Weekly Report & Reflection Week #8

       Today I will be talking about the above video "Pi and Buffon's Matches - Numberphile."  I found this video to be both interesting and informative.  It provides an excellent activity for students to engage in that can develop both their understanding and application of Pi.  According to The Ontario Curriculum: Mathematics Grade 1 - 8, a specific expectation for grade eight is to "measure the circumference, radius, and diameter of circular objects, using concrete materials (113)."  The match activity demonstrated in the video provides a novel opportunity for students learn these specific expectations.  In particular, the activity helps to deepen students' understanding of how Pi can be applicable in many different instances in the world.  That is, the application of Pi is not simply limited to circular objects, because, as the video shows, the degrees of the rotational axis of a match stick (and similar objects) can be accounted for using Pi.
       While some of the mathematical calculations in this video go far beyond the curriculum expectations for grade eight, the value of the activity is that it should hopefully make students more aware of the pervasive applications of mathematics in their everyday life.  Beyond this, the activity seems like it would be a fun change from simply teaching students about Pi using a textbook.  Getting students engaged in math requires making activities fun and interesting.  I do think this activity has some limitations and would most likely require a supplementary lesson to expand students' knowledge of Pi.  However, I think it would be an excellent activity to begin a unit on measuring the areas and circumferences of circles, as it has the potential to really get students interested in the application of mathematics with the world around them.