Today, the 3rd graders practiced their Learning Pit Strategies while learning about and exploring circles! The first half of the day was spent on learning some seventh grade  math. The students were very excited for the challenge! They first learned about some ways that we can measure circles. They learned how to define a circle's center, diameter, and radius. They were also able to make a connection to circumference because many are currently learning about perimeter in their regular classes. (For students who want an extra challenge next week, they will have the opportunity to learn how to calculate circumference and area of a circle...)The students tackled two work pages connected to the lesson. The first was identifying a circle's radius and diameter, and the second was using a circle's radius to calculate its diameter or vice versa.

After recess, the students learned how to use a mathematical compass to draw a circle, making the connection that you can set a circle's radius with a ruler before drawing the circle. After some compass experimentation, the students designed circle-centric art pieces. They will continue this work next week and will add their progress and a reflection to their Book Creator portfolios.