Technology-Enhanced Resource For Teaching Statistics & Probability (Year 5)

Introduction

The study of statistics and probability in Australian Primary Schools is essential for the development of students mathematical reasoning in everyday life. Probability represents a real life perspective of mathematics with the connection and inclusion of other mathematical areas including counting and geometry. Researchers, particularly in medicine and the social sciences, only understand statistics through statistical methods that go beyond the probability theory. In mathematics, probability describes randomness. In many cases, there may be conflict between probability theory and the way students view the world in the sense that they have limited contact with randomness. This is why it is important to prepare students with the study of chance early within the curriculum to ensure they are experiencing random behaviour. To have an understanding of the probability theory is essential to have an understanding in things like politics, weather reports, genetics, sports, and insurance policies, in which all of these can be taught at Primary School level. 

The benefits of including activities that deal with experimental probability in Australian Primary Schools enhances childrens problem-solving skills and prepare for a variety of real life challenges for the children across all parts of the mathematics curriculum. In the Australian Mathematics Curriculum, it identifies experimental probability to be one of several critical basic skill areas that needs to occupy more prominently within the school curricula. Unfortunately, many Australian schools tend to avoid introducing probability until the end of the school year or yet to choose not to teach the program. 

Students who are experienced to statistics and probability within the Primary School level, it has individually built on conceptual knowledge of working with data and chance. These expeiences involve two types of probability including theoretical and experimental. When it comes to teaching probability, children find it easier to comprehend with the subject when being exposed to more theoretical models involving probability. Theoretical models are the ones that organize possible outcomes of experiments and include things such as charts, tree diagrams, lists, and simple counting procedures. 

The importance of the critical study of statistics and probability enhances students in areas of questioning, conjecturing, and searching for relationships when formulating and solving real-world problems. Probablistic skills are important in order to function within a society. Probability describe the world we live in today and involves the knowledge of everyday skills to know and understand probability. 

Task

Year 5 Mathematical Content Descriptions| Statistics and Probablility:

Chance

  • List outcomes of chance experiments involving equally likely outcomes and represent probabilities of those outcomes using fractions (ACMSP116)
  • Recognise that probabilities range from 0 to 1 (ACMSP117)

Data Representation and Interpretation

  • Pose questions and collect categorical or numerical data by observation or survey (ACMSP118)
  • Construct displays, including column graphs, dot plots and tables, appropriate for data type, with and without the use of digital technologies (ACMSP119)
  • Describe and interpret different data sets in context (ACMSP120)

 

Student Learning | Statistics and Prpbability | Year 5 

 Measures of Central Value

  • Finding a Central Value
  • Calculate the Mean Value
  • Find the Median Value
  • Find the Mode Value or Modal Value
  • *STUDENT ACTIVITY*

Probability

  • Probability
  • The Probability Line
  • The Spinner
  • The Basic Counting Principle
  • Relative Frequency
  • *STUDENT ACTIVITY*

Events

  • Probability - Types of Events
  • Independent Events
  • Dependent Events
  • *STUDENT ACTIVITY*

Combinations

  • Combinations
  • *STUDENT ACTIVITY*

How to Show Data

  • Column Graphs
  • Bar Graphs
  • Dot Plots
  • Tables
  • *STUDENT ACTIVITY*

Surveys

  • How to do a Survey
  • Survey Questions
  • Showing Results of a Survey
  • *STUDENT ACTIVITY*
Process

LESSON 1

Measures of Central Value:

  • Finding a Central Value
  • Calculate the Mean Value
  • Find the Median Value
  • Find the Mode or Modal Value

LESSON 2

Probability:

  • Probability
  • The Probability Line
  • The Spinner
  • The Basic Counting Principle
  • Relative Frequency

LESSON 3

Events:

  • Probability - Types of Events
  • Independent Events
  • Dependent Events

LESSON 4

Combinations:

  • Combinations

LESSON 5

How to Show Data:

  • Column Graphs
  • Bar Graphs
  • Dot Plots
  • Tables

LESSON 6

Surveys:

  • How to do a Survey
  • Survey Questions
  • Showing Results of a Survey