1. Probability Fun
For Grade 4, 5 and 6

2. Let’s Warm Up  Press Select 2 for Drill Choose 0 for Math
Table tests times-tables from 1 to 12.
You can do it in order – serial – or
You can mix it up – random
Math tests all basic BODMAS skills + - × ÷
Select the number of questions by pressing
Select the type of question by pressing
Press to start.
Type in the answer and then press
Q /25
 ÷ 4 = 9
 = 23
► × 8 = _

3. CAPS Requirements Grade 4: Grade 5: Grade 6:
Perform simple repeated events and list possible outcomes for events such as:
Tossing a coin
Rolling a die
These should be written in a table using tally marks.
Grade 5:
Count and compare the frequency of actual outcomes for a series of trials up to 20 trials again using either a
Coin
Die or
Spinner
Grade 6:
As grade 5 but with 50 trials.

4. Definition of Probability
The chance that something will happen.
Examples:
30% chance it will rain
When do you decide to bring an umbrella?
When is something equally likely?
A coin – heads and tails.

5. Probability is a percentage between 0 and 100.
0% chance of happening – means its not going to happen
100% chance of happening – means it is definitely going to happen
Explain the difference between certainty and impossibility:
If you have a mug with 3 red marbles in it
What is the chance that you will pull out a red marble? 100%
What is the chance that you will pull out a blue marble? 0%

6. Random Function Press Select 0 for Normal Mode .
0: RAND 1: R-DICE
2: R-COIN 3: R-INT
Press
Select 0 for Normal Mode .
RAND – Random decimals
(3 decimal places)
R-DICE – 1 to 6 like a Die
R-COIN – 0 and 1 (Choose which is heads and which is tails)
R-INT – Random integers from 0 to 99.

7. Coin Exercise On their own – Using the calculator:
If we tossed a fair coin 10 times, how many times should the coin land on tails? How many times should the coin land on heads?
Using the calculator:
Press 2 for Coin
Press to flip the coin.
Choose which is heads or tails – e.g. 0 for heads and 1 for tails.
Each time they get heads they make a tally mark in the heads column and each time they receive a tails they make a tally mark in the tails column:
Heads
Tails
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8. Coin Exercise Continued…
Now ask the students to partner up:
How many possible outcomes can we have with two coins thrown at the same time?
What are these outcomes?
If we tossed 2 coins at the same time, 20 times, how many times would we expect each event to occur?
Ask the students to write down a tally mark for each outcome in a table, e.g.:
Heads & Heads
Heads and Tails
Tails and Heads
Tails and Tails
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9. Tossing a Die On the calculator press . And select 1 for R-Dice.
Press to “roll” the dice.
Class exercise:
How many students got a 1 in the first row?
How many students got a 1 in the second row?
How many students in the class got 1?
Repeat with the other numbers.
In a class of 30, how many times would we expect to get 1?
Every student should roll the dice again. Add these results to the previous results

10. The Difference between what’s expected and reality
When we think about the chance of getting a one on the die, we know that it is one out of 6 options, so, the chance of getting one is
But, when we throw the die 6 times, how many times does it land on 1?
If we throw the die 12 times, how many times does it land on one.
Look at the results in the table the class did together:
The more times we throw the die the more likely we are to reach our “expected” probability.
What happens when the die is unfair?

11. Spinners You can also use spinners to teach probability.
Hand each child a spinner (choose the number of options depending on the grade)
Have each child colour the spinner in according to your instructions.
Each child is then given a paperclip (or is asked to bring one) – the bigger the better.
Place a pen in the centre of the spinner with the paperclip around its tip.
Spin the paperclip to simulate the spinner’s arrow.

12. Questions You can Ask For A Coin Why would you flip a coin?
What is the chance of getting heads?
What is the chance of getting tails?
How often would you expect a coin to land on its rim?

13. More Questions Questions for Dice
What is the chance of getting an even number?
What is the chance of getting an odd number?
What is the chance of getting “7”?
If you rolled two dice together:
What is the chance of getting a sum of 12?
What is the chance of getting a sum of 1?
What is the chance of getting the sum of an even number?

14. Questions Again Questions for Spinners
Spinners with different numbers of coloured-in spaces
Which colour is more likely to be landed on?
Which colour is the least likely to be landed on?
If you had to choose a colour to win a prize, which colour would you choose and why?
Spinners with different letters- vowels and consonants
What is the chance of landing on a vowel?
What is the chance of landing on a consonant?
What is the chance of landing on two letters in a row that would make a word?

15. Other suggestions for Probability
Days of the week
Long words like mathematics and Rustenburg
Months of the year
Seasons
Different characteristics, e.g. colours of socks etc.
Marbles in a cup
Coins in a purse
Selecting a pen/ pencil / ruler from a pencil case
Games that use chance e.g. lotto
Numbers in a telephone number

16. Thank You
has free caps aligned worksheets for grade 0 to 6, with more to come next year. Currently term 1 and term 2 work.
has a free emulator to download – you can use it for calculator skills and other fun activities. Check out the useful websites article on the home-page for more free website resources.