Probability

Strand: Statistics and Probability (Chance and Uncertainty)
Outcome: 6

Step 3: Plan for Instruction

What learning opportunities and experiences should I provide to promote learning of the outcomes and permit students to demonstrate their learning?
What teaching strategies and resources should I use?
How will I meet the diverse learning needs of my students?

Before introducing new material, consider ways to assess and build on students' knowledge and skills related to counting.

Consider the following strategies when planning lessons.

Build on students' understanding of experimental and theoretical probability focusing on a single action (e.g., tossing a coin once) from the previous grade and extend it to include two independent events (e.g., tossing a coin twice).
Clarify terminology used in probability; e.g., theoretical probability, experimental probability, sample space, outcomes, events, equally likely outcomes, unequally likely outcomes and trials.
Provide examples and nonexamples of independent events to deepen students' understanding of independent events.
Provide various strategies for creating the sample space and then calculating the theoretical probability of independent events without using multiplication. These strategies may include using tree diagrams, tables and area models.
Integrate technology after students have done hands-on work in carrying out experiments with independent events.
Provide a variety of manipulatives in illustrating independent events; e.g., coins, dice, spinners and drawing cards from a deck or objects from a bag with replacement.
Have students predict the results of any experiment with independent events by using theoretical probability.

Learning Activities are examples of activities that could be used to develop student understanding of the concepts identified in Step 1.

Learning Activities are examples of activities that could be used to develop student understanding of the concepts identified in Step 1.

Sample Learning Activities
Teaching Theoretical and Experimental Probability of Two Independent Events	Download Activities