Pi Day Celebration: Integrating Fractions, Decimals and Percents through K-8 Differentiated Math Work Stations River School celebrated Pi Day school-wide (K-8) through differentiated math work stations and activities that integrated math, writing, reading, social studies and the arts. The activities were facilitated and student-led by the oldest students in the building, middle schoolers, for all of the other students in the building, with guidance and support from the Title I Math Intervention Teacher and the Math Consultant from Berrien RESA. Ideas and strategies will be shared that can be replicated for a similar math day celebration or math family night at your school.

1. Pi Day at River School
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062862
MCTM Annual Conference
Traverse City, Michigan
July 29, 2015

2. Pi Day!
Good afternoon, mathematicians!
Please spend 3-5 minutes at each
workstation to explore the
activities and determine the SLO,
etc.

3. About us: Your
Presenters
Heidi Main, 6th/7th/8th grade teacher
3 years experience as an educator
BS Elementary Education
Janet Drews-Ordiway,
District Administrator
& Math Intervention Teacher
20 years experience as an educator
Ph.D. (ABD – Dec 2015)

4. About Us: River School
•Single building district
•K-8 public school, established in 1862
•Current enrollment: 77 students
•Multi-age classrooms:
• K/1, 2/3, 4/5, 6/7/8
•Located in SWMI
•near BH & Eau Claire
•Faculty of 8 certified teachers
& a business manager

5. Pi Day Stations
Tell us about what you observed
and experienced…
These work station activities are
examples of student-created
work.
Feedback?

6. Planning: Grown Ups
 6 Activities for Each Grade Level
 4-6Station 1: Pi Facts Station 2: Measuring Circles Station 3: Pi Tally
Station 4: PI Fractions Station 5: Measuring Circumference1 Hour
Station 6: Pi Relay (20 Minutes) 4 Groups of 10 Station 7: Pi Chain (20
Minutes)
 K-3Station 1: Pi Facts Station 2: Measuring Circles Station 3: Pi Tally
Station 4: PI Fractions Station 5: Measuring Circumference Station 6:
My Pi Day Pie (20 Minutes)4 Groups of 10 Station 7: Pi Chain (20
Minutes)
 Preparation: Copies of Sir Cumfrence books (Ann) yarn - art, kids pies
– parents pizzas and 2 students gift card prize (Ann Gift Cards for
pizza and Top 2) circle objects – kids staplers, staples, scissors,
construction paper, copies t-shirt orders posters - pi day is coming!
certificates relay team winners

7. Planning
“I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.”

8. Planning

9. Planning
 Students took suggestions and resources, synthesized them into
their own learning work stations
 Created learning objectives for upper elementary and lower
elementary groups
 Constructed materials for activities, gathered resources and tools
 Ran a mock event to gather constructive criticism and feedback from
peers and faculty
 Refined activities and instructional methods and tools
 Family involvement!

10. Planning: Students

11. Student Stations and
Activities
(Photo slideshow)
(Pi chain activity)

12. Successes & Lessons
Learned

13. Resources

14. Resources
 http://ephrata.gt.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cm
s/478198/File/PiDayActivities2006Final(2).pdf
 http://www.teachpi.org/music/pi-day-carols/
 http://www.exploratorium.edu/pi/pi_activities/
 www.piday.org
…and so many more!

15. Make It Your Own!
School-wide, district-wide, department-wide, classroom-wide – easy to
replicate
The key is:
Let the students truly be the teachers – design, plan, evaluate, implement
Flip the classroom – to the next level!
Help them understand the importance of lesson plan and assessment
design – PLC ?s, UbD, SLOs, etc. …
Provide opportunities for practice and constructive feedback!
Involve others!

16. Thank you!
Thank you for attending our session today!
www.riverschoolk8.org
Janet Drews-Ordiway jordiway@riverschoolk8.org
Heidi Main hmain@riverschoolk8.org
269-925-6757