Tech Probability Lesson Plan

Stratton 1
Probability Lesson Plan

Whitney Stratton
Common Core State Standards:
HSS.CP.A.2: Understand that two events A and B are independent if the probability of A and B
occurring together is the product of their probabilities, and use this characterization to determine if
they are independent.
HSS.CP.A.5: Recognize and explain the concepts of conditional probability and independence in
everyday language and everyday situations. For example, compare the chance of having lung cancer if you
are a smoker with the chance of being a smoker if you have lung cancer.
HSS.CP.B.9: Use permutations and combinations to compute probabilities of compound events and
solve problems.
Unit Outcome:
This unit is designed to help students to:
Confront and overcome common probability misconceptions.
Count equally likely outcomes using diagrams.
Discuss relationships between theoretical probabilities, observed outcomes and sample sizes.
Calculate probabilities of independent events.
Practice decision making skills
Investigate winning strategies
Gain a basic understanding of experimental probability
Lesson Outcomes:
Know how to compute probability.
Use probability in real-life.
Rationale/Purpose for Lesson:

Day 1: In this lesson, students practice decision-making skills leading to a better understanding of
choice versus chance and building the foundation of mathematical probability
Day 2: Imagine a game played with two players and two dice: if the biggest number rolled is one,
two, three, or four, player 1 wins. If the biggest number rolled is five or six, player 2 wins. Who has
the best probability of winning the game?
Assessment:
They will create a game of their own and present it to the class.
Resources/Materials Required:
One-to-One Device (Chromebook/iPad)

Dice
String
Worksheet
Pen/Pencil
Number cubes (dice)
Thinking about SKUNK Activity Sheet
Stratton 2
Introduction:
I will start the class by taking attendance. In the morning we have the Pledge of Allegiance, so I
have a couple of minutes to do attendance. I will also have a couple of warm-up questions on the
board. I will then have the students grab their One-to-One device.
In this lesson, students practice decision-making skills leading to a better understanding of choice
versus chance and building the foundation of mathematical probability.
Before the lesson, students work individually on a task designed to reveal their current level
of understanding. You review their scripts and write questions to help your students improve
their work.
In the lesson, students are asked to work collaboratively on some simple games. They make
predictions of the outcomes and then conduct the experiments and gather data.
Procedures: (55 minute class)

Day 1: SKUNK
0-15 minutes: Introduction
Attendance.
Housekeeping.
Questions:
o I might make more money if I was in business for myself; should I quit my job?
o An earthquake might destroy my house; should I buy insurance?
o My mathematics teacher might collect homework today; should I do it?
15-35 minutes: Discuss Questions
35-55 minutes: Play SKUNK
I will pass out the activity sheet. It is like a basketball game of PIG.
They will have the next 15 minutes to play and ask questions.
For Homework: they will use their GOOGLE DOCs to write a reflection on what they
learned for that day.
The Game of SKUNK
To start the game each player makes a score sheet like this:
Each letter of SKUNK represents a different round of the game; play begins with the "S" column and continue
through the "K" column. The object of SKUNK is to accumulate the greatest possible point total over five
rounds. The rules for play are the same for each of the five rounds.
At the beginning of each round, every player stands. Then, a pair of dice is rolled. (Everyone playing
uses that roll of the dice; unlike other games, players do not roll the dice for just themselves.)
A player gets the total of the dice and records it in his or her column, unless a "one" comes up.
If a "one" comes up, play is over for that round and all the player's points in that column are wiped
out.
If "double ones" come up, all points accumulated in prior columns are wiped out as well.
If a "one" doesn't occur, the player may choose either to try for more points on the next roll (by
continuing to stand) or to stop and keep what he or she has accumulated (by sitting down).
Note: If a "one" or "double ones" occur on the very first roll of a round, then that round is over and each
player must take the consequences.
Stratton 3
Day 2: The Last Banana
0-15 minutes: Introduction
Discuss the questions from yesterday and what they learned.
Watch The Last Banana video http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-last-banana-a-thoughtexperiment-in-probability-leonardo-barichello
15-30 minutes: Play the Dice Game
Everyone Plays:
o What would happen if the castaways in the lesson played with 3 dice instead of 2 dice to
see who would win the last banana?
Do the THINK quiz
30-55 minutes: Use One-to-One devices
They will come up with different scenarios for the dice game. They will make a PowerPoint
to demonstrate their knowledge of the probability concepts.
They will present at the end of the hour the next day.
Homework: (when appropriate)

They will write a reflection about day 1.
The students will come up with their own probability game. They will make a PowerPoint through
GOOGLE SLIDES explaining their game and how to play. This will help them with their
presentation skills as well as technology.
I received Day 1s lesson from http://illuminations.nctm.org/Lesson.aspx?id=956

I received Day 2s lesson from http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-last-banana-a-thought-experiment-in-probabilityleonardo-barichello

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Stratton 1

Probability Lesson Plan

Rationale/Purpose for Lesson:

One-to-One Device (Chromebook/iPad)

Procedures: (55 minute class)

Homework: (when appropriate)

I received Day 1s lesson from http://illuminations.nctm.org/Lesson.aspx?id=956

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