Presented by National Grid

Written By Dan Walsh
STEM Educator

Supplies needed:  

Paper plates, scissors, crayons, pencil, markers 

Length: 

Build time: 5-10 minutes   

Academic Subjects: 

Math

Directions for Pi Day Pie Party!    

Happy Belated Pi day! Pi is the distance around the circle also known as circumference, divided by the distance across. In other words, the circumference of any circle is approximately 3.14 times its diameter. Since pi is an irrational number, it has an infinite number of digits. Pi day is March 14^th, so let’s celebrate by having a pie party! We will be taking our pie plates and cutting pieces out of them, also known as fractions.  

1.)  Begin by deciding how many pies you would like. For each pie you need one paper plate. 

2.)  Each pie can be sliced into different fractions. Draw a straight line across the middle of your plate.

3.)  From there you can break your pie up into different fractions. A good place to start is with halves. On each side of the plate label it one half. Then color it in. 

4.)  Next let’s try out a new fraction on a new plate. Draw a line down the middle, and then horizontally. Label each piece one fourth.  

5.)  Once you have labeled and colored your slices of pie, cut them out. 

6.)  Mix the slices of pie up to see if you can put the pies back together! 

Vocabulary words:  

Fraction– Part of a whole number. For this activity the fractions were slices of pie.  
Geometry– the kind of mathematics that deals with shapes. 

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Special thanks to the Parent Network of Western New York.

This is a movement break activity based on the “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” song. This activity is intended to get kids moving while also helping them to learn their body parts.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Roll dice. The first roll will be to identify a body part to replace “head” in the song. The second roll corresponds
to “shoulders”, third roll with “knees”, and final roll for “toes”.
• Once you have 4 new body parts, insert the new body parts into the song.
• Sing the song aloud while identifying the body parts as they are sung. It may take a few tries to get it right!
*If you have extra dice and markers you can color your dice to match the chart.

Download the PDF directions here.

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Presented by National Grid

Written By Dan Walsh
STEM Educator

Supplies:

Paper, hole puncher, rubber band 

Length: 

10 minutes 

Academic Subjects:  

Science  

ETS1.A: Defining Engineering Problems- Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints)

Directions for Christine Darden’s Paper Jets:  

Christine Darden is an American mathematician, data analyst, and aeronautical engineer who devoted much of her 40-year career in aerodynamics at NASA to researching supersonic flight and sonic booms. 

1. Start by folding your paper in half.
2. Open the piece of paper back up. Fold each half at an angle to form a triangle at the top of your paper.  
3. Fold the top edges to the center line and then close the paper. 
4. Fold the wings down to meet the bottom of the body. 
5. Using a hole puncher, punch a hole at the very tip of the nose. 
6. Pull a rubber-band through the hole. 
7. Using both hands, hold the rubber-band from both ends. Pull one side of the rubber-band through the other. 
8. The rubber-band should be secured to the plane. 
9. Make sure the area is clear, using both hands, hold the back of the plane and pull the rubber-band back with your other hand. Using both hands, hold the back of the jet and the rubber-band. Once the area is clear let go of both the rubber-band and jet at the same time! Watch how fast it goes!

Christine Darden’s Paper Jet’s Vocabulary: 

Geometry– A branch of mathematics that deals with shapes, lines, and points. 
Orbit– The path of an object around particular point in space. 

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