“Today is Pi Day,” My husband greeted me Thursday morning.
“Oh, no! I forgot. I always like to do something for Pi Day.”
“I know that. That’s why I’m telling you.”
So once again, flying by the seat of my 31 years of experience, I opened up our class time together with “Guess what today is?”
Some kids knew, but didn’t know why. I wrote on the board, “Pie Day or Pi Day?”
We discussed the meaning of Pi, the irrational number 3.14 and so on, and the relationship between diameter and circumference of a circle.
Then we got to the fun part. Each student chose a piece of colored paper, and we brainstormed ways to make a perfect circle. Then the hunt for possible patterns- the pencil cup, my coffee cup, the lid of a game. Kaia suggested using a paper clip. If I had once known how to draw a circle with a paper clip, I had forgotten.
Place a pencil inside one end of a large paper clip. Hold the pencil point in place on this sheet of paper. Place another pencil inside the other end of the paper clip. Ask your helper to hold your paper still while you draw a circle by moving the second pencil.
I asked the students to use their imagination to create something with the circle and use it as the topic for their Pi-Ku. A Pi-ku takes on the syllable count of Pi, 3.14159….
While we didn’t produce great poetry, we did have a good time playing with circles, wacky drawings, and syllable counts.
I combined this activity with the daily poetry prompt in Laura Shovan’s poetry project. The prompt for Thursday was honey.
Bumblebee
You’re
My honey sweet
Tea
Pouring all you have
Into joy-light for my morning cup.
3.14159
Karson’s elephant Pi-Ku:
Elephant
eats
cabbage and trees.
Karson, 4th grade
I love the poetry inside of your slice. 2 for 1! Lovely!
I’ve never heard of Pi-Ku poetry. I love it! Your poem is wonderful, and the students are well on their way, too. Love the line “a moon bird singing is soothing.” Strong imagery and alliteration.
I love this idea Margaret! I will definitely share it with teachers next year for Pi day!n – Krista
Shoot – I think my comment disappeared again. Attempting again:
This line made me laugh because I’ve been there!
“So once again, flying by the seat of my 31 years of experience, I opened up our class time together…” Sounds like it turned out to be a success! I love your bumblebee poem:
“Pouring all you have
Into joy-light for my morning cup.”
The kids’ poetry is great, too. Pi Day is so fun!
How good is that, your students’ responses are just great. So fun to do something different on the spur of the moment!
How nice to mix writing and math together!
These are awesome! I learned about pikus from your website last year and have shared this with many. 🙂
I love your work with students, Margaret, but I think my favorite part of this slice is the fact that your husband knows you well enough to remind you that it was Pi Day. That interaction had me!
Honestly, you have the best ideas – pi-ku? Amazing. And I love how often you share your students’ work. And I can tell how important all of this work is to you since your husband knows to remind you of pi day. Now that’s love. 🙂
Oh, how fun! A paperclip. Huh! This month has been a lot of quick writing. I see you slicers slicing and the 7th annual poetry poets scribbling. It’s all so fun and a bit hectic. I do love a poem with the words ‘sweet Tea’ in it. I’m delighted these students get to play with you.
Oh, I love the idea of a pi-ku! Such a wonderful way to connect math and poetry.
Love this pi-poetry activity and the work your students created.
I have written Pi day poems for the past few years, but this week has almost gotten the best of me and I completely forgot. I love your “honey sweet” bumblebee!
Now that must have been a fun, creative class, especially the paper clip demo. I enjoyed your sweet bumblebee Pi poem.
Oh, I love this… I’ve added the idea to my journal. And your honeybee poem is perfect, both for Laura’s challenge and for Pi day. It seems to me that a pie would be perfect for a Pi Day celebration.
By the seat of your pants, you had a Pi-Ku party! It sounds like lots of fun, and I do love your bee sketch!
YAY! Now I have a plan for next year’ Pi Day! Love the pi-ku form!
Oh gosh–I forgot about pi-ku! What fun, how delicious. (Although, do we really think the form works???) However, my very favorite part of this post is your husband saying, “I know that. That’s why I’m telling you.” So much quotidian love!
The bumblebee was an apt subject for your poem given you were flying by the seat of your 31 years experience, no? I love the honey sweet results, Margaret, and all the fun your class had in the process! I also love that pi-hearted husband of yours for his reminder.