Shivon Bell S00134550

EDMA310/360 Mathematics unit planner

{Shivon Bell}

Unit Overview
Unit title: Probability
Content maths area: Probability
Grade/year level: Grade 3/ Level 3
Learning Focus (ideas extrapolated from AusVELS):
Content strand: Statistics and Probability
Sub-strand: Chance
Proficiency strand: Conduct chance experiments, identify and describe outcomes and
recognise variation in results (ACMSP067)
Rationale:
I chose to focus on statistics and probability because this topic can be a challenging
topic for children to understand. (Barnes & others, 1998). This is because in order to
understand probability students need to think in a different ways that they usually would (Jones,
2005) Therefore I think it is important to know and understand how to teach chance and data so
students are able to further their knowledge and ideas around the topic.
Assumed prior knowledge of students:
Students have briefly learnt about chance and data, however this was very limited as
students only started to learn the language involved.
Grouping strategies to support learning:
Throughout the unit of work, students will be either working in small groups or pairs
because it allows students to discuss ideas, jointly constructing understanding to share
knowledge amongst members of a community (Rojas-Drummond & Mercer, 2003, pg 100)
(Rojas-Drummond, Albarrna & Littleton, 2008). Working in pairs or small groups also allows
students to learn from one another and scaffold each other within the activity (Rojas-Drummond
& Mercer, 2003). According to Chick and Watson (2001) understanding and individual
achievement is higher when students are working in small groups, collaborating with one another
compared to individual work. It is therefore more beneficial to group students with others so they
may gain a significant understanding.

Overview of assessment:
Throughout the unit of work, the assessment is mainly formative as I will be observing
students and collecting work to see what understanding students have and what
possible misconceptions they might be holding. This type of assessment means that the
misconceptions can be changed promptly, aiding students in their understanding of the
topic.

Shivon Bell S00134550

References:
Aamt.edu.au,. (2014). Units of Work / The Learning Federation / Activities and projects / Home
- Australian Association of
Barnes, M., & others,. (1998). Dealing with misconceptions about probability. Australian
Association Of Mathematics Teachers, 54(1), 17-20. Retrieved from
Chick, H., & Watson, J. (2001). Data representation and interpretation by primary school
students working in groups. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 13(2), 91-111.
Downton, A. (2014). Lecture 11: EDMA310 Mathematics: Learning and Teaching 2:
Exploring Data Concepts. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from
http://leo.acu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=13132
Mathematics Teachers. Retrieved 10 October 2014, from
and-projects/The-Learning- Federation/Units-of-Work

http://www.aamt.edu.au/Activities-

Nzmaths.co.nz,. (2014). What's in the bag? | nzmaths. Retrieved 10 October 2014, from
http://www.nzmaths.co.nz/resource/whats-bag
Rojas-Drummond, S., Albarrna, C., & Littleton, K. (2008). Collaboration, creativity and the coconstruction of oral and written texts. Thinking Skills And Creativity, 3(3), 177-191.
doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2008.09.008
Rojas-Drummond, S., Mazn, N., Fernndez, M., & Wegerif, R. (2006). Explicit reasoning,
creativity and co-construction in primary school children's collaborative

activities.

Thinking Skills And Creativity, 1(2), 84-94. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2006.06.001

Shivon Bell - S00134450

MATHEMATICS UNIT PLANNER

Topic: Statistics and Probability
Key mathematical understandings
(2-4 understandings only; written as statements believed to be true
about the mathematical idea/topic):

Year Level: 3

Students will learn the language of probability

Students will associate the language of

probability with everyday events and order these
from least likely to most likely

Level descriptions:

Students will be able to explain the likelihood of

something occurring and why something may be
more, less or equally likely

Proficiency strand(s)

Students will look at fair and unfair games in

order to determine how a game is fair

Week: 4-6

Date:

Key AusVELS Focus / Standard

Content strand(s):
Statistics and Probability
Sub-strand(s):
Chance

Term: 2

Students carry out simple data investigations for categorical variables. They interpret and compare data displays. Students
conduct chance experiments, list possible outcomes and recognise variations in results.

