9-12
In this lesson, students analyze the fairness of certain games by
examining the probabilities of the outcomes. The explorations provide
opportunities to predict results, play the games, and calculate
probabilities. Students should have had prior experiences with simple
probability investigations, including flipping coins, drawing items
from a set, and making tree diagrams. They should understand that the
probability of an event is the ratio of the number of successful
outcomes to the number of possible outcomes. This lesson was adapted
from "Activities: Explorations with Chance," which appeared in the
April 1992 issue of the
Mathematics Teacher. 3-5, 6-8
Exercise your factoring ability against a human or the computer in this Calculation Nation game.
3-5
When students play the Factor Trail game, they have to identify the
factors of a number to earn points. Built into this game is cooperative
learning — students check one another's work before points are awarded.
The score sheet used for this game provides a built-in assessment tool
that teachers can use to check their students' understanding.
3-5, 6-8
Students discover the
relationships between area and perimeter as they prep for playing Square Off, a
wonderful Calculation Nation
®
game. This lesson helps students understand the math of area and perimeter, which
will help to maximize their scores when playing the game. Creating human-sized
rectangles and working with geoboards provide concrete experiences before
moving on to pictorial and abstract work with area and perimeter of rectangles.
9-12
Represent numbers in other bases and convert to and from decimal
representations, and then, learn how to play Static Nim.
Pre-K-2
The four games that can be played with
this applet help to develop counting and addition skills.
6-8, 9-12
In this lesson, students will explore reflections,
translations and rotations. Students participate in a modeling activity where
they will learn the rules for translations and reflections. Then students
will practice using these transformations, as well as explore the rules for
rotations, in the game
Flip-n-Slide on Calculation Nation®.
3-5
Students love games! In this lesson, students apply what they know about area by planning a four square tournament for their school. They'll calculate the total area of a large room and figure out how many four square game courts are possible. The lesson promotes problem solving and decision making as students work to design a tournament space that allows for movement of people and active game play.
6-8
This lesson engages students in the joy of mathematical inquiry through a game, while building number sense, understanding of uncertainty, statistical reasoning, and discourse skills. Students will explore the ideas of experimental and conditional probability through the card game, Frustration. 6-8
The following grades 6-8 activities allow students to explore
statistics surrounding baseball. They are exposed to connections
between various mathematical concepts and see where this mathematics is
used in areas with which they are familiar. This lesson plan is adapted
from the May 1996 edition of
Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School.
