Spin away

Children will work in groups using spinners with 4 colors to make predictions about probability, gather and record data, and make conclusions about outcome.

A lesson plan for grade 4 Mathematics

By Gloria Wilson

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Related pages

• Exploring probability : Part 1 of 2: This lesson will introduce students to probability using resources of Shodor Education Foundation, Inc. Permission has been granted for the use of the materials as part of the workshop Interactivate Your Bored Math Students. Students will discover the rule for calculating simple probability as well as explore the ideas of experimental and theoretical probability.
• So many choices, so little time: This lesson will introduce students to Theoretical and Experimental Probability using Crazy Choices and Spinner, a resource of Shodor Education Foundation, Inc. Permission has been granted for the use of the materials as part of the workshop Interactivate Your Bored Math Students.
• Fair or unfair: Introduction to probability: This lesson introduces the idea of probability theory. Students will use everyday experiences and intuitive understanding to gain an understanding of probability.
  
  This lesson uses resources of Shodor Education Foundation, Inc. Permission has been granted for the use of the materials as part of the workshop-"Interactivate Your Bored Math Students."

Related topics

• Learn more about estimation, mathematics, and probability.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• show an understanding of probability
• gather and record data from an experiment and make a conclusion from the outcome

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

90 minutes

Materials/resources

• a spinner with 4 equally spaced colors for each group
• graph paper for each child in group
• pencil and paper to record results for each child
• colored pencils or crayons for colors on spinner
• image of new spinner — one copy for each student

Pre-activities

Class will discuss meaning of probability, prediction, outcome, and conclusion. They will review how to make line and bar graphs and how to keep a tally.

Activities

1. Teacher will divide class into groups. I try to use groups of 5. Each group will be given a spinner. Tell students to look at the colors on the spinner and write the probability of landing on each color.
2. Teacher will say: As a group you are going to take turns and spin a total of 30 spins. Keep a tally of each color that you land on. Before you begin write a prediction about which color you think will come up most often based on the probability. After you have completed the spins write the outcome.
3. What would you conclude from your experiment about one color coming up more often than others? Use colored pencils or crayons and show the number of times each color came up in your group by putting results on a bar graph and a line graph.

Assessment

• Teacher will rotate among groups to check for understanding. Each student’s paper will have probability, prediction, tally marks, outcome, and conclusion. I would expect students to conclude that since colors are equal one would not have a higher probability.
• Graphs would be evaluated on proper construction. To assess students understanding of probability: on the following day teacher will hand out copies of the new spinner to each student. Write the following questions on the board: What is the probability of each color? Which color has the highest probability? Why? Acceptable answers would be 1/4, 1/4, 1/2 or 1 out of 4, 1 out of 4, 2 out of 4. Red has the highest probability because there is twice as much.

Supplemental information

Before this lesson I do a whole class activity such as drawing different colored cubes from a bag to learn about probability. After this lesson I assign individual or smaller groups many different assignments on probability to do independently. To follow up on graphing, whole class results could be graphed and students write and answer questions based on information gathered.

Comments

Children enjoy this group activity. They are eager to do other activities of this type.