Pi Day is in March!

 

Click here for FREE downloadable version: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pi-Day-Interactive-Notebook-ActivityFREE-4438204#show-price-update

HAPPY PI DAY!

FUN FACTS:

1. Pi is the circumference of any circle, divided by its diameter. No matter the size of the circle, Pi is always the same!(3.14)

2. In 2015, Rajveer Meene, of India, memorized the first 70,030 digits of pi! It took him 17 hours and 14 minutes to recite the digits. Prior to this, Chao Lu, in 2005, was the record holder when he was able to recite the first 67,689 digits of pi.  Amazing feat of memory for both men!

3. Scientists Sir Isaac Newton and Greek mathematician Archimedes studied the numbers for Pi.

4. Scientist Albert Einstein was born on March 14, or 3/14, now Pi Day.

5. The ancient Babylonians(of present day Iraq) knew about pi more than 4000 years ago. Other cultures including the ancient Chinese and ancient Egyptians knew about pi. The oldest reference to pi dates back to 1650 BCE. It was mentioned in the Rhind Papyrus.

6. P is the 16th letter of the alphabet and pi, the Greek letter, is also the 16th in their alphabet.

7. The very first Pi Day was held in 1988, on 3/14. Why this date? The digits for pi start with 3.14. Larry Shaw, a physicist, celebrated the day by eating pie and walking in a circle. Shaw is nicknamed the “Prince of Pi”.

8. Did you know that an episode of the original Star Trek television show had Spock confused a computer by asking for the last digit in the value of pi?

9. The Ludolphine Number is named for Ludolph van Ceulen, who in the late 1500s, calculated the first 36 digits of pi.

10. In 2018, a scientist named Peter Trueb, used a computer to calculate 22,459,157,718,361 digits of pi. It took 105 days to list the numbers!

11. Pilish is a text using the numbers of pi. Michael Keith wrote a 1000 word short story using the digits of pi. For example: Tap a tree(3-1-4)

12. Write 3.14(pi) in BIG letters and hold it up to a mirror. Backwards, 3.14 looks like the word-PIE!

Many people eat PIE to celebrate Pi Day!

Do you remember singing “Four and Twenty Blackbirds”? 

Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye

Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.

When the pie was open the birds began to sing,

Oh wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before the king?

During the Middle Ages, there was a dinner course called the ENTREMET. During a banquet, it was an entertainment surprise for an important guest.

Some say that King Henry got a surprise when the pie that was served was cut open and 24 blackbirds flew out of the crust.

The birds were placed into the thick pie after it was baked. The crust would rise forming a type of pot shaped pie. This top was removed and the birds were placed inside just before serving. Note: Another pie was served for eating, thank goodness!

Some sources say that in addition to birds, live frogs, dogs and rabbits were also sometimes placed inside a surprise pie!

Your Turn:

1. Illustrate a factoid

2. Write a three word Pilish.

3. Write a fact about Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.

4. Write a diary entry pretending to be attending a party where blackbirds came out of a pie.

5. Did you know that telephone numbers are 7 digits because most people can’t easily remember more than 7 numbers. How many digits of pi can you memorize?

6. What is YOUR favorite type of pie? Write a paragraph explaining what it is the BEST type of pie.

TEACHER PAGE:

Give the Interactive Notebook handout to students and after completing the Your Turn, regroup and discuss.

Ideas for Pi Day:

https://mathgeekmama.com/math-resources/pi-day-goodness/

Sources for Teachers:

https://www.factretriever.com/pi-facts

https://www.piday.org/million/ one million digits of pi 

1. Looking for a reading about math? Check out this reading passage on Hypatia, the first known female mathematician: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Womens-HistoryFamous-WomenAncient-HistoryHypatiaFirst-Woman-Mathematician-4018160

2. Share this STEM reading resource with your students. This particular reading is on Ada Lovelace, thought to be the world's first computer Programmer. The short reading shares(in the first person) a recounting of the person's life(in this case Ada Lovelace) There are several Did You Know? fun facts, comprehension questions, a map skill activity for the area of the world the person lived, a teacher's section with extension activities, the key and additional links.

