On Friday, March 14th the fifth graders at Schuylkill Elementary celebrated π day. The day focused on that mysterious number which defines the circumference of a circle. March 14th is also Einstein’s birthday.
Mathematical investigations were the theme for the day.
Activities included:
· Mrs. Walker’s and Mrs. Sadofsky’s classes worked to prove the theory of circumference. They compared the relationship between the diameter and the circumference of a circle.
· Mrs. Chapman’s class had a real life application of the word “pun” when they used pi and pie humorously. Some of the children were delighted when they discovered the pattern that proved the existence of pi.
· Miss Parson’s class learned about the history of pi and located their birthdays on the sequence of digits. They made pi key chains and necklaces, using the first hundred digits of pi. Robbie McMahon was the first person to complete the sequence.
· Mrs. Hrynko’s class discovered the meaning of pi by measuring the circumference and diameter of their mini apple pies. Students tested their theory on other circles and many used the compass for the first time!
· Mrs. Illig’s class used string to make their compasses and draw a circle. They found that its diameter was about 1/3 of its circumference. After trying other circles, they found that any diameter multiplied by 3.14 equals the circumference. After measuring their own mini pie and finding its circumference, students enjoyed eating their apple pie.
· Miss Valencia’s class used measurement strategies to find the volume of the pie box and the circumference of the pie. They used their compasses to create a Frisbee and made necklaces using beads to represent the first 100 digits of pi.