Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant pi (approximately equal to 3.14). It is observed annually on March 14th (3/14 in the American date format) and is loads of fun! Pi Day is a great way for math teachers to engage students in fun yet educational activities related to pi.
I’ve always loved Pi Day, especially as a middle school teacher. Celebrations worth interrupting precious instructional time are few and far between. Pi Day is the exception. It provides the perfect opportunity to have some fun with numbers and to get kids excited about math! Here are a few of my favorite Pi Day classroom activities for my middle school math classes:
1. Pi Recitation
This is a serious competition amongst my eighth graders! Have your students memorize as many digits of pi as they can. Give them time to practice and then hold a pi recitation contest! You can award prizes to the student who recites the most digits or the student who recites the most digits without any errors. For an online version, try this Pi Day Quiz… you get 5 mistakes before you’re knocked out of the competition!
2. Pi Puzzles
Set up a variety of math puzzles and challenges that students have to solve using their knowledge of pi. These could include word searches or crosswords that use math terms related to pi or maybe riddles that involve solving problems using the value of pi. Try out this Pi Day Puzzle from momath.org:
You are at a river and have two empty containers, one capable of holding exactly ฯ (= 3.14159โฆ) quarts of water and the other capable of holding exactly 3 quarts of water.
How many transfers of water will it take you to get water in one container that is within 1% of a quart?
National Museum of Mathematics
3. InsPIring Artwork
Have your students create artwork that incorporates the digits of pi or that is inspired by the concept of pi. This could include drawing a circle and dividing it into segments to represent the digits of pi, or creating a pi-themed collage using math symbols and other materials. Get creative!
4. Pi Games
There are many online games and activities related to pi you can use in your classroom. For example, you could play the “Pi Runner” game: students have to run through a series of obstacles while collecting as many digits of pi (in order, of course!) as they can.
Limited on space? Another idea is to have students throw beanbags into different size targets or toss various size rings. Students can then use their knowledge of pi to calculate the circumference of the circles.
5. Pi Food
What better way to celebrate Pi Day than with some delicious pi-themed treats? Have your students bring in round foods to share with the class. Consider making homemade pizzas, pi-shaped cookies, or fruit pies for students to enjoy. The obvious fun is in eating all these delicious desserts, but we also make it educational:
Pi Day Activities
No matter how you choose to celebrate Pi Day in your classroom, it’s sure to be fun and memorable! With a little creativity, you can turn this annual celebration into a fun and educational experience for your students.
ACTIONABLE STEPS: What are some of your favorite Pi Day classroom activities? Share in the comments below. Don’t forget to download my free Pi Day Workbook! You’ll find printable worksheets for many of the above-mentioned activities. Happy Pi Day!
