Experimental Probability and Theoretical Probability - Experiments of Chance!

Probability is so frequently used in every-day life, yet so often under-explored as a common core subject in math classrooms. This is the first in a series of products which bring probability to life in upper elementary and middle school classrooms. Experiments of Chance gives students an introduction to experimental and theoretical probability by providing:

- A warm-up problem via which the students review necessary prior knowledge and begin to think about the different components of probability.

- A guided notes page that enables the teacher to work with the students to define experimental and theoretical probability and explain how they are used.

- A six-page experimental probability worksheet, Experiments of Chance – Actual Results, in which the students perform a series of six experiments, tabulate data, and then calculate experimental probability. The only materials required are coins and dice. The experiments begin with a simple coin toss, but quickly work up to two or three simultaneous events.

- A six-page theoretical probability worksheet, Experiments of Chance – Expected Results, in which the students revisit each of the six experiments, this time making an organized list all possible outcomes and then calculating the theoretical probability for each experiment.

- A final Did We Get What We Expect? worksheet, in which the students compare the theoretical and experimental probabilities, determine if they match, explain why they think some of them do not match, and then evaluate the similarities, differences, and overall usefulness for theoretical and experimental probability.

This product is a great 4-day introduction to experimental and theoretical probability and represents a fun and enlightening way to start any probability unit.

Good luck in your use of Experiments of Chance!

Related Products:

If you are interested in taking students to the next level regarding probability, visit Is It Fair Or Not. This follow-on product takes students to the next level of critical thinking regarding experimental and theoretical probabilities by assessing the level of “fairness” of three different games. For each game, students pair up, read the instructions for the game, make predictions about whether the game is fair or not, play the game, then again evaluate the level of fairness of the game. After playing the games, the students revisit each of them, calculate theoretical probability, assess whether the games are truly fair or not, and suggest ways to alter the games that are not fair to make them fair. Additional critical-thinking worksheet questions and classroom discussion round out this two to three day activity.

Feel free to check out a growing number of other products that use poetry, songs, games, worksheets, and assessments to make math fun and help students to learn a variety of common core math standards.

Click here to view Algebraic Expression and Equation Products

Click here to view Data, Statistics, and Probability Products

Click here to view Decimal Products

Click here to view Divisibility Rule Products

Click here to view Elementary to Middle School Transition Products

Click here to view Factor / Multiple Products

Click here to view Fraction Products

Click here to view Geometry Products

Click here to view Integer, Rational Number, and Order of Operations Products

Click here to view Ratio-Rate-Proportion-Percent Products

Click here to view Riddle Card Products that Help Retain Math Essentials

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Copyright © Barry Schneiderman. This product is to be used by ONE teacher (the purchaser) for his or her classes only. Any reproduction of this material is limited to the purchaser for his or her classes. Beyond this usage, it may not be reproduced, republished, or copied in any way without written permission of the publisher. It may not be distributed to other teachers, a school department, a school, or a school district. This product may not be posted on any website, including but not limited to classroom websites, school websites, or district websites, without written permission of the publisher. Failure to follow the terms of usage represents a copyright violation per the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). To receive written permission to copy or post this product beyond the terms of use, ask Barry Schneiderman a question on Teachers Pay Teachers.