November 13, 1998

Tyce W. Yates & Jason Jennings

Math and Science Methods

Dr. Taggart --Microteaching

1. TEACHER INFORMATION

   Title of lesson: " A Sack Full of Probabilities", "Fair and Unfair Games."

   Topics: MATH probability, SCIENCE animals and their habitats MATH product- probability, process-identification, SCIENCE product-probability, process-classification

   Student Level: 4th grade

   Objective(s):

   1. The students will be able to determine the ability to recognize the habitat of animals.
   2. TSWBATDTAT determine how likely something is to happen and point out that logical rules can help evaluate probability.
   3. TSWBATDTAT classify different types of animals in their habitats.
   4. TSWBATDTAT identify the difference between odd and even numbers.
   5. TSWBATDTAT identify the difference between numerator and denominators.

   Materials: animal stickers, spinners number 1-6, paper bags.

   Prerequisite Skills: Odd and even numbers, add, subtract, multiply, divide, fractions.

   Time Required: 20-25

    

2. TEACHING PROCEDURES

   Introduction: Sack of probabilities"

   1. Ask the students to define two types of habitats discussed in the lesson. Furthermore ask the students to define the time period when the dinosaurs roamed the earth.
   2. The teacher will pass out the colored bags with animals from different habitats and one from the prehistoric times. Each bag will contain five dinosaurs, three rainforest animals, and 12 aquatic life.
   3. The students will be asked to predict what the probability of picking out of the bags either a rain forest animal, aquatic life, or dinosaurs, the total number in each bag is 20.
   4. Each student in the group will have the opportunity to pick a sticker from the sack with out looking. After the students has picked they will record their result and then return the sticker back to the bag and shake the bag before the next turn.
   5. Repeat this process until each group member has picked from the bag.
   6. The teacher needs to ensure the students need to record whether they picked one of the different habitats or prehistoric time dinosaurs.

      "Fair Unfair game"

   7. Next the student will play the "Add" to get odds and evens game.
   8. The rules are to spin the spinners and add the sum of both numbers.
   9. If the sum of the answer is even one team scores, and if the sum of the answer is odd the other team scores. The first team to get to ten points wins.
   10. After the game has been played the teacher will ask the students if the game was fair or unfair and receive feedback from the students of why it is fair.

   Strategies: For the fair and unfair game the teacher should stress that the importance of the game is not whether you win or lose, but if you understand the concepts.

   Conclusion: By ensuring the students understand the concepts of probability they will be introduced to a method of math that will be carried with them the rest of their lives.

   Evaluation: The teachers will ensure the students understanding of probability by assessing their performance through justifying fair and unfair games. Furthermore the teachers will monitor the students performance throughout the entire lesson by walking around the room checking on students performance.

   Extension: An extension idea could include the incorporation of rainforest and aquatic life research. The students could research on the animals chosen in the probability sack. The students could discover what country or region the animals are most likely to be found. Students could also research dinosaurs and figure how many years ago the dinosaurs roamed the earth.

   Resource: 4th grade math book, teachers' edition.