Understanding includes connecting number representations with number sequences, partitioning and combining numbers
flexibly, representing unit fractions, using appropriate language to communicate times, and identifying environmental symmetry
Fluency includes recalling multiplication facts, using familiar metric units to order and compare objects, identifying and
describing outcomes of chance experiments, interpreting maps and communicating positions
Problem Solving includes formulating and modelling authentic situations involving planning methods of data collection and
representation, making models of three dimensional objects and using number properties to continue number patterns
Reasoning includes using generalising from number properties and results of calculations, comparing angles, creating and
interpreting variations in the results of data collections and data displays

Key skills to develop and practise (including strategies,

Key equipment / resources:

Key vocabulary (be specific and include definitions of key words

ways of working mathematically, language goals, etc.) (4-5 key skills

Spinners

Ipads- for online activity

Lollie bags/ lollies

only):

Students will develop an understanding of the

language associated with probability

Students will understand that two events can be

equally likely or one may be more or less likely

Spinners

Students will work in pairs, discussing their

reasoning

Workbooks

Students will note a connection between the

probability and the sample space

Leedy, L. (2007). It's probably Penny. New York: H.

Holt.

appropriate to use with students)

probability- the chance of something occurring

unlikely, likely, equally likely, impossible, certain,
definitely, good chance, might, very little chance,
probably not, chance are even, almost certainly
not .

Shivon Bell - S00134450

Possible misconceptions (list of misconceptions related to
the mathematical idea/topic that students might develop):

Students may not understand that the probability

can be equally likely when there is two events
Students may not have proficient understanding
of the language

Key probing questions (focus questions that will be used to

Links to other contexts (if applicable, e.g., inquiry unit focus,

develop understanding to be used during the sequence of lessons; 3 5

probing questions):

current events, literature, etc.):

Learning
strategies/ skills

Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Co-operating
Considering
options
Designing
Elaborating

MATHEMATICAL
FOCUS

Session 1
Students will learn
the language of
probability.

Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Interpreting
Justifying

Listening
Locating
information
Making choices
Note taking
Observing
Ordering events
Organising

TUNING IN

(WHOLE CLASS FOCUS)

Tunning In
Read the book Its Probability
Penny by Loreen Leedy,
writing down the language of
probability. What is some
language in the book that we
just read that would be
considered probability
language and why?
Activity
Students write down the
chance they have of doing
something on the weekend,
using the language listed on
the board. These statements
will then be put on a line, one
by one.
(See appendix 1 for more

why do you think that one event is more likely to

happen than the other?
What is the probability of that occurring and why
do you think that?
If we were to look at all the lollies in the bag would
you know the probability of pulling a certain colour
lolly out? How would you know this?
Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting
Providing feedback
Questioning

Reading
Recognising bias
Reflecting
Reporting
Responding
Restating
Revising

Literacy

Seeing patterns
Selecting information
Self-assessing
Sharing ideas
Summarising
Synthesising

Testing
Viewing
Visually representing
Working independently
Working to a timetable

INVESTIGATIONS
SESSION

REFLECTION & MAKING

CONNECTIONS
SESSION

ADAPTATIONS and
small groups

ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES

Pairs
Students will be working in
pairs, selecting the
appropriate language on
the Online activity. Once
they have selected the
language, they must
explain to their partner why
they have chosen it.
http://www.scootle.edu.au/e
c/viewing/L118/index.html

Class Discussion
Students will come back to
the floor to discuss the
language of probability.

Enabling promptIf I were to look at all the

possibilities of getting a
certain can, is there more
for the one I want?

Observation of students
The teacher is to observe
students while they are
working in pairs on the
online activity. The
teacher will also listen to
group discussion.

Small group
Students will work as a
small group to chose the
appropriate language.
Teacher is to probe
students reasoning.

(See appendix 1 for more

information)
Extending promptSmall group
Students will work as a
small group to chose the
appropriate language.
Teacher is to probe
students reasoning.

Shivon Bell - S00134450

information)
Class discussion will then be
held as to what we could label
the parts of the line/
continuum.

(Downton, 2014)
Session 2
Students will be
classifying a list of
everyday activities
and making a small
sentence of the
probability of them
doing that event.

Session 3
Students will
collect, organise
and analyse data in
order to explain the
likelihood of
something
occurring and why
something may be
more likely or less
likely.

Tunning in
Continue to read the book Its
Probability Penny by Loreen
Leedy
Whole class/ think pair
share
As a class make a list of things
that they normally do
everyday. Reading out one
statement at a time students
will discus with the person next
to them the probability of them
doing that today.

