Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi: A Math Adventure

One of King Arthur's knights is turned into a dragon and the knight's son must find the right potion and proportion to turn his father back to human, before the dragon is killed. This children's book for grades 2-5 explains the relationship between the number pi (3.14159...), the diameter of a

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circle, and it's circumference.

While the writing is find, the math is find, and the illustrations are okay, I did not care for this book. There are many other facts about pi that could have been introduced. Unlike Sir Cumference and the First Round Table, the illustrations are just there but not especially helpful at clarifying the relationship.

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This story is wonderful modern fantasy story that involves a young boy's father being turned into a dragon. It his quest then to save his father through finding the circumference of a circle. The geometric concepts present in this book make it a wonderful informational book as well. This story

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makes math fun and exciting for students. It is a great tool for teachers and parents to use in helping children understand math that is sometimes very difficult to understand.

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This is a picture book that describes how the number Pi came around when a young boy looking for the answer to a riddle. By answering this riddle he would find out how to turn his father from a dragon back into a human. He ran around the whole castle looking for help to answer the riddle. He ended

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up figuring out how to find the answer to the riddle with help form Geo of Metry and his cousin Lady Fingers. When he figures out the answer he runs to the forest where his dad is waiting for him. He measures his dad and hopes that his answer is right as he spoons in the amount of Pi into his fathers mouth. An explosin of light reveals his father and proves that young Radius was right. They then threw a celebration in honor of Radius discovering Pi and saving his father.

I loved the pictures in this book. I also liked the method they used to describe how to figure out Pi and why it never changes. This would be a really good book for the math section of the class. So you can break up the routine of doing worksheet after worksheet.

A classroom activity would be to give each student a circular object to measure and ask them how to find Pi. Another activity would be to give them a worksheet and have them find the radius of different items on the worksheet.

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SIr Cumference and the Dragon of Pi: A Math Adventure tells the story of Radius, the son of Sir Cumference, who desperately seeks the right amount of medicine to serve his ill father. One day when Radius and Sir Cumference were enjoying a quick meal the king developed a terrible stomach ache and

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the doctor was no where to be found. After the first potion turned Sir Cumference into a dragon Radius was determined to find the correct medicine - and find it fast! As Radius hurried to find a cure for his father he encountered his cousin, Lady Fingers, needed his assistance in order to finish placing the last part of the crust on her last pie. By observing the number of pieces of dough that were needed to form the circumference of the pie and noting the relationship between the circumference measurement and the pieces that extended from one side of the pie to the other (the diameter measurement) Radius rushes able to save his dad before the knights destroy him forever!

This short story is ideal for supporting math curriculum in 3rd grade. Third grade is the time when Geometry becomes a strong focus - typically in the third and fourth quarters - and this book serves as a powerful and interesting tool for all students - especially those interested in fantasy. This book provides visual representations for students (they can see the pie and measurements of various circular objects) and describes how Radius goes about using measurements and division to solve his problem (divides circumference by diameter). It is a book that can be paired with manipulatives (students could use rulers and various circular items) and has a story line that engages students - if Radius does not figure out the correct amount in time the king will not be able to return to his human appearance! One additional perk this book offers is that it is one book in a series. I encourage teachers to collect the entire series so that as students learn different geometric ideas they can find the appropriate Sir Cumference book that can get children excited about math yet help them learn simultaneously!

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Another great addition when discussing Pi. Can't say enough great things about this series!

Plot- Man vs. Nature

Fantasy- The boy's father turned into a dragon and his son had to find a potion to save him from being killed by the king's knights!

This adventurous book would be enjoyable for upper elementary level students because it puts a fun spin on another difficult math concept. This book talks of how a group from the medieval times must use the formula for pi to solve all of their problems!

This was the story of Sir Cumference and his son, Radius. The illustrations, which are by Wayne Geehan, are truly beautiful. I could imagine a child staring at the pages, being able to figure out the story from just the pictures. Though the story was fictional, it was a great way of explaining the

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mathematical concept of “pi.”

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This book is another one in a series that uses a fictional story to explain a mathematical concept. In this story a man drinks a potion to alleviate his heartburn only to realize he is turned into a dragon. His only hope is his son who has to find the answer to a riddle to save his father. The

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answer to the riddle ends up being the number pi. As a teacher, I would use this book as a way to develop the students conceptual understanding of the number pi as the ratio between the circumference and diameter. I would use this book to introduce the concept and then stop once we arrived at the challenge on the circle's measure. At this point, I would have my students measure the circumference and diameter of various objects and find the ratio of the two quantities. After realizing the ratio is constant and the number pi, I would finish the lesson with the book. Once again, the pictures are a wonderful addition to the story.

