Grade Levels: 6-8

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Basic Probability, and supports the standard of investigating chance processes and developing, using, and evaluating probability models. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Show the class a die. Ask:

  • What are my chances of rolling a three? What are the chances I will roll a six?

Prompt students to explain their reasoning. Then roll the die to see if you made the odds.

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Read the description on the Basic Probability topic page.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Assign Related Reading. Have students read one of the following articles: “Fun & Games” or “Did You Know?” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Assign Basic Probability Challenge and Quiz, prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about basic probability while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Produce a game show in which players compete to determine the probability of rolling different outcomes of two dice. 
  • Make-a-Map: Create a concept map identifying the probability of flipping two coins and landing on different combinations of heads and tails. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a game challenging players to determine whether or not certain situations have a probability of 1/2 . 

More to Explore 

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of statistics and probability with these topics: Compound Events, Independent and Dependent Events, and Statistics.

Teacher Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments