3.14 Fun and Engaging Pi Day Activities

Suzanne RogersBlog, Engage Better, Innovate Better, Lesson Plan Better

TL;DR:

  • Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14).
  • It provides a great chance to engage students with tailored activities for different grade levels.
  • Elementary school activities include Pi Day Storytime, creating a pi chain for memorization, and exploring circle art inspired by Russian artist Kandinsky.
  • Middle school activities involve a Pi Day Scavenger Hunt and a Pi Memorization Contest.
  • High school students can participate in a Pi Day Octa Pi Fight and a Pi Day Challenge using GeoGebra to replicate Archimedes’ approximation process for pi.

Ready for fun and engaging Pi Day Activities? You can celebrate Pi Day and create a lasting memory for your students! Pi Day, observed on March 14th (3/14), is a fantastic opportunity to engage students in the fascinating world of mathematics, specifically the mathematical constant pi (π). Whether you’re teaching elementary, middle, or high school, there are plenty of exciting activities to make Pi Day memorable for your students.

Whether you're teaching elementary, middle, or high school, there are plenty of exciting activities to make Pi Day memorable for your students. Click To Tweet

Let’s dive into some creative and educational Pi Day activities tailored for each grade level.

Elementary School

  • Pi Day Storytime: Begin the day by reading a children’s book about Pi, like Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi or others from this beautiful series by Cindy Neuschwander. This helps introduce the concept of pi in a fun and accessible way.
  • Pi Chain: Have students create a paper chain where each link represents a digit of pi. As they make the chain, they can recite the digits they’re adding, reinforcing memory and number recognition skills.
  • Use Circle Art to introduce children to the Russian artist Kandinsky. Get creative with art projects centered around circles. Students can create Pi Day-themed artwork using paint, markers, or colored paper. They can even create a pi skyline using graph paper!

Middle School

  • Pi Day Scavenger Hunt: Hide various pi-related clues around the classroom or school. Students work in teams to solve math problems related to pi and find the next clue. The first team to solve all the clues wins a prize.
  • Pi Memorization Contest: Challenge students to memorize as many digits of Pi as possible. Matt McLeod writes that incorporating multiple senses like creating a pi chain while learning may be beneficial. Encourage friendly competition and offer rewards for those who can recite the most digits accurately.
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High School

  • Octa Pi Fight: Okta, the octopus, hangs out near different coordinates on a unit circle, and students must choose an angle and distance to fire a pie at Okta. This activity is designed to help students practice their fluency with radian and degree measures of unique angles on the unit circle. It also introduces the concept of polar coordinates. In honor of Pi Day, students can play Okta’s Pi Fight in radian mode.
  • Improving Approximations for Pi with GeoGebra: GeoGebra can be used to create dynamic figures to duplicate Archimedes’ process of approximating and illustrate how the accuracy can be improved.

No matter the grade level, Pi Day offers endless opportunities to provide math fun and engaging for students. By incorporating these activities into your curriculum, you can inspire a love for mathematics that lasts a lifetime. So, gear up, get creative, and let the Pi Day celebrations begin!

About Suzanne Rogers

Suzanne M. Rogers is an accomplished, passionate, technology-inspired educator, experienced conference presenter, and yoga enthusiast. She is the Assistant Director of Public Relations at LISA Academy Public Charter Schools. In addition to her 20 years of work in education, Suzanne also serves on the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Educator Advisory Board, the UCA Executive Advisory Board, the UCA MAT Program Advisory Board, and the SAU ERZ Advisory.

Suzanne’s passion for education and her community is evident in her involvement in these organizations, where she works tirelessly to support students and educators. As an #ArmyMom and former #AFbrat, Suzanne brings a unique perspective to her work, understanding firsthand the sacrifices made by military families. Suzanne exemplifies dedication, expertise, and commitment to excellence.