Sixth Graders Celebrate Pi Day

By Tanjua Damon

Newtown Middle School sixth graders did eat some pies, but their celebration had nothing to do with food. The students were actually dealing with the mathematical Pi or 3.14 in an interdisciplinary activity-filled day.

On Wednesday, March 14, or the third month of the year on the 14th day, middle school sixth graders learned about Pi in math, science, social studies, and English.

In English classes, students acted out and discussed the book Sir Cumference and the First Roundtable by Cindy Neuschwander. The book’s characters deal with circles – Sir Cumference, Lady Di Ameter, and Radius. The story line talks about trying to fit 12 people around particular shapes of tables and that a circular table works the best in fitting a large number of people around it.

In math students worked in groups and measured the circumference and diameter of various circular objects to approximate Pi.

“I didn’t know what Pi was until I was in high school. I never knew where it came from,” Ms Stevens, a sixth grade math teacher, said. “It’s such a simple concept. It’s a good thing for middle school students to do.”

In social studies students learned the historical facts about Pi, like putting the history of Pi in chronological order and how many decimal places Pi has been calculated to.

“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Mr DeBenedetto, a social studies teacher, said. “It’s an interdisciplinary activity with all the classes.”

Pi is an irrational number and can be calculated infinitely without repeating. It is the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. It is approximately 22/7, and is usually calculated to three digits – 3.14.

The Egyptians used Pi in 1650 BC and in 200 BC Archimedes of Syracuse found Pi to be between 223/71 and 22/7.

In 1706 English mathematician William Jones used Pi and it became more popular in 1737 when Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler adopted it.

In science, students experimented with Buffon’s Needle, which allowed students drop toothpicks onto parallel lines and record the number of toothpicks dropped, number of toothpicks that intersected a parallel line, the length of the toothpick, and the distance of parallel lines. Students then evaluated the formula – two times length times the number of uses divided by how many objects intersect times the distance between the parallel lines.

“It’s hands-on, and students make a connection between science, math, English, and social studies,” Ms Vaccaro, science teacher, said. “It’s fun and activity-based. The kids love it.”

Students enjoyed table pies from Big Y after their activities in all their subjects last Wednesday.