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A good example of fantasy because it involves a man named Sir Cumference, drinking a potion to rid himself of an indigestion related ailment but causing him to turn into a dragon. In order for his son, Radius, to turn him back into a human before he is slain, Radius has to solve a riddle, which

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takes him on a journey to find the relationship between diameter and circumference. It is the pie that makes the connection for Radius, then he gets to measure the dragon's diameter and circumference and give him pi spoonfuls to transform him back into a human figure. While this story could never happen, on account of a lack of this potion and dragons, it holds truth to the discovery and sense of the number pi and how it is used with geometry of circles. It also depicts the honor and love Radius has for his father that he devotes such time and energy into finding the cure and correct dose.

Media: oil pastels

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I enjoyed this book for a few different reasons. The first reason I enjoy this book is because of the use of math terms as the names of the characters in their book. For example some of the names are Radius, Sir Cumference, Lady Di of Ameter, and Geo. The second reason I liked this book is because

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the problem in this book requires a solution, and the solution is titled The Circle's Measure. It is a riddle that is actually a math equation.
The main idea in this book is to learn things about math and making it interesting.

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In my opinion "Sir Cumference and the First Round Table" is a great book to introduce circumference in a math lesson. First, the language is mathematical but also tells a great tale about camelot. "It has two long sides and two short sides. If you cut it in half, and put the two halves

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side-by-side, you will have a table with four equal sides." While there is math involved they are also telling a story about a new table in Camelot. Second, the illustrations enhance the students understanding about math but also the tale being told in Camelot. For example, when the table is being cut they show the dimensions but also showed the finished product. The big idea of this story is for students to understand what circumference entails.

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Sir Conference and the Dragon of Pi is a good way to introduce pi. The book has a fairy tale theme and the names in the book are all math related. Sir Conference has changed into a dragon and Radius has to try and solve a riddle to change him back. I would recommend this book to ages 3 and up. My

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college math teacher brought this in one time, so it works for all ages!

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• Sir Cumference is sick and sends his son, Radius to the doctor, who could not be found. Only, when Radius brought medicine to his father, the medicine turned Sir Cumference into a dragon. The town tries to run for cover while Lady Di of Ameter and Radius try to find a potion to turn Sir

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Cumference back before he his slain in the morning. Radius finds a potion “The Circle’s Measure”, which ends up being the formula for finding circumference. After many calculations, Radius was able to determine how much of the potion his dad needed, in order to turn him back to normal.

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I actually understand Pi now better than I ever did. Where was this when I was in school, getting great grades in math without every truly understanding what I was doing...?

Update: My son has been learning about Pi and the formula for finding the circumference of a circle for a few weeks. He failed

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the whole unit, and I'm glad I remembered this book. We read it together, and he was motivated to experiment with string and measuring tape on various circular objects around the house. He has this formula truly understood now instead of memorized, and on several enrichment practice exercises he performed perfectly. He owes it all to this book.

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Clever story

This is a great book to help children understand the meaning of Pi. It is an entertaining story about a young boy (Radius) who tries to reverse a situation where his father (Sir Cumference) has been turned into a dragon! His father is in danger as the queen has sent out word that there is a

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dangerous dragon that needs to be killed. Poor Radius must work fast. The antidote must be measured using a riddle about circles and their measurements. Within the story we meet brothers Geo and Metry, a wheel maker, Sym, Lady Fingers who is baking pies, and Lady Di of Ameter. Students will enjoy the story and at the same time learn about Pi! There are various activities that can be done with this story, especially having the students recreate what Radius does to find the measure of Pi. A wonderful math story! The vocabulary contained in the story in a fun way is a great way to introduce some of the math concepts. The illustrations are wonderful and show the concept of Pi being discovered as well as being fun and imaginative.

This is a great book for school libraries and in particular middle grade classes as they learn about the concepts mentioned in the book.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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This book is about the son of Sir Cumference, Radius, searching for a cure for his father to turn him back into a knight. He has to solve a riddle before he reveals the solution. I give this book a 5 star rating because it unpacks ways that pi can be found and pi is an ever-going number.

When Sir Cumference is turned into a dragon, Radius (his son) must work hard to solve a riddle and find the correct dose of medicine that will turn his father back into a human before sunrise the next day! It is through this he discovers the concept of pi. This book has does a wonderful job of

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using math vocabulary and explains the concept of pi and diameter while still keeping an interesting storyline.

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Part of a series of fun, Medieval adventure stories that introduce mathematical concepts for young readers. This one introduces the concept of Pi.

A great introduction on what pi is for kids. Unfortunately, pi is estimated at one seventh, which is a rational number; pi is an irrational number. The names of the characters are creative and pun-ny.