Project Maths
Introduction to Probability
Take a chance with an activity sure to improve your class's skills. An introductory lesson focuses on probability and chance. It shows how probability is always a value between zero and one, i.e., the probability of an event is always...
Project Maths
Probability and Relative Frequency
It's all relatively simple once you get the gist. Young mathematicians learn about sample spaces and simple probability by conducting an activity with dice. To complete the second of six parts in the Statistics and Probability unit, they...
Mathalicious
Three Shots
To foul or not to foul, that is the basketball question. High schoolers look at the probability that fouling out a player and allowing free throws yields a better outcome than allowing the original shot. The resource provides a teacher's...
American Statistical Association
What is the Probability of “Pigging Out”
Learners apply their understanding of luck to a probability experiment. They play a game of Pass the Pigs to determine the probability of a specific outcome. Using analysis for their data, pupils declare the measures of center, dot...
American Statistical Association
Exploring Geometric Probabilities with Buffon’s Coin Problem
Scholars create and perform experiments attempting to answer Buffon's Coin problem. They discover the relationships between geometry and probability, empirical and theoretical probabilities, and area of a circle and square.
EngageNY
Chance Experiments
Class members are introduced to probability using terms such as impossible, unlikely, likely, and certain. Numbers between zero and one are associated with the descriptions of probability. Pupils find the likelihood of chance experiments...
Virginia Department of Education
Normal Distributions
Pupils work to find probabilities by using areas under the normal curve. Groups work to calculate z-scores and solve real-world problems using the empirical rule or tables.
Illustrative Mathematics
Return to Fred's Fun Factory (with 50 Cents)
The penny arcade gets the statistics treatment in this fun probability investigation. A non-standard game of chance is described and then the class is set loose to find missing probabilities, determine common outcomes, and evaluate...
Curated OER
Drive the Data Derby
Three days of race car design and driving through the classroom while guessing probability could be a third graders dream. Learn to record car speed, distances traveled, and statistics by using calculation ranges using the mean, median,...
EngageNY
Analyzing Decisions and Strategies Using Probability 2
Explore how to compare and analyze different strategies. In the 20th installment of a 21-part module, scholars continue their analysis of decisions and strategies from the previous instructional activity. They then extend this concept to...
Project Maths
Introduction to Playing Cards
A fun, engaging lesson is definitely in the cards for your future. Pupils explore a deck of playing cards in the fifth of six parts in the Statistics and Probability series to learn about its suits and the number of each card type. They...
American Statistical Association
How Tall and How Many?
Is there a relationship between height and the number of siblings? Classmates collect data on their heights and numbers of brothers and sisters. They apply statistical methods to determine if such a relationship exists.
Project Maths
Outcomes of Coin Tosses
Flip a coin: heads, use the resource; tails, use the resource. The fourth of six installments of the Statistics & Probability unit looks at coin tosses and probability. The class conducts an experiment and sees that the outcomes of...
Illustrative Mathematics
Accuracy of Carbon 14 Dating II
The scientific issue of carbon-14 dating and exponential decay gets a statistics-based treatment in this problem. The class starts with a basic investigation of carbon content, but then branches out to questions of accuracy and ranges of...
American Statistical Association
Happy Birthday to . . . Two?
How many people do you need in a room before two likely share the same birthday? Scholars consider this puzzle by analyzing a set of data. They ponder how to divide the data and determine the proper size of a group for this event to...
EngageNY
Summarizing a Data Distribution by Describing Center, Variability, and Shape
Put those numbers to work by completing a statistical study! Pupils finish the last two steps in a statistical study by summarizing data with displays and numerical summaries. Individuals use the summaries to answer the statistical...
American Statistical Association
How Long is 30 Seconds?
Is time on your side? Pupils come up with an experiment to test whether their classmates can guess how long it takes for 30 seconds to elapse. They divide the class data into two groups, create box-and-whisker plots, and analyze the...
Statistics Education Web
Consuming Cola
Caffeine affects your heart rate — or does it? Learners study experimental design while conducting their own experiment. They collect heart rate data after drinking a caffeinated beverage, create a box plot, and draw conclusions. They...
American Statistical Association
Don't Spill the Beans!
Become a bean counter. Pupils use a fun activity to design and execute an experiment to determine whether they can grab more beans with their dominant hand or non-dominant hand. They use the class data to create scatter plots and then...
EngageNY
Creating a Histogram
Display data over a larger interval. The fourth segment in a 22-part unit introduces histograms and plotting data within intervals to the class. Pupils create frequency tables with predefined intervals to build histograms. They describe...
Museum of Tolerance
Why is This True?
Are wages based on race? On gender? Class members research wages for workers according to race and gender, create graphs and charts of their data, and compute differences by percentages. They then share their findings with adults and...
EduGAINs
Data Management
Using a carousel activity, class members gain an understanding of the idea of inferences by using pictures then connecting them to mathematics. Groups discuss their individual problems prior to sharing them with the entire class. The...
Mathalicious
On Your Mark
With many factors leading to a great athlete, does height make Usain Bolt unfairly fast? Middle schoolers conduct analysis to change the running distance of the Olympic races to be proportional to the height of the participants. They...
Mathalicious
Domino Effect
Carryout the lesson to determine the cost of pizza toppings from a Domino's Pizza® website while creating a linear model. Learners look through real data—and even create their own pizza—to determine the cost of each topping. They explore...