Great for a STEM reading on a women mathematician, a Friday activity, for Women's History Month, Pi Day, a substitute lesson and more. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ada-Lovelace-Woman-MathematicianWorlds-First-Computer-Programmer-7890823?st=df7b7a7c8420a6b06834cfa34ec76f63

3. Learn about Katherine Johnson, a physicist, space scientist and mathematician, who played a very important role with NASA’s early space missions. The movie Hidden Figures highlights the role of NASA's "computers" such as Katherine Johnson and their contributions. Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series of Reader's Theater Scripts, there are comprehension questions, a Did You Know? section, a Teacher page with extensions/links and key. A great STEM biography! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Katherine-Johnson-ScientistThe-Computer-that-Wore-SkirtsPlay-2961216

I also have Reader’s Theater Scripts on Albert Einstein, Sir Isaac Newton, Marie Curie and Galileo.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Albert-Einstein-A-Readers-Theater-Script-3152167?st=e281932f9fc3d8d1edbec860b960d5d5

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Galileo-Galilei-A-Readers-Theater-Script-4571171?st=7a610be060f0a313df53b11c12ea5db5

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Marie-Curie-Scientist-A-Readers-Theater-Script-2494460

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sir-Isaac-Newton-A-Readers-Theater-Script-3538657?st=cead1bec0af66c2899e350ac55f8a5a0

Illustration from openclipart.org

Women's History Month is Coming in March(2025)

                                                    

Women’s History Month(March)

"Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent." 

—Eleanor Roosevelt  

In 1978, a school district in  California, organized a “Women’s History Week”. By 1981, Congress passed a resolution establishing a National Women’s History Week and in 1987, Congress created a month, March, to honor the contributions of women and to promote the teaching of women’s history.In 2025, the theme is Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations. 

At one time, women weren’t able to do many things because of their gender. Here are some women trailblazers.  Being the first, made it easier for other women to follow in their footsteps. Every year, new firsts continue to be made by women. Here is just a sampling of firsts made by women.

Check here for the free downloadable version: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Womens-History-Month-FREEBIEpossible-Interactive-Notebook-Activity-2391333

Lucy Brewer

First woman Marine

1812

Elizabeth Blackwell

First woman to receive a medical degree

1849

Amelia Jenks Bloomer

Publisher/editor of first prominent women's rights newspaper

1849

Harriet Tubman

First woman to run underground railroad to help slaves escape

1850

Lucy Hobbs

First woman to graduate from dental school

1866

Arabella Mansfield Babb

First woman admitted to the bar to practice law

1869

Frances Elizabeth Willard

First woman to become a college president (Evanston College)

1871

Victoria Chaflin Woodhull

First woman to be presidential candidate

1872

Helen Magill

First woman to receive a Ph.D. degree (Boston University)

1877

Belva Ann Lockwood

First woman to practice law before U.S. Supreme Court

1879

Clara Barton

Founder of the American Red Cross

1881

Suzanna Madora Salter

First woman mayor (Argonia, Kansas)

1887

Marie Curie

First women to win  a Nobel Prize AND first person awarded TWO Nobel Prizes(as of 2016)

1903 AND 1911

Mary McLeod Bethune

First woman to establish secondary school that became 4-year accredited college

1904

Blanche Scott

First woman to fly an airplane

1910

Jeannette Rankin

First woman U.S. House Representative (Montana)

1917

Bessie Coleman

First African American Female pilot in USA and first AMERICAN to receive an international pilot’s license

1921

Hallie Ferguson

First woman governor of U. S. state (Texas)

1924

Amelia Earhart

First woman to be a passenger on an airplane across the Atlantic Ocean (1928)

and first woman to fly  across the Atlantic Ocean

1932

Jane Addams

First American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize

1931

Hattie Wyatt Caraway

First woman elected to U.S. Senate

1932

Amelia Earhart

First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean

1932

Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova

First woman to fly in space, aboard Vostok 6

1963

Mary Clarke

First woman to be named major general in U.S. Army

1978

Sandra Day O'Connor

First woman to become a Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court

1981

Sally Kristen Ride

First American woman to reach outer space.