Tunning in
Language game (appendix 3)
Whole class
Students in a circle.
Get one student at a time to
take a lolly out, recording the
colour. After five lollies have
been taken out get students to
talk to the person next to them
what colour they think they are
more likely to pull out next?
(See appendix 3 for more
information)

Individually
Students are to use the list
created as a class to write
a brief statement of the
chance of them doing that
event today. They are then
to reorganise their
sentences, putting them on
the continuum. Students
will then form a small group
to discuss (see appendix 2
for more information)

Gallery walk
Students will walk around
the classroom looking at
others continuums. A small
discussion of how everyone
has different statements in
different spots, because the
probability is not the same
for all of us.

Pairs
Students are to then take a
bag with a partner,
continuing to graph their
results for another 20
times, continuing to predict
which lolly they are more
likely to pull out and explain
why.

Spotlight
After ten lollies have been
pulled out get students to
stand around a table and
the students on that table
are to explain the amount
of each colour they think is
in the bag and why.
(See appendix 3 for more
information)

Students will then make a

prediction of how many of
each colour lollies in the
bag if there are a total of
eight lollies.

Small Group
Enabling promptOnce students have
written their statements
they are to go into groups
of three or four and
discus why they are
likely, unlikely ect to do
that event.

Collection of work
Collect students
statements that are on
the continuum

Extending promptStudents are to use the

list to compare the two.
Eg I am more likely to go
shopping compare to
swimming.
Small Group
Enabling promptSome lollies will be taken
out of the bag so the
sample space is halved.
Students will then predict
which colour is more
least likely to be pulled
out and explain why.
Extending promptAnother colour lolly will
be added to the bag,
students can then
continue predicting which

Observation of students
The teacher is to observe
and listen to students
predictions and
reasonings.

Shivon Bell - S00134450

(Nzmaths.co.nz,2014)

is more likely and how

many of each colour.

(Nzmaths.co.nz,2014)

Session 4
Students will
collect, organise
and analyse data in
order to
understand how
the amount of
something can
change the chance
of something
occurring.

Session 5
Students will be
looking at a
different
representation for
chance, stating
whether a game is
fair or not.
6

Tunning in
Language game (Appendix 4)
Whole class
Sitting in a circle, lolly bag in
the middle (lolly bag should
have a similar amount of red
lollies to yellow lollies)
Taking one lolly out at a time,
recording this and putting it
back in. Stop after five lollies
have been taken out to make a
prediction of the amount of
each colour. Get students to
Think/ Pair/ Share talking
about their prediction and why.

Whole class game

Students will continue the
game with, as a class
guessing what colour will
be next. Statement in their
books will be written down,
eg I predict that a green
lolly will be pulled out next
because . If students get
the colour right they give
themselves 4 points, if they
get it wrong they lose 1
point.

Enabling promptStudents will predict

which lolly they are to pull
out next rather than
guessing the colour.
Extending promptAnother colour lolly will
be added to the bag,
students can then
continue predicting which
is more likely and how
many of each colour.

Work collection
The teacher will look at
the predictions and
justification of their
predictions. The teacher
will also look at the
sentence to explain the
chance of pulling out a
yellow or red lolly.

Once ten lollies have been

pulled out students will
write a brief sentence to
state the chance of pulling
out a red lolly or a yellow
lolly, using the word wall.

(Nzmaths.co.nz,2014)

(Nzmaths.co.nz,2014)

Tunning in
Whole class spinner game
(Appendix 5)
http://www.shodor.org/interacti
vate/activities/BasicSpinner/

Pairs
Students will be working in
pairs with a spinner
(Appendix 5). Each student
will pick one colour on the
spinner and make a
prediction of the probability
that the spinner will land on
their colour. Each student

Whole class
As a class look at the Online
spinner, talking about the

Class Discussion
talking about the chance of
something occurring and if
the amount of lollies are
similar how this can effect
what we predict.

Class discussion
About whether the game
was fair or not and how the
game could be made fair.

Enabling promptStudents will state

whether the spinner is
more lilkey to land on
their colour or less likely.
Small group
Extending promptStudents are to make a

Listening to students
Listen to the conversation
about whether the game
was fair or not and how
the game could be made
fair.

Shivon Bell - S00134450

chances of landing on certain
colours.

(Aamt.edu.au,2014)

will then spin the spinner

five times each, recording
the results in their maths
books. Once Students have
spun it fifteen times, they
should revise their
statement of the probability
of landing on the colours.

(Aamt.edu.au,2014)

spinner game for three

players. The spinner
must be more likely to
stop on green and
equally least likely to stop
on red and purple
(introducing more colours
to the spinner). Students
are then to explain why
they have done what they
have.