When you think of math do you think of pie? I bet the answer is a resounding, “no”. I didn’t either until I was almost 30 when I first learned about Pi Day. It was all because I was finally becoming a, well a nerd.
As a kid being a nerd seemed to have negative connotations. You pretty much were thought to be this no matter what…..
Being a “nerd” is now something many wear with pride. Heck, I am 99.7% sure that the whole hipster fad was derived from nerd fashion.
When my husband and I first began living together he was still living in a house he owned…with 4 other guys. Smells aside, it was there my future husband began to conform me. It was not uncommon to see three grown men playing Dungeons and Dragons or Magic the Gathering in the living room. I would sometimes join, but truth be told, I was becoming a “nerd” for something else. Harry Potter.
I could go on and on about my love of Harry Potter, but I digress. As I met more of my future friends, I became even more engrossed into the nerd world. I even volunteered to work at the Phoenix Comic Con a few times for a good friend.
All this exposure didn’t change the fact that I was completely in the dark about a certain holiday. When some of my friends began posting pie things…I was so lost. It wasn’t until I was in my 30’s that I learned about Pi Day.
Pi Day is that special day on March 14 when we essentially have a holiday for numbers. The symbol pi relates to a circle’s ratio from its circumference to diameter is approximately 3.14…..with a million other numbers following.
My mind was blown.
Naturally, I wanted kids to not go through the vast majority of their life not knowing what Pi Day is so I created a Pie Unit! There are many ways to incorporate Pi Day into the classroom, but my goal is…make it simple. All you have to do is print and you have 14 pages of math and ELA pie activities!
The best thing about this unit is that since it’s food-related it can not only also be used during Thanksgiving, but at any time of the year when you need some fun activities!
Pie ELA Activities
Having students practice using prefixes can be fun with this ELA activity Prefix Pies. Using the prefixes pre-, re-, and un-, they will fill out the crossword puzzle by matching the definition to the correct prefix.
Teaching the many ways to write plurals is….a little challenging to be honest. With Plural Pies kids will practice making plurals by learning the different rules when it comes to adding -s, -es, or -ies. After reading each of the words, they will sort the words by writing the plural form under the correct column.
They then will write two complete sentences while trying to use as many of the words as possible.
Pie Parts of Speech is a fun Pi Day ELA activity to review nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and proper nouns! After reading the word they will color the picture according to the code.
Want a tasty way to incorporate Pi Day? With this word search students will search for common pie types. This can be a fun activity for early finishers, a Pi Day party, or even those rainy (or snowy depending on where you live) springtime recesses!
Pie Math Activities
Piece of Pie is a fun math activity that gives students practice adding up to 2 two-digit numbers. After solving the problems, they will color the picture according to the code.
What better way to celebrate Pi Day than with a party?!? Luckily, this party requires no prep work. Students will use addition, subtraction, and even arrays with these word problems.
If you are looking to have your kids practice adding two-digit numbers even more, Problems and Pies is a great way to do so! After solving the equations they will color the picture according to the code. This would be a fun activity for morning work!
All of these pie-themed activities are no prep! Just print! These worksheets can be used for morning work, homework, class party time, early finishers, indoor recess, or even last-minute sub plans! Grab this unit by clicking here or on the image.