1983

Ann Bancroft

First woman to walk to North Pole

1986

Christa McAuliffe

First woman citizen passenger on a space mission(teacher)

1986

Lt. Col. Eileen Collins

First American woman to pilot a Space Shuttle

1995

Madeleine K. Albright

First woman Secretary of State and highest ranking woman in the U.S. government

1997

Condoleezza Rice

First African-American woman to be appointed Secretary of State

2005

Nancy Pelosi

First woman to become Speaker of the House

2007

Hillary Clinton 

First FIRST LADY to become a senator(from NY).First woman to be in a presidential primary and caucus in every state. She would go on to be the first female candidate for President for a major political party(Democratic Party)

2008/2016

Michelle Obama 

First African American First Lady

2008

Kathryn Bigelow

First woman to win the Best Director Award

2010

Mary Barra 

First female CEO of General Motors

2013

Women 

Allowed to compete in ski jumping events at the Winter Olympics for the first time

2014

Katie Higgins 

First female pilot of the Blue Angels(US Navy Flight demonstration squad)

2014

Megan Brennan

First female United States Postmaster General

2014

Carla Hayden

First woman(and African American woman) to become the 14th Librarian at the Library of Congress

2016

Susan Polgar

First woman in history to achieve the Grandmaster title in chess

2017

Peggy Whitson

Most days spent in space by a NASA astronaut!

2017

Vanessa O'Brien

First woman to successfully summit the 2nd tallest mountain, K2

2017

Gina Haspel

First woman to head the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)as its director

2018

First ALL Women spacewalk

On March 29th, Christina Koch and Anne McClain went outside the ISS and participated in the first all female space walk, part of Women's History Month.
2019

Kathy Sullivan

First woman astronaut to do a space walk AND to go into the deepest trench on Earth.(Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench). She is the only PERSON on the planet to have done BOTH 

2020

Sunniva Sorby and Hilde Falu Strom

First women to solo at the Arctic over a winter without any male team members. They conducted science experiments on climate change and made observations on wildlife. They had to stay several months longer than planned due to Covid pandemic. They returned a couple of months later for the 2021 winter months.

2019-2020

Kamala Harris

First African/South Asian Woman to become Vice President of the United States! 2020

Ketanji Brown Jackson
First Black Woman Supreme Court Justice. 2022

Kamala Harris First Female Vice President (2021)and first woman of color to run for President(Democratic ticket)2024

Did You Know? 

During the Revolutionary War, patriotism had no gender. A number of women worked as spies to help the patriots. Agent 355, her name was never identified, referenced a woman in the Culper Spy Ring. During the American Revolutionary War, the Culper Spy Ring was organized to work to defeat the British. Agent 355 and other members of the spy organization were very important in the colonists being victorious in the War for Independence from England. Agent 355 has been called the “hidden daughter of the American Revolution”.  Other women who worked as spies included  Anna Smith Strong, Lydia Darragh, Emily Geiger and Nancy Morgan Hart, Several women also helped fight and others spread the word of approaching British soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Molly Pitcher carried water to soldiers and helped with a cannon during the Battle of Monmouth. Another woman, Deborah Sampson dressed as a male soldier and joined the army. Margaret Corbin and Ann Bailey were two other women how fought in the war as soldiers. Catherine “Kate” Moore Barry is called the “Heroine of the Battle of Cowpens” for her efforts to help the patriots’ victory which was a turning point in the Revolutionary War.

It is estimated that approximately 400-700 WOMEN fought as soldiers during all the major battles of the Civil War including  the Battle of Gettysburg, the First Battle of Bull Run and the  Battle of Shiloh. Since females were not allowed to fight in battles at that time, those women that did become soldiers disguised themselves as men. To disguise themselves, the women had to cut their hair very short, had to wrap fabric to bind their chests and dressed in men’s clothing. The women also used charcoal to make a “pretend” shadow of a beard. Some women wore false mustaches! The learned to walked in a way to not give away their real identity and also adapted a lower voice or not talk very much at all. Some of the women even took up smoking or chewing and spitting tobacco to not cause suspicion. Several women known to have fought as soldiers during the Civil War included Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, Sarah Emma Edmonds, Amy Clarke and Mary Galloway.

