Cambridge STEAM


The Young People's Project Math Playbook designers are partnering with the Cambridge STEAM Initiative to revise and produce games for students across Cambridge.  During the Spring of 2024, the partnership started with the game Piece of Pi(e).

Piece of Pie is a memory matching game with equivalent fractions and pieces of a whole pizza pie. There are three sets of cards: pizza pie slices, fractions (out of 8), and equivalent fractions (unlike denominators). The game itself is versatile where students can mix and match the available sets of cards. In addition, Piece of Pie can be played as pairs or compete in two groups. Currently, the two main versions of the game are: Whole (match pizza pie cards to make a whole) and Equivalent Fractions (match pizza pie cards to fractions (out of 8)). 

Three middle schoolers (Angeliz, Ilwaad, & Leila) at Cambridge Street Upper School (CSUS) came up with the idea for the Piece of Pie during their Personalized Learning Block (PLB).  Initially, these upper schoolers wanted to brainstorm new games for 2023 Pi Day at the MIT Museum. They chose to use food to help represent fractions since it makes fractions relevant and accessible for more students.  

In 2024, the Cambridge STEAM Initiative team worked with students to refine and play-test new versions of the games for the broader Cambridge community.

Voices from Piece of Pie Game Designers

Angeliz's Thoughts

Click here to listen to Angeliz.

Ilwaad's Thoughts

Click here to listen to Ilwaad.


Leila's Thoughts

Click here to listen to Leila.