Pi Discussion Prompts and Pause Points

Before the Movie:

What do you know about number pi, or 3.14? (Tap prior knowledge)

What do you think people use it to measure? (Tap prior knowledge)

During the Movie (Pause Points):

Stop at the following times in the movie and ask questions or prompt a discussion to keep students focused and to assess their understanding before moving on:

Timecode 0:28: What is the difference between a circumference and a diameter? (Compare/contrast)

Timecode 1:20: What’s one reason pi can’t be written as a fraction? (Identify cause/effect)

Timecode 2:20: Why does 2 x 3.14 x 6 give a less accurate measure of this circle’s circumference than 12 pi? (Compare/contrast)

After the Movie:

Look at the four related movies at the bottom of the page. Explain how each is connected to the Pi topic. (Make connections)

When and how  might people use pi in their daily lives? (Make connections)

BrainPOP recommends reading the movie description that appears on the Pi Topic Page to your class or have students read independently. Then have them watch the movie once through without pausing. Then, watch it again as class, this time using the discussion prompts.

*BrainPOP’s Discussion Questions and Prompts align to CCSS Speaking and Listening Standards