February 9th is National Pizza Day – the cheesiest, most mouthwatering day of all!
Preparing meals as a family is a great way of slowing down and spending quality time together while incorporating educational topics like math and science in fun, approachable ways. Children can explore the science of baking a thin crust or a thick one, learn about concepts like division and fractions as you slice your pie, and get real world insight into how our bodies use food to fuel us. And remember, from pepperoni and veggies to the ever controversial pineapple, theres no shortage of tasty ways to put a creative, personal spin on your pizza.
Check out the videos, activities, and recipes below for everything you knead to know about how pizza is both a tasty treat and tool for learning!
Bring the Fun of Food & Learning Together
Around the Kitchen Table: Finding Math in Everyday Places
Grades PreK-2
Kids often see math as an isolated activity. They might think of math as just counting, or adding, or something they do for 40 minutes a day at school. If we want kids to be curious about math outside the classroom, we need to take math off the page and into the real world. The kitchen is a great place to do just that!
Little Nino’s Pizzeria | Reading Rainbow Stories
Grades K-5
Reflect on the importance of teamwork in this colorful story about a family restaurant. LeVar Burton talks about the different ingredients that are used to make pizza dough. The featured book, Little Nino’s Pizzeria, is read by actor Josh Saviano. LeVar demonstrates how to toss pizza dough. After watching, use the provided classroom guide, math activities, and discussion questions to further explore the topics covered in this book.
Pizza Gardens | Think Garden
Grades 3-5
This video from KET’s Think Garden collection shows you how to make a pizza with ingredients from both spring and summer gardens. Follow elementary school students as they make fresh spring pizzas using greens, garlic, olive oil and homemade cheese. Then head back to school as they make pizzas with traditional toppings from their own school garden like tomatoes, peppers, and basil.
Pizza Toppings as Venn Diagrams | Cyberchase
Grades 3-8
In this video segment from Cyberchase, Bianca wants to pick up a pizza to share with her two friends. Each of the three friends has topping preferences, so Bianca hopes to create a pizza that will satisfy all of their requests. In order to organize the preferences, Bianca draws a Venn Diagram and then arranges the pizza toppings according to the diagram.
A Slice of Pizza Science! | It’s Okay to Be Smart
Grades 6-12
How does math keep a folded slice from drooping? And what does pizza have to do with the speed of light? In honor of National Pizza Day, order an extra large pie – it’s scientifically proven to be the right decision!
Books, Activities & Recipes
Bake Easy Mini Pizzas
Grades PreK-K
Do your kids have a favorite pizza topping? For National Pizza Day, invite your child to be an “assistant chef” while you make make mini-pizzas together!
Peg’s Pizza Fractions
Grades PreK-K
Who says you can’t play (and learn) with your food. In this fun Peg + Cat activity, explore the fractions of 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2 while eating delicious pizza.
Peg’s Pizza Place Digital Game | Peg + Cat
Grades PreK-K
It’s pizza time! Celebrate National Pizza Day with this fun Peg + Cat digital game, perfect for in-class or at-home learning, that introduces counting and fractions.
Go on Cooking Adventures With These Books
Grades PreK-3
Food and family always seem to go together. Families cook together, eat together, and (sometimes) do the dishes together. Enjoy some quality time with your family as you read these books about families and their cooking adventures. Many of the books also include recipes that you can try too!
Margherita Pizza Recipe | PBS Food
All Ages
This recipe is for the quintessential thin crust pie, adorned simply with basil, mozzarella, and tomato sauce — San Marzano, of course. Salvatore Carollo and Spuntino Pizza’s version is featured in the Philadelphia episode of No Passport Required and available on PBS Food.