at a spoon on the kitchen table, and Lulu measured it. Lulu put one end of the shoelace near the bottom of the spoon, and the other end of the shoelace went past the top of the spoon.

Lulu said, “the spoon is shorter than the shoelace.” Then Sally pointed at the refrigerator, and Lulu measured it. Lulu put one end of the shoelace near the bottom of the refrigerator. And Sally held the other end, but the top of the refrigerator was far above the other end of the shoelace. Lulu said, “the refrigerator is longer than the shoelace. What else should we measure?”

Sally pointed to herself, and Lulu laughed. Lulu said, “okay let’s see how long the shoelace is next to you, Sally.” And Lulu held the shoelace next to Sally, putting one end of the shoelace near Sally’s feet, and Sally held the other end of the shoelace. But Sally’s head was high above the shoelace. Lulu said, “you’re taller than the shoelace, Sally.”

Now Lulu and Sally knew which things were longer than the shoelace and which things were shorter than the shoelace. The shoe, the pen, the spoon were all shorter than the shoelace. And the lamp, the chair, the refrigerator, and Sally were all longer than the shoelace. Then Lulu’s parents said it was time for dinner.

Sally said goodbye and went home. Lulu put the shoelace back on the shoe, and washed her hands. Lulu sat down and saw that her parents had made spaghetti. And Lulu laughed, because it looked like a bowl of shoelaces. Lulu wondered how long the spaghetti noodles were, but she didn’t measure them, she just ate them, slowly slowly slowly.