The Eagles' Nest March 14, 2021
The Community Newsletter of EXCEL Academy PCS
Volume 2, Issue 17
Happy Pi Day!
Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) around the world. Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159. Pi Day is an annual opportunity for math enthusiasts to recite the infinite digits of Pi, talk to their friends about math, and eat pie.
Since Pi day is on a weekend this year we wanted to share some activities with you to celebrate the love of mathematics and pi(e) with your scholar! Let us know if you try some of them and if so, how you like them. Happy celebrating!
Primary (K-2) Student Activities:
- Read Happy Pi Day to You! by Bonnie Worth is an engaging and interactive read-aloud to get kids thinking about and measuring circles. For extra fun, grab a stack of disposable pie plates to recreate the amazing Pi Day hats the characters all wear!
- Just like pi, paper chains can be endless in activity time, length, and fun! As a family, create a Pi Day chain with loops of colored paper using a different color for each of the 10 digits. Each colored chain link represents a decimal place or a digit. See if you can make one link for each member of your immediate or extended family. How long can you make it?
- Little ones may not be ready to understand the concept of pi itself, but they can get in on the fun with this activity that introduces them to circles and ratios. All you need are some paper plates, construction paper, and a few other basic supplies. Kids mix and match the pieces to make a complete “pie,” learning more about circles along the way.
Intermediate (3-5) Student Activities:
- An engaging read-aloud about math? Yes, please! In Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi: A Math Adventure, Sir Circumference has been changed into a fire-breathing dragon. His son Radius and Lady Di of Ameter search for clues to the magic number that is the same for all circles in order to change him back! If you love Sir Cumference’s adventures, you’ll be happy to know this book is part of a much larger series.
- Provide plenty of circular objects like coffee cans, soup cans, pie tins, paper plates, bowls, CDs, and candles. Then have kids measure the diameter and circumference, divide the circumference by the diameter, and watch their amazement as the number comes out to about 3.14 every single time. Then, maybe finish up by measuring some round treats (chocolate chip cookies, anyone?).
- In this simple card game, kids race to see who can get rid of all their cards as they lay out the digits of pi. You can print out the digits in advance for reference or challenge older students to recall them from memory as they go. Get the full instructions at Math Geek Mama.
Middle School Student Activities:
- Are you a Pi expert? Take this quiz and test your skills!
- Music lovers - Turn pi into music! Start by experimenting with pi10k, which turns pi into music you’ve never heard before. Then, create your own family symphony using pi to structure the composition. Assign each member of the family a number from one through nine and have them come up with a musical sound associated with their number. Think claps, hums, whistles, knocks, beats on a drum or tambourine, or notes on a kazoo, recorder, triangle, or another available musical instrument. Write the first 20 digits of pi on a piece of paper and direct family members to make their chosen sound when you point to their number. Zero can be a rest. Repeat the sequence several times until you get the hang of it and have a rhythmic tune to show for your effort!
- Have your scholars write their own "pi-ku" poems. Inspired by haiku, these quick poems have a different number of syllables in each line, based on the digits of pi.
* Second line: 1 syllable
* Third line: 4 syllables
Hybrid Instruction Begins Next Month!
There WILL be a mandatory parent meeting for parents of hybrid students on Thursday, March 25th at 6:00 p.m. During this meeting, we will discuss additional details and expectations that must be in place in order for students to remain in hybrid throughout the end of the school year. We are looking forward to having a transparent and collaborative conversation. In the meantime, if your child takes medications during the day, please use this link to access the appropriate medication forms to get your physician to complete before April.
An email with the Zoom information was sent to all participating families yesterday. If you have reported that your child will be returning for hybrid instruction and did not receive it, please let us know.
Staff Returns to the Building This Week
EXCEL-ling In the Kitchen - Tuesday March 23, 2021@ 6:00 p.m.
We invite you to join us for our 5th series of: “EXCEL-ling In The Kitchen.” Together, we will create a delicious meal for dinner. This fun activity is for all!
If a student is participating they will need parental supervision as we will be using the stove and other kitchen tools. Please make adjustments to the items based on the size of your family. If you have any questions about substitutions (prior to us cooking together) please contact Mrs. Reese at Monique.reese@pgcps.org. Happy cooking! We can’t wait to have you EXCEL-ling In The Kitchen with us!
Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Time: 6:00pm
Zoom Link:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://pgcps-org.zoom.us/j/88270813126?pwd=cWNZL1BCQU1MMXRrdHc2Nm1INDhLdz09
Meeting ID: 882 7081 3126 Passcode: 993427
Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry
(This recipe serves 4. Please make adjustments based on the size of your family.)
Ingredients:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (Estimate 1-2 thighs per person)
Cornstarch
Vegetable oil
2 Bell Peppers (Feel free to have different color peppers, such as red or yellow.)
White Onion
Steamed Green Beans In A Bag (If you decide to use fresh green beans please prep them before we begin.)
Garlic Cloves
Ginger (Fresh or Dry)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Crushed Red Pepper
Salt & Pepper
Sesame Oil
Sweet Chili Sauce
White or Brown Rice (I will be using Jasmine Rice.)
Cutting Board
Knife
Pot to cook the rice in.
Large Skillet
Welcome Baby Riley!
A WORD FROM OUR OPERATOR - SEED, Inc.
SEED/EXCEL Governing Board Meeting March 18th, 6:30 pm - 8 pm.
Meeting link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86000758117?pwd=RGUxWWh5WkZpWm1xWWdiMmU0WWsrQT09
Meeting ID: 860 0075 8117
Passcode: 971074
Via phone: +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
Meeting ID: 860 0075 8117
Passcode: 971074
Technical Support
Teachers are not able to give technical support for students during the instructional day. But good news - the district is formulating a protocol so that students can receive timely support when there are access issues. Please stay under for updates which will be sent directly to you as soon as they are finalized.
Until then, if you continue to need assistance with your device, please contact the Parent Support Center closest to you. Make an appointment to take your device in so they may work directly with you to troubleshoot for you onsite. The information for Tech Support Centers can be found below. Remember that if your child is having a technical issue you MUST email the teacher the day of the incident. Thank you for understanding.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
UPDATED Days/Times: Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Parents may call 240-696-3315 during these hours to receive live assistance.
Sign up for an appointment **An email address is required to book an appointment online. If you do not have an email address, please book an appointment through the Parent Hotline at 240-696-3315. To book an appointment online:
1. Select the “Book an Appointment” link below for the specific location you would like to visit. 2. Select the service you need. 3. Select an available time from the list. *Appointments must be made more than 90 minutes in advance. 4. Complete the appointment form. 5. A confirmation email will be sent to the email they use to register.
Locations:
- Benjamin Tasker Middle School - 4901 Collington Road, Bowie, MD 20715 | Book an appointment
- Charles Carroll Middle School - 6130 Lamont Drive, New Carrollton, MD 20784 | Book an appointment
- Drew Freeman Middle School - 2600 Brooks Drive, Suitland, MD 20746 | Book an appointment
- G. James Gholson Middle School - 900 Nalley Road, Landover, MD 20785 | Book an appointment
- Gwynn Park High School - 13800 Brandywine Road, Brandywine, MD 20613 | Book an appointment
- High Point High School - 3601 Powder Mill Road, Beltsville, MD 20705 | Book an appointment
- Northwestern High School - 7000 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782 | Book an appointment
- Port Towns Elementary School - 4351 58th Avenue, Bladensburg, MD 20710 | Book an appointment
- Thurgood Marshall Middle School - 4909 Brinkley Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 | Book an appointment
Important Dates to Remember: March 14th - April 3rd
The next edition of the Eagle's Nest will be released on Sunday, April 4th!
- Thursday, March 18th: SEED/EXCEL Board Meeting @ 6:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, March 23rd: EXCEL-ling In the Kitchen @ 6:00 p.m.
- Thursday, March 25th: Hybrid Instruction MANDATORY parent meeting @ 6:00 p.m.
- Friday, March 26th: SPRING BREAK BEGINS!!
- Monday, March 29th - Monday, April 5th: Spring break- no instruction for students
EXCEL Academy Public Charter School
Email: excelacademy.pc@pgcps.org
Website: http://excelacademypcs.org
Location: 7910 Scott Road, Hyattsville, MD, USA
Phone: 301-925-2320
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EXCELAcademyPublicCharterSchool/
Twitter: @ExcelAcademyPCS