Happy Pi Day!
HS Geometry Students Celebrated in Honor of a Math Symbol
March 17, 2010
Pi Day is the celebration of the math approximation of Pi (≈ 3.14) on March 14th (3/14). March 14th is also Albert Einstein’s birthday. Nate Tonjes, HS Geometry teacher, organized activities for students to participate in relevant to Pi. The goal was to help reinforce math concepts associated with Pi while engaging in fun activities.
Students were asked to bring a snack which was circular in form. Before ‘sampling’ the snacks. Students measured the circumference and diameter of the circular food to discover the ratio of circumference to diameter as Pi (≈ 3.14). Facts about Pi and Pi songs and limericks were also shared.
A Pi Limerick
There once was a number Pi
Very special like e and phi
Circumference to d
Is the ratio for me
And it’s not a multiple of i
Other activities included: circle darts, a circle game, a hula hoop challenge, and circattegories. For circle darts (frisbees were used instead of darts), students scored points relative to the accuracy of each toss. The circle game challenged students to take turns placing circles on a board without touching another circle. Students timed each other to see how long they could hula in the hula hoop challenge. Circattegories, similar to Scattegories, asked students to think of circular objects beginning with each of the letters of the alphabet.
There was also some conversation about who could memorize and recite the most digits of Pi – 3.1415926535897 ….