During World War 2, women provided a very valuable service as pilots. It was the first time American women would fly military aircraft. The women Air Force Service Pilots(WASPS) flew new planes from factories to military bases such as the B-26s and B-29s. It wasn’t known whether these “superfortress” bombers were even safe. The women also tested planes that had been repaired and determining if they were safe before a male pilot would fly in it! Probably, the most dangerous job was that of towing targets attached to a plane. Using REAL ammunition, soldiers shot at the targets for combat practice. Several WASP actually got shot in their feet when a stray bullet went through the plane.  Names of women pilots during World War4 2 included Jackie Cochran, Cornelia Fort and Margaret Phelan Taylor.

Questions:

1. Are there any areas in which women still have yet to make a contribution?

2.  What are 3 character traits of women who have been trailblazers? What would you list as 3 of your best character traits?

3.  There is a Hispanic Heritage Month, a Native American Month, a Black History Month and a Women’s History Month. Why do you think such months were established? Do you think there is a need for such months to highlight different groups? Why, why not?

4.  If you could interview a woman trailblazer(past or present), who would it be and why? What might be 2 questions you would ask of that person?

5. Illustrate one of the women’s history facts.

For Teachers:

Sites of interest for additional materials:

1.  http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0768462.html   Statues built to honor woman 

2.  http://www.infoplease.com/quizzes/whmadventurers/1.html   Quiz your women’s history knowledge(women adventurers)   http://www.infoplease.com/quizzes/womenleaders/1.html   Quiz your women’s history knowledge (women leaders)

3. Check out the National Women’s Hall of Fame, opened in 1979, in Seneca Falls, NY.    Check out the inductees to the National Women’s Hall of Fame:  https://www.womenofthehall.org/women-of-the-hall/

4.  http://www.historyswomen.com/1stwomen.html Another great source of women past and present 

5.  http://multiculturalkidblogs.com/2015/03/02/womens-history-month-strong-girls-books-for-kids/  Books to recommend

POSSIBLE RESOURCES of INTEREST:

1. Women’s History Month: A Webquest on 15 women that made a difference: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Womens-History-Month-Webquest-501023

2. Women History: A Bundle of TEN  Reader's Theater Scripts on Women in History: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/WOMENS-HISTORY-A-BUNDLE-of-10-READERS-THEATER-SCRIPTS-4409951

3. Readings on TEN Famous Women in History: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Women-in-History-Bundle-of-Ten-Reading-Passages-on-Women-in-History-4409979

4. Check out my web quest on famous First Ladies: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Ladies-of-the-United-States-Wequest-604151

5. Check out my TpT Store for Reader’s Theater Scripts on Famous women in history, science and literature: Susan B.Anthony, Elizabeth Blackwell, Hillary Clinton, Bessie Coleman, Michelle Obama, Edith Bolling Wilson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart,Dolly Madison, Abigail Adams, Florence Harding, Lady Bird Johnson, Sacagawea, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Marian Anderson, Katherine Johnson and Rachel Carson:  I also have a Reader's Theater Script on WW2 Pilots(part of the WASP) and a Reader's Theater Script on Women Soldiers during the Civil War. I also have a Reader's Theater Script on Revolutionary War Female Spies.

A. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/World-War-2-Female-PilotsMembers-of-the-WASP-A-Readers-Theater-Script-4378242

B. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Revolutionary-War-Spies-A-Visit-with-Female-Agent-355Culper-Spy-RingScript-2441726

C. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Revolutionary-War-Heroine-Catherine-Kate-Moore-BarryBattle-of-Cowpens-5899298

D. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Civil-War-Women-SoldiersA-Readers-Theater-Script-6213517?st=8fdefcaa9409dde8252b28be3c5